Sheriff Ken Mascara announces the arrest of Jamie Jermaine Brown, 28, for carjacking, possession of cocaine, fleeing and eluding and leaving the scene of an accident with damage.
According to the Sheriff Ken Mascara, on August 30 at approximately 9:55 p.m., a deputy observed Brown conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction at a gas station in the 2700 block of North U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle when it began to flee north on U.S. 1 at a high rate of speed.
The deputy allowed Brown to continue driving without pursuing him and did a U-turn on North U.S. 1, traveling south, said Sheriff Mascara.
“Due to the nature of the original crime observed, and our agency policy, our deputy did not initiate a pursuit, but instead chose to ‘call-it-off’ and actually changed his direction of travel,” said Sheriff Ken J. Mascara.
According to Mascara, 12 minutes later, 9-1-1 dispatchers were notified of a traffic crash at the 6500 block of North U.S. 1 near the Indian River County line. An abandoned, wrecked vehicle was found at the scene and determined to be the same one seen earlier during the drug deal that fled from the deputy. Inside, three baggies of powder cocaine were found inside the center console and driver’s door pocket.
Sheriff Mascara said, a witness on scene stated she was traveling south on U.S. 1 when she saw the abandoned car lose control and hit a street sign. She stopped her vehicle to check on the driver, a six-foot-tall, 300-350 pound black male with dread lock hair, wearing a dark colored tank top and dark shorts. The witness stated that the driver pulled her from her vehicle and then drove off in it, going north on U.S. As he drove off, he lost control of the vehicle causing it to crash into two parked vehicles before becoming inoperable, a short distance from the first crash scene. The witness stated that the black male driver exited her crashed vehicle and fled on foot. Witnesses of the other two vehicles confirmed this information, including the description of the driver.
According to Sheriff Mascara, Indian River County Sheriff’s deputies, were asked to assist because the suspect appeared to flee on foot into Indian River County. The agency’s air unit, along with patrol units assisted St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office K-9 establish a perimeter and conduct a search of the surrounding area. Brown was not located.
According to Sheriff Mascara, information later found in the vehicle identified the driver as Brown and indicated a location where Brown was staying in Indian River County.
He was charged with carjacking, possession of cocaine, fleeing and eluding and leaving the scene of an accident with damage and was booked into the Indian River County Jail on $77,500 bond.
“The support and assistance provided by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office was essential in locating and arresting this criminal,” Mascara said. “The partnership between law enforcement agencies on the Treasure Coast is strong and each work together to ensure criminals are arrested, crime is prevented and our communities are safe.”
