3 county chase ended with arrest

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The driver of a stolen car reached speeds up to 100 miles per hour on the streets of three counties according to deputies. That’s not all.

They said 20-year-old Matthew Cravey stole a Nissan sedan from a parking lot in Polk County. A few hours later a deputy spotted the car but instead of stopping, deputies said Cravey hit the gas.

Deputies followed the car from Polk County then into Lake County and for a short time through parts of Orange County before heading back into Lake County. During the chase the stolen car hit a deputy’s stop sticks but that did not stop the 20-year-old. He kept going even though there were only rims on one front and one rear tire.

At one point Cravey drove onto the Turnpike headed south but, deputies said he suddenly made a quick u-turn and got off of the Turnpike onto State Road 50. On State Road 50 deputies watched as Cravey drove the wrong way in traffic.

A Sheriff’s Office helicopter overhead communicated to deputies on the ground where the roads were clear and where they needed to stop traffic. Deputies are crediting the helicopter, which followed the car from above the entire time, with preventing the driver from crashing into any other vehicles.

After the car lost two tires the chase lasted an additional 15 to 20 minutes before Cravey drove onto Island Drive in Clermont. Island Drive ends at the gated entrance to the Magnolia Island subdivision so at that point Cravey had no where to go.

When he got out of the car a K-9 grabbed onto his and pulled him to the ground. He was taken to the hospital then to the Lake County Jail. He now faces charges of grand theft auto and fleeing to elude police.

He may also face charges in Lake County related to the chase.