Man arrested after fleeing at high speeds

A 25-year-old Lehigh Acres man was arrested Thursday night after he fled from Sheriff’s Office deputies in a car at high speeds and then on foot.

Alfonso Rafael Meletiche Jr. was charged with reckless driving, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest without violence and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia (a pipe). He was also cited for failure to obey a law enforcement officer, having no driver license, having no operable brake lights and failure to maintain a lane.

The incident began at Mile Marker 59 at 10:15 p.m. when Middle Keys Deputy Edward Swogger saw a black Kia Soul swerve out of its lane. The car made a U-turn into the northbound lanes and Deputy Swogger stopped it for having no working brake lights. The driver, Meletiche, said he left his wallet (and driver license, insurance and registration) in his hotel room at the Coconut Cay Resort & Marina. Deputy Swogger told him four times to exit the car when Meletiche said Deputy Swogger needed a search warrant to make him exit the car, which is not true.

 Meletiche then sped away and made another U-turn heading southbound while reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph. Other deputies near Coco Plum Drive attempted to deploy tire spikes, but Meletiche swerved and missed them. The pursuit was called off for safety reasons, but deputies maintained a visual of the Kia as it eventually pulled into the Coconut Cay Resort & Marina and parked near a room door. Deputy Swogger and other deputies arrived to find the Kia empty, but Sgt. James Hager found Meletiche hiding along a tree line. Meletiche ran away, but was apprehended shortly thereafter.

A total of about 11 grams of marijuana was found in the car. Meletiche said he had seen videos of police on Facebook and was scared. He admitted fleeing in the car and running away on foot from deputies.

Meletiche was taken to the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island.

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