Released by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department …
Washington County, FL – Jacksonville man behind bars after stealing a vehicle in Vernon then leading officers on a 3 county pursuit.
On April 29, 2020 a Washington County Deputy received a call in reference to a Vernon citizen waking up to find his 2008 Nissan SUV stolen overnight. Deputies began working vigorously speaking with neighbors and collecting evidence to locate the vehicle and suspect(s) in the theft.
While deputies were still trying to locate the vehicle, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received information from Investigators in Jacksonville, Florida that a vehicle that was stolen at gun point in Jacksonville on April 27, 2020 was possibly abandoned in the area of the Vernon Express in Vernon. Deputies responded to the area and located the vehicle stolen from Jacksonville abandoned at the Vernon Dollar General. It was discovered that the two vehicle thefts were related and at this point Deputies entered the Vernon citizen’s vehicle as stolen and listed the suspect(s) as armed and dangerous.
Just before 3:00 A.M. on April 30, 2020 Jackson County Sheriffs Office Deputies attempted to stop a Nissan SUV for an equipment violation. However, the driver of the vehicle did not stop. Deputies chased the vehicle into Washington County where deputies with the Washington County Sheriffs Office and an Officer with the Chipley Police Department joined the pursuit on Highway 90 in Chipley. At this time, Deputies confirmed that the vehicle they were pursuing was in fact the Nissan SUV stolen hours earlier in Vernon and the suspect(s) they were chasing were possibly armed with a firearm. The driver fled down side streets and through multiple businesses parking lots and one point swerving at a Chipley Police Officer attempting to strike his vehicle before making it back to Highway 90 heading towards Holmes County. As the pursuit made it into Caryville, Holmes County Deputies were waiting and effectively deployed spike strips flattening the SUV’s tires which ended the pursuit moments later. Deputies quickly placed the driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, under arrest. As the vehicle was coming to a stop deputies saw a bag thrown from the vehicle which when recovered they discovered a loaded firearm and a BB gun that was a replica of a real firearm.
The driver, 27-year-old Devonta Christopher Ross, of Jacksonville, Florida was charged with Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Flee and Elude with Disregard Person or Property, Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Firearm while in the commission of a felony, Tampering with Evidence, Felony Driving While License Suspended, and Obstruction.
Ross was booked into the Washington County Jail.