A Summerfield man was arrested late Saturday night after a Marion County sheriff’s deputy watched him slam into a vehicle and then flee the crash scene.
The deputy was a stop sign when he saw two vehicles traveling north on U.S. Hwy. 301. One of the vehicles, a blue Honda Accord, slowed for a flashing yellow light at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 301 and S.E. 147th Street. The second vehicle, a brown GMC SUV, failed to stop and crashed into the back of the Honda, a sheriff’s office report states.
The driver of the Honda pulled into the parking lot of a nearby grocery store. The driver of the SUV, who was later identified as 45-year-old Emanuel Grant Hilbert, “appeared like he was going to stop” but then made a left turn onto S.E. 145th Street and “accelerated at a rapid pace,” the report says.
The deputy stopped to make sure the driver of the Honda wasn’t injured and then initiated a pursuit of Hilbert’s vehicle. He saw him turn into the Belleview Hills Estates neighborhood at S.E. 63rd Avenue, and then turn west on S.E. 144th Place. The deputy activated his emergency lights and siren and continued behind the SUV as it turned onto S.E. 60th Avenue with its headlights and tail lights turned off, the report says.
The SUV continued traveling on several other roads and eventually stopped at Hilbert’s residence at 14220 S.E. 61st Ct. in Summerfield. He exited the vehicle and was ordered to the ground. He stated several times, “that was stupid” and “why did I do that?” He was then placed under arrest and after being read his rights, he said it was “stupid” to flee from the deputy and he was “scared,” the report says.
Hilbert was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he was charged with fleeing/eluding a law enforcement officer with lights and siren active. H was released early Sunday afternoon on $2,000 bond and his next court date hasn’t yet been set, jail records show. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the hit-and-run crash.