Chase, escape ends in arrest

A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy used a stun gun to subdue a fleeing suspect Sunday morning, in an incident that began as a traffic crash.

At about 11:20 a.m., Ryan Lopez, 23, crashed his car, which was traveling 80 to 90 miles per hour, into a traffic light pole at the intersection of Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70.

The crash occurred after the man sped away after a deputy tried to make a traffic stop on him; the man was wanted for burglary.

After crashing, a foot chase ended when the man was arrested and taken to a sheriff’s office station. 

At the station, the man removed his handcuffs and ran away. 

The deputy fired his stun gun at the man and brought him back into custody. 

The man faces charges of fleeing to elude, leaving the scene of a crash, resisting arrest, escape and violating probation. 

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].