Crash kills felony suspect after leading Sarasota deputies on rush-hour chase

A high-speed chase through rush-hour traffic Thursday ended with a Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputy injured and a felony suspect dead, the sheriff’s office said.

At about 5:40 p.m., deputies attempted to stop 31-year-old Cody M. Burrow of Bradenton who had an active felony warrant for narcotics. 

During the traffic stop near the intersection of Beneva Road and Webber Road, Burrow crashed his grey Ford F-150 into a Tesla and multiple deputies’ vehicles, injuring a deputy. 

He then fled northbound on Beneva Road, eluding pursuing deputies, a news release said.

Citizens' dash cam video circulating on social media shows Burrow's truck smashing the Tesla and other vehicles stopped at the light as he made his escape. 

About seven minutes later, as deputies blanketed the area in search of the suspect, they were alerted to a crash on Lockwood Ridge Road and 53rd Street, about six miles away. 

The Florida Highway Patrol says the pick-up truck tried to elude deputies by trying to enter the private driveway of the University Club, at Lockwood Ridge Road and Nature Circle.

After being blocked by the gate to the community, the suspect reversed and hit another vehicle, troopers said.

He headed north for several hundred yards before driving over the grass median that separates north and southbound travel lanes of Lockwood Ridge Road. 

The pick-up crossed over the southbound lanes of Lockwood Ridge and onto the shoulder and struck a telephone pole.

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, died from his injuries from the crash, FHP Trooper Kenn Watson said.

The injured deputy was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. 

The Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.