Two arrested in separate incidents, the same morning, fleeing from deputies
LCSO photo and mugshots: Stewart (left and center) and Daniels (right).
Levy County, Florida - The Bravo day shift of the Levy County Sheriff's Office would not be denied on the morning of Thursday, July 27, 2023. If you ran from them, you were as good as caught - and it happened twice!
"We appreciate all the citizen assistance we received in these cases." said LCSO Lt. Scott Tummond. "The LCSO will continue to work to keep our highways safe."
According to Lt. Tummond, many years ago, Levy County opted out of a proposed bill that would allow the operation of unregistered motorized vehicles on the right of way. For example, you are not allowed to ride an all terrain vehicle (ATV) or utility terrain vehicle (UTV) in a ditch or on the roadways of Levy County. This is a violation you can be ticketed for - and if you decide to evade a deputy who is attempting to conduct a traffic stop on you - your evasion could result in your being arrested.
Trevor Stewart, arrested in East Bronson, Florida
On the morning of July 27, 2023, a Levy County Sheriff's Office deputy, responding to a call for service, passed a man operating a moped on U.S. Hwy. 27 Alternate. The deputy believed that the man was 27 year-old Trevor Stewart of Williston, Florida, who has a suspended driver's license and is known to flee from law enforcement.
The deputy contacted Corporal Mike McNeil with the information, and around 9:00 am, Corporal McNeil located the moped and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle on County Road 335, near NE 69th Place, in East Bronson, Florida.
Instead of stopping, the man - whose identity was later verified as Trevor Stewart - began making evasive turns in an attempt to evade Corporal McNeil. Stewart maxed out the moped at its top speed of 40 mph, and being unable to outrun Corporal McNeil, he pulled to the side of the road, laid the moped on its side, and ran into the woods. Backup deputies, called to the scene, used K-9 Behr to track the suspect to an abandoned trailer before losing his trail.
A short time later, a citizen contacted Corporal McNeil and reported that “Trevor” had run into their home, and he was not welcome there.
Corporal McNeil and the backup deputies drove to the caller's home and located Trevor Stewart, hiding inside a closet. Although he was not wearing the same clothing, and he initially denied that he'd run from Corporal McNeil, the investigation proved otherwise, and Stewart was arrested, charged with driving with a suspended license, fleeing from and attempting to elude law enforcement officers, and resisting arrest. He was incarcerated at the Levy County Detention Bureau, with his bond set at $60,000.
John Joseph Daniels, arrested in Morriston, Florida
Later the same morning, Deputy Nelson Macias saw a person riding a red all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on U .S. Hwy. 41 in Morriston, Florida and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver - later identified as 45 year-old John Joseph Daniels of Williston, Florida - decided to flee from the deputy, so a chase ensued. Deputy Macias overtook suspect Daniels, who blew up the motor of the ATV, according to a press release, and Daniels then fled into the woods, on foot.
Deputies arrived to assist Deputy Macias. They established a perimeter around the area, and a short time later, Daniels was taken into custody, He was delivered to the Levy County Detention Bureau, charged with fleeing from and attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, driving while license suspended, and resisting arrest, with his bond set at $112,500.