Daytona Beach, FL – The former Daytona Beach police officer and Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy locked up for robbery following a 3-county Thanksgiving Day police chase where shots were fired will be tried in Volusia County.
45-year-old Daniel J. Ruddell of Palm Coast is coming back to Volusia after his charges in Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns were all consolidated, according to Spencer Hathaway, a spokesman with 7th Circuit State Attorney RJ Larizza.
“During that time, he will be held at the Volusia County Jail,” Hathaway added.
Since his arrest, Ruddell has been held in St. Johns County while awaiting trial on 4 charges, including robbery, aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude with property damage. He has not been transferred to VCJ as of 6:30 PM Wednesday.
It all started around 5 PM last Thanksgiving Day at the Circle K on LPGA and Clyde Morris boulevards in Daytona Beach. That’s when authorities think Ruddell threatened the store clerk with a bottle of a liquid he claimed was toxic and demanded money.
Ruddell fled the scene with cash and other items taken from the store in a 2015 black Chevrolet Silverado and members of 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.
Deputies say Ruddell ignored commands to pull over and got on Interstate 95 northbound heading towards Flagler County, crossing through to St. Johns County with squad cars following the entire way while managing to avoid several stop sticks.
During the pursuit, Ruddell allegedly rammed an FCSO squad car and tried to run over deputies near the State Road 207 exit ramp, leading to some of them taking out their weapons and firing at the Silverado.
Ruddell continued north on I-95 until he crashed near the County Road 214 overpass and was taken into custody at that point, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies took Ruddell to Flagler Hospital for evaluation before booking him at the St. Johns County Jail. No injuries were reported to law enforcement.
Daniel J. Ruddell (mugshot courtesy VCJ)
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