A Wildwood man has been sentenced to prison after leading law enforcement on a wild chase that ended in a crash.
Keon Marsh, 22, was sentenced Monday to 16 months in state prison after pleading no contest in Sumter County Court to charges of fleeing to elude law enforcement, assault on a law enforcement officer and driving while license suspended.
Marsh was arrested July 8, 2021 after leading law enforcement on a chase which ended in a crash in Wildwood. Marsh was driving a black Toyota Camry and was being pursued by U.S. Marshals and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. A Sumter County sheriff’s deputy joined in the pursuit on State Road 44 near the intersection with County Road 219, but lost sight of the Camry.
A Marion County sheriff’s helicopter was flying overhead and maintained a visual observation of the vehicle. The helicopter pilot reportedly spotted the Camry on Magnolia Street in Wildwood. A deputy continued the chase and Marsh drove his vehicle directly at the squad car, forcing the deputy to take evasive action. The Camry then turned west onto Cleveland Avenue (which is also County Road 466A) where it was involved in a crash with multiple law enforcement vehicles.
It was not the first time Marsh was involved in a chase endangering the public. In 2020, Marsh was arrested after a pursuit in Wildwood.
While he was being held at the jail, Marsh allegedly attacked fellow inmate Tyler Ryan Hirsch, who has been charged with homicide, sexual assault with a weapon and armed burglary in connection with the 2018 death of 33-year-old Melody Victoria “Tori” Bennett of Bushnell.
