Fleeing driver arrested: 8/26/23

An armed suspect who fled from a traffic stop in Deltona, abandoned his vehicle and jumped a fence to hide in the woods Saturday evening had his heat signature spotted by Air One and was taken into custody without incident. Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Lake Helen Osteen Road and Austin Avenue, a deputy attempted a traffic stop on a white Kia SUV for an infraction, but the vehicle failed to stop. The deputy shut down his lights and siren and followed in the same direction as the vehicle drove out of sight. The vehicle’s tag was associated with a nearby address on the 2800 block of Courtland Boulevard. When the deputy arrived at that address, he saw the suspect vehicle in the driveway. The driver got out, ignored the deputy’s commands and jumped a fence. Deputies set up a perimeter while Air One responded and spotted a heat signature in a densely wooded area. Deputies and a K-9 approached the area on the ground, gave commands to the suspect, and he came out with his hands up and surrendered. A Glock 19 handgun was found in the woods where the suspect, identified as Evans Leon-Paul Jr. (DOB 4/15/1983), was hiding. The firearm was reported stolen in 2021. Deputies also recovered a bag with extra magazines, ammunition, and a knife, along with marijuana and THC wax. Leon-Paul was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, resisting an officer without violence, possession of marijuana over 20g, possession of cannabis wax, and driving with a suspended license. He was also found to have several outstanding warrants related to prior charges of shooting into a building, 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of cocaine. He was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail where he was being held with $26,500 bond on his new charges and no bond allowed on his warrants.