A police chase gone wrong left one person dead after a wrong-way, two-car crash on an Interstate 95 off-ramp in Volusia County.
On Tuesday, three people in a Chevrolet Suburban led deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on a chase, according to a press release from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Flagler officials said they tried to use stop sticks to slow the SUV down, but were unsuccessful because it had anti-deflating tires.
Officials said the SUV was weaving in and out of traffic and even sideswiped another law enforcement vehicle, according to a Facebook post from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The chase took a wrong turn when the suspects who were headed south on U.S. Highway 1 into Volusia County began traveling the wrong way onto the northbound I-95 exit ramp
A 71-year-old Ormond Beach man driving a Volkswagen Beetle was traveling the correct way coming off of I-95 onto the exit ramp.
The cars collided, killing the Beetle driver, who was pronounced dead after being airlifted to Halifax Health Hospital as a trauma alert.
“It is with great sadness, the actions of these dirtbags resulted in the tragic loss of an innocent life,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “This crime spree started in St. Johns County with vehicle burglaries and ended violently with the death of an innocent person.”
The suspects didn’t stay at the scene, running into a nearby wooded area after the crash.
Authorities eventually arrested and identified the driver as Stevens Charles, 40, of Miami.
He’s charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement, aggravated fleeing and eluding, felony murder and resisting arrest without violence.

