Driver flees from deputy, crashes in North Port

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A driver who police say fled a traffic stop after injuring a deputy in Charlotte County early this morning was injured himself when his vehicle jumped a canal and crashed in North Port, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The suspect, identified by police as 55-year-old Glen Alonzo Steele of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was stopped for a broken tail light at Tamiami Trail and Adalia Terrace in Port Charlotte shortly after 1:30 a.m. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said the deputy, Cpl. Brad Combs, determined Steele had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear on a 2020 traffic charge.

As Combs was placing Steele under arrest, Steele struggled to free himself and managed to climb back into his vehicle and put it in gear, Prummell said. Deputy Combs attempted to use his Taser to subdue Steele, but Steele managed to drive off, dragging Combs a short distance before fleeing the scene, Prummell said.

Combs was treated for minor injuries, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said.

At 2 a.m., Steele was in North Port, traveling west on Bessemer Avenue when he drove through the stop sign intersection of Florala Street, entered a vacant lot and went airborne across a small canal, the highway patrol said. The front of car hit the west side canal bank and overturned. It came to rest on its roof, on the west side of the canal bank. Steele was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being booked in the Sarasota County Jail.

He will be transferred to the Charlotte County jail where he faces myriad of charges:

Possession of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine);
Possession of a controlled substance (Cocaine);
Possession, a controlled substance (Clonazepam);
Possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia;
Battery on law enforcement officer (two counts);
Fleeing to elude law enforcement officer with wanton disregard for the safety of persons and property;
Driving while license suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified;
False ID given to law enforcement officer;
Leaving the scene of a crash.