They just lost a tire. We're doing about
60 on the left lane now. You have any 40
bells? They're going to be on the right
behind the Italian-American club.
BSW BSW
BSW
>> He's crashing out.
>> Woah!
>> Stay right here. Stay right here. Stay
right here.
>> Do not move.
Fair enough.
>> On May 9th, 2024, [music]
deputies in Palm Coast, Florida,
responded to a Home Depot after [music]
employees reported a felony theft
involving Samuel Johnson and Elmer
Tausi. According to store [music] staff,
the pair had allegedly used a receipt
from cheaper purchases to leave with
nearly $1,400 [music]
worth of merchandise. Deputies quickly
located their white van [music] and
moved in to stop them, but instead of
cooperating, the men appeared determined
to get away, and their decision to keep
[music] running was about to make the
situation far worse.
>> Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
Come here. Stay back. Stay back. Stay
back. Stay back. Corp, stay
Stay back.
Corp, stay back. Come here. Get cover at
least.
Corp, stay Stay back. Stay back. Stay
back. Stay Come here. Stay back.
You stay covered. Hold cover.
Vehicle stopped out of police.
Going to be walking north on Hedgestone.
Stay here. Stay here. Stay here.
Pulling northbound on Oakings.
>> The
dispatch has been notified.
>> [music]
[music]
>> 10-4, 10-4.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> Vehicle code three at top five.
>> [music]
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> Vehicle on the right.
No pursuit authorized at this time. No
pursuit.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> Four lights off, he's westbound Parkway.
>> Lights off, westbound Parkway.
Vehicle code three behind him, Parkway.
10-4, outside of the bridge now. They're
going northbound on 95 and through the
Memorial Bridge now.
10-4, now going northbound on 95, going
right outside of there.
10-4, notify also go ahead and notify
your state police and Virginia.
10-4, now going through the Memorial
Bridge, Parkway. Still trying to figure
out where they're trying to get there.
Dispatch has been notified. White
Lincoln Continental and black Cadillac
on the left going northbound on 95.
10-4, communication with the other
agencies now.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> Going northbound on 95.
They're going northbound on 95.
Two vehicles inside of it going about 60
mph right now.
They're going to get on 95.
Get ready for the bailout. They're going
to be right behind
the Italian American Club. The vehicle
is a VSW.
>> He's crashing in the woods.
Crashing in the
>> The van had carried them away from the
original stop, but it wasn't going to
carry them much farther. Once it ended
up in the woods, the escape simply
continued on foot.
>> He's right.
He was right. He was right here.
I don't have it yet.
Grab yours.
You see it?
I got him.
>> I think the other one was wearing a
green I saw somebody wearing
when they got out right here.
Yeah, neon it's neon green.
I saw I saw him like right like like at
this bush like in the when it gets
bigger right here is where I saw him
last.
Yeah, like right in this area.
Right here. Hey! Show [screaming] me
your hands! Hands up!
Don't move!
Both your hands up now!
Do not move!
Stand up now!
Yes.
Stand by 210 out contact.
I got hands? Come out to me now. Keep
your hands up. Don't move.
I got hands?
>> Keep your hands up.
>> Running into the woods hadn't bought
them much time. With both men being
accounted for, deputies could finally
turn their attention back to the route
they had taken and what had happened
along the way.
>> K-37, we're going to we're going to
Clear the vehicle.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
Dispatch has been updated.
>> Both in custody,
>> Right.
>> K-3 10-4.
>> I got 210.
>> Just confirm that we have both in
custody because we got people running
towards the small town.
>> We have the two subjects that we believe
got out of the vehicle in custody. I
think they're clearing the vehicle at
this time, so
>> Go ahead.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> K-5 K-3 40103
>> 10-1, I'm not showing you on a call.
>> I'm seeing a white 1500
It's over at the
prom
5.
>> K-2 10-4.
>> I got 210.
>> Silver 8 gold 6 notes 10.
>> Gold 10 is out with a
uh the
vehicle that flipped.
>> Dispatch has been updated.
>> I'm 5 around 30.
Can you 635 vehicle clear?
>> Alpha 326, I'm heading over to the on
ramp to see what evidence they threw
out.
>> 10-4.
>> You can go and confirm charges felony
breach of retail theft waiting to get
the details for the $500.
>> I need a unit if there's one free to go
over by Dunkin Donuts and see if there's
any damage where he crashed through.
>> 11512 citizen Dunkin Donuts now.
>> The running was over and deputies were
now retracing what had happened during
the escape. But once the men were given
a chance to explain themselves, the
story sounded very different from their
side.
>> I'm going to read you your rights, all
right?
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
against you in court.
You have the right to have an attorney
with you or you have the right to have
an attorney with you prior to, during,
or after any questioning.
