Motorist arrested following road rage shooting 

A 24-year-old Homestead, Florida motorist was arrested Friday after shooting another vehicle in Key Largo during a road rage incident on U.S. 1. There were no serious injuries reported.

Baldemar Martinez was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance, and criminal mischief.

The 30-year-old victim was driving southbound near Mile Marker 104 in the Key Largo school zone at approximately 8 a.m. when an issue arose with the suspect driver, later identified as Martinez. Martinez got out and punched the victim’s vehicle several times and later hit the mirror with his hand when both vehicles were moving again. The victim stated that Martinez then fired several shots at his vehicle causing two flat tires.

Martinez was found shortly thereafter at his place of employment. He confessed and the .40-caliber handgun was recovered.

Motorist crashes after fleeing

A 36-year-old Big Pine Key motorist was arrested Friday after fleeing from Deputies on U.S. 1 and crashing in Key West. There were no serious injuries reported.

Vincent Alexander Crossland was charged with fleeing and eluding, hit and run, resisting arrest, and failure to appear in court.

The Sheriff’s Office stopped Crossland in a 2021 BMW near Mile Marker 6 for having an expired tag at approximately 1:45 a.m. Crossland also had multiple warrants for his arrest. A 40-year-old female passenger exited the car and the driver, later identified as Crossland, then fled southbound at a high rate of speed into Key West. The passenger was not charged.

Deputies stopped the pursuit for safety reasons. The BMW was found crashed in the bushes at the Hilton Garden Inn Key West at the Triangle.

Crossland was found on 20th Terrace Street following a search by the Sheriff’s Office, the Key West Police Department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He was taken to jail.

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