Florida man beats up driver, steals truck less than two hours after bonding out of jail

A 37-year-old man from Florida was taken into custody following a high-speed pursuit earlier this week in Morgan County. He was returned to the same jail from which he had been released just hours earlier. 

Juan Barreneche of Riviera Beach, Florida, was arrested by officers from the Fort Morgan Police Department late Sunday night for trespassing at a hotel, the department stated in a social media post. Barreneche was booked into the Morgan County jail and held there until he posted a $1,000 personal recognizance bond at around 4 a.m. Monday. 

By 5:45, officers were back on his tail.

As described by the department, Barreneche approached the owner of a truck and asked for a ride. When the truck owner refused, Barreneche assaulted him and took his keys. 

The owner of the truck jumped into its bed as Barreneche drove away. It was from the back of the truck that the owner called 9-1-1. 

Deputies from the Morgan County Sheriff's Office pursued Barreneche at speeds reaching 108 mph. They deployed stop sticks to deflate the trucks' tires. The pursuit ended between the towns of Otis and Yuma when Barreneche rolled to a stop and was arrested. 

Barreneche now faces six additional charges: Robbery, Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Criminal Trespass, and Third Degree Assault.