INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A Port St. Lucie man was jailed on Thanksgiving after leading deputies on a high-speed chase before crashing and hiding in a nearby trailer, officials said. Inside the vehicle, deputies found a white substance that tested positive for cocaine, reports show.
Derrick Danovon Taylor
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Derrick Danovon Taylor Jr., 27, was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of a crash involving damage to property, possession of cocaine and burglary of an occupied dwelling. Taylor was held Tuesday at the Indian River County Jail on a $32,500 bond.
Taylor was also being held on a warrant out of St. Lucie County, jail records show.
Indian River County sheriff’s deputies attempted to make a traffic stop about 2:15 p.m. Nov. 23 on a white Honda near a Wawa convenience store in the 1100 block of U.S. 1., just south of 12th Street. When deputies activated their emergency lights, the Honda’s driver sped through the parking lot, ran a stop sign and traveled onto southbound U.S. 1.
Deputies estimated the driver was traveling more than 90 mph in a 40-mph zone. The driver sped through a construction zone – where the roadway was narrowed down to one lane – and almost hit another vehicle, deputies said.
The driver crashed through a fence near the 500 block of 1st Street, leaving the vehicle disabled, reports show. Deputies said the driver, along with two other people in the car, ran northwest.
The driver – identified as Taylor – then ran into the trailer, where he was detained by deputies, reports show. The trailer owner – who knew of Taylor – told deputies they were unaware Taylor was in the trailer and did not give him permission to enter the mobile home, officials said.
Inside the Honda, deputies found a small plastic bag containing .33 grams of cocaine in the interior driver door handle, reports show. The other two individuals who were in the car told deputies Taylor refused to stop and said he didn’t have a license, officials said.
Deputies arrested Taylor and booked him into the county jail. Taylor has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Jan. 4, 2024, court records show.