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Lehigh man among two charged with fleeing deputies

By Staff | Jul 24, 2009

Adrian James Powell of Lehigh

Two men, one from Lehigh Acres and the other from Fort Myers have been arrested and charged following a several charrges, including a break-in and a chase.

Arrested were Adrian James Powell, 32, of 4027 S.W. 24th Street, Lehigh Acres, and David Jarrod Newsome, 26, of 3022 2nd Street, Fort Myers. Both of the accused are charged with single counts of grand theft auto, burglary, possession of burglary tools, felony fleeing and eluding and resisting arrest.

According to a Sheriff’s report released by Public Information spokesman Sgt. Larry King, on Thursday, July 23, at 1:41 p.m., the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a burglary which had just occurred. The incident was reported at 739 Eisenhower Blvd. in Lehigh Acres.

When deputies arrived at the scene, the victim reported arriving home to find a black SUV in the driveway with a black male driver behind the wheel. The driver indicated having to repair a flat tire and he would be leaving. Moments later the victim saw a second black male walk from behind the residence and enter the vehicle. The two men left the area before it was discovered a side window to the home had been broken and the latch forced open, according to King.

A suspect vehicle description was broadcast to the units responding to the burglary. While looking for the suspects and vehicle, a detective with the Bravo District Criminal Investigations saw a black, 2006 Nissan Armada near the intersection of West 17th St. and Plumosa Ave. The SUV matched the description provided and the occupants could be seen nervously and frequently looking back at the trailing detective, King said.

David Jarrod Newsome of Fort Myers

The vehicle tag was checked with Sheriff’s Office dispatch and revealed the SUV was reported stolen on July 16 from a driveway on Val Mar Drive in Fort Myers. A second detective unit joined in following the suspects. In an effort to get the vehicle to pull over both detectives activated lights and sirens. The driver would not stop and continued traveling toward Fort Myers and a pursuit began, King said. The suspect vehicle was northbound on I-75 when the Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit was in position to observe the fleeing felons. The agency pursuit vehicles disengaged and the helicopter flight crew began calling out the suspect vehicle direction of travel to units monitoring and responding to the immediate vicinity.

The Armada was seen pulling behind a residence at the corner of Prospect Ave. and Woodside Ave. The two suspects bailed out of the SUV, as the first units arrived, according to the Sheriff’s report. One suspect was quickly apprehended. The other ran into a nearby wooded area. A perimeter was established utilizing multiple specialty and patrol personnel, as well as the assistance of officers from the Fort Myers Police Department. A Sheriff’s Office K-9 apprehended the second suspect believed to be the driver.

During the apprehension phase of David Newsome, a traffic crash occurred on Prospect Ave. at Woodside Ave., where one of the detectives arriving on scene struck a utility pole. The detective, Cpl. Chris Lalor, was able to get out of the car and successfully take Newsome into custody. Subsequently, Lalor was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released, King said.

A second crash reported at 2:51 p.m. at Palm Beach Blvd. and Buena Vista Blvd. resulting in a fatality and involving another detective with the Sheriff’s Office is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The detective was transported to the hospital, treated and released. Preliminary details support witness accounts the emergency lights and siren were activated on the detective’s vehicle as it approached the intersection, according to the report. The detective was responding in support of the units converging in the Tice/Fort Myers area to locate and apprehend the fleeing felons, King said.