Police Chase Ends With Suspect Arrested After Ditching Car And Trying To Escape In Canal
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DANIA BEACH (CBSMiami) – A traffic mess on I-95 in Dania Beach after a Broward Sheriff's Office pursuit came to a crashing end at Griffin Road.
It began when deputies were called to Oakland Park for a domestic situation that escalated to a kidnapping call.
"They had credible information that a woman was being forced into a car," said BSO spokeswoman Joy Oglesby. "And as they responding to the location in Oakland Park they saw the vehicle speeding off and that had the suspect and victim."
Deputies followed until the car crashed into another vehicle on 95 — the suspect crashed too —then he took off running, leaving a petrified woman in the smashed car.
"He ended up crashing into vehicles and into a wall," said Oglesby. "Following that crash, the suspect then left, ran away, jumped into a nearby canal at that point our deputies had him surrounded and he came out of the canal."
The suspect is identified Harveltz Beaubrun. He was arrested after he swam across a small lake and was plucked out of the water. It happened in the parking lot of a hotel.
"All of a sudden a lot of police cars, helicopters literally thinking they were going to land in the back yard here," said hotel guest Jeanne Pelletier. "So we knew something crazy was going on."
Guests tell CBS4 it all went down quickly — they were relieved when BSO said they had the suspect in custody and gave the all clear, but said it was still nerve wracking.
"A little bit," said Dennis Pelletier. "Especially when we looked out the gate and cop said stay behind there, with the dog, running with guns drawn. That was a little scary. "
Beaubrun is being held in the Broward County Jail.
He's currently on probation for manslaughter.