Daytona Beach, FL – A former Daytona Beach police officer and Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy is locked up in the wake of a 3-county Thanksgiving Day police chase where shots were fired.
45-year-old Daniel J. Ruddell of Palm Coast is facing charges of aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude with property damage, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
More charges are likely coming from both of Ruddell’s former employers in an incident that started around 5 PM at the Circle K on LPGA and Clyde Morris boulevards in Daytona Beach, according to SJCSO spokesman Kevin Kelshaw.
“The suspect threatened the store clerk with a bottle of a liquid he claimed was toxic and demanded money,” Kelshaw noted. “The suspect fled in a 2015 black Chevrolet Silverado.”
The Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office teamed up to pursue the Silverado when it was spotted on Nova Road and 10th Street a few minutes later.
According to Kelshaw, Ruddell ignored commands to pull over and got on Interstate 95 northbound heading towards Flagler County.
“As the pursuit went into Flagler County, deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office took over and deployed stop sticks at 2 locations which the suspect evaded,” Kelshaw added. “St. Johns County deputies then took the lead as the suspect was pursued here.”
Ruddell managed to avoid more stop sticks at the State Road 207 exit ramp before ramming an FCSO squad car and trying to run over deputies, per Kelshaw.
“Several deputies fired shots at the suspect vehicle,” Kelshaw stated. “[The Silverado] continued northbound until a PIT [precision immobilization technique] maneuver caused the suspect to crash near the County Road 214 overpass. Ruddell was taken into custody without further incident.”
Deputies took Ruddell to Flagler Hospital for evaluation before booking him at the St. Johns County Jail. His mugshot from that booking hasn’t been made available to the media as of 4:45 AM Friday.
No injuries were reported to law enforcement.
FCSO spokesman Jim Troiano says SJCSO will be taking the lead in the investigation since the shots fired and the arrest took place in its jurisdiction.
“As soon as the St. Johns County criminal investigation is completed, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office will conduct an internal investigation into all aspects of our involvement in this incident,” Troiano added.
Volusia County Jail records show Ruddell was arrested on charges of resisting officers, marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia possession on November 18th.
Daniel J. Ruddell (mugshot courtesy VCJ)
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