If you cannot afford an attorney and
desire one, the court will appoint one
for you. You may stop the questioning at
any time by refusing to answer further
by requesting to consult with your
attorney. Do you understand these rights
I've explained to you?
Um
So what happened today?
Huh?
>> I got a lawyer. I don't think he would
like an answer.
>> You don't want to talk?
Huh?
>> No, there's really nothing to talk
about.
>> All right.
You just want to you want to wait for a
lawyer then?
>> What what are my charges?
>> Uh
your charges are grand theft,
uh scheme to defraud,
and uh
resisting without violence. So two
felonies and one misdemeanor.
Do you want to talk about them or do you
want to wait?
>> I'll wait. What's the bond amount?
>> Uh it's not going to be There's no bond
until you You got to go first
appearance.
>> All right. Come on.
Hey man, what's your name?
>> It's Anthony C.
>> I'm Deputy Fletcher. I'm going to read
you your rights, all right?
Uh you have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
against you in court. You have the right
to have an attorney with you prior to,
during, or after any questioning. If you
cannot afford an attorney and desire
one, the court will appoint one for you.
You may stop the questioning at any time
by refusing to answer further by
requesting to consult with your
attorney. Do you understand these
rights?
What happened today?
Yeah, talk just a little bit louder,
man. I can't hear you.
You bought some items?
Okay, who was driving the car?
Who was driving the car?
The van.
Okay. Um
So, you didn't Did you come in here and
steal any items?
Nothing? Did
your buddy steal any items?
So, you guys came in here, you bought
items.
What did you buy?
Two wires to connect to the garbage
disposal?
Is there any reason why they'd be saying
those items weren't purchased?
Well, they did.
You guys showed them
uh a receipt
that had other items on it.
Well, they have it all on camera, and
then you ran from us.
Well, they're saying a different story,
man. I'm going to I'll read the
statement a little bit further, but
they're telling us a different story.
>> Who, me?
>> Both of you, yeah.
>> No,
we got to we got we got to leave. You
know, they they can show the lady she
had to count out more money. It was
and she had to get get a second person
to help you count the money for me.
>> All right, so we'll then if you think
you bought the stuff, then we'll push
past that for right now.
>> I know I bought it.
>> Okay, all right, well we'll we'll push
past that for right now. So
>> It's a dude named Jason.
>> When you What?
>> It's a dude named Jason that works here.
He's in there. She he had to come and
recount the money that I already gave to
the lady to purchase the items that I
bought.
>> All right, so when you guys were
surrounded by police officers with the
lights on
and a tire deflation device device in
front of your vehicle
What What was that about?
Then crashed into the woods, and then
what happened after you guys crashed
into the woods?
You ran, right?
Bro, come on.
So nobody No
What What about the What about the
vehicle that the police vehicle that was
parked right in front of you with the
lights on right in front of you, and
he's telling you to get out.
And then we even tried to open the door,
and it was locked.
You got no explanation for any of that?
All right.
Anything else is
Huh?
Yeah.
>> I didn't put
>> nothing from here.
>> Yes.
So, right now you're being charged with
uh scheme to defraud of the business.
>> What was scheme to defraud of the
>> Meaning you showed them a receipt saying
you purchased smaller items and then you
stole the uh you defrauded them of the
bigger items. I'm just explaining to
you. Um that you got felony shoplifting,
grand theft shoplifting, and then you
got fleeing a loot law enforcement with
lights and sirens. So, you have three
felonies.
>> Is three felonies possible?
I didn't steal nothing. No, they going
to look at the
>> So, you know that they
you guys do this often
and they uh
this store was notified by another store
that you guys are here
and you guys do what you do.
So, they were watching you guys on
camera the entire time.
And then you guys did it
and then they called us.
>> This is [ __ ] I didn't
>> I'm just telling you. I'm just telling
you.
>> I know I paid I paid for my items
already.
>> Yeah.
All right, man.
Is that all you got to say about it? You
didn't You You purchased everything. You
didn't steal nothing?
>> I didn't steal nothing.
>> You didn't mean to flee from us?
>> Can Can Can I ask the guy Jason? Jason
seen me
>> We already did. It's all on a statement.
>> Yeah, he he had to recount my money.
>> He wrote it all down.
All of it down. So, I'm not reading it
again, but all right.
All right.
>> Samuel Johnson and Elmer Tassy were
ultimately arrested and transported to
the Flagler County inmate facility.
Authorities accused both men of scheme
to defraud and grand theft shoplifting.
Elmer was also charged [music] with
resisting law enforcement without
violence, while Samuel, identified as
the driver, [music]
was additionally charged with fleeing
and eluding law enforcement with lights
and sirens. [music]
The case summary does not provide a
later court disposition, so the charges
should be [music] treated as allegations
unless proven in court.