A homeless man who drew suspicion from his erratic behavior near a country-club gatehouse stole a community-watch patrol vehicle that had been left running after security arrived. He then led police on a high-speed chase that crossed one of The Villages’ golf courses during busy Sunday play. One group of players was narrowly missed, but no serious injuries occurred before the man crashed and was arrested.
A dashcam video has been released of the wild pursuit that occurred on Sunday, February 10 at The Villages golf community in Florida, after a homeless man stole a community-watch patrol vehicle and led police on a high-speed chase that went through one of the community’s busy golf courses.
The chase ended with a crash at a nursing home near The Villages Regional Hospital, after which Jesse Charles Webb, 29, was arrested. He is now in Lake County (Fla.) jail, facing charges of fleeing and eluding police, motor vehicle theft and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
The chase began after 911 was called after Webb showed up at the gatehouse of the Country Club Hills community across from The Villages Regional Hospital. The community surrounds the Orange Blossom Hills Golf and County Club and The Villages Water Tower.
According to police, the person on the phone said there was a man at the gatehouse who stated that “people were eating his brains out,” then took off running.
Police said Webb then stole the company-watch vehicle and drove off.
Nehemiah Wolf, the Division Chief for the Community Watch, told one news outlet that the vehicle that was taken had pulled up after security was alerted by Webb’s erratic behavior around the guardhouse, and was left running to keep its flashing lights on without killing the battery. Because Webb jumped in the running car and took off, Wolf said measures will need to be taken to make sure that cannot happen in the future.
As two police officers chased Webb as he drove onto and through a Villages golf course, Webb’s car narrowly missed a woman who was about to putt on the 16th hole, police said.
The woman, who was visiting from up north, according to one report, told officers that it looked like Webb was coming “right at her,” and she had to jump out of the way as the stolenvehicle ran over her golf towel just a few feet away, police said. “We were close to getting seriously maimed,” she said.
The woman’s group included Bill Saxby, who told one news outlet,
“It was ‘Smokey and the Bandit!’ The first guy crashed and flew halfway down the hill, hit the ground and fishtailed to the right. It was crazy!”
Webb and the pursuing officers continued to weave from road to golf course as they got closer to The Villages Water Tower, then back onto U.S. 441.
The chase resulted in two other minor crashes, but no serious reported injuries.
Police said Webb eventually crashed near the nursing home, but then got out of the wrecked car and ran from officers.
When officers caught Webb, he complained of pain in his right calf and was taken to Leesburg Regional Hospital. When the hospital released him, police said a handcuffed Webb tried unsuccessfully to grab an officer’s Taser.
Officers said Webb had a Georgia driver’s license, had two active warrants out of Georgia for a probation violation, and was carrying a round of rifle ammunition and a shotgun shell during the chase.
The manager of the Villages golf course, Gordon Carlson, told WESH 2 News, “We had $7,000 worth of damage from this chase, but we’re putting the course in shape and we’re open.”
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