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Highlands Today

AP Man Tasered After Car Chase

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: June 21, 2008

AVON PARK — An Avon Park man remained in Highlands County Jail on $5,250 bond, after sheriff's deputies reportedly had to zap him with a Taser when he resisted arrest after a car chase.

Eddie Baez, 37, of 336 W. Mandan Road, was booked June 13 on charges of fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer with disregard to the safety of persons or property, battery on a law enforcement officer, criminal mischief $200 or more but less than $1,000, trespassing and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.

Baez was also charged with violation of probation in Miami-Dade County for burglary, grand theft and petty theft.

When undercover sheriff's deputies spotted what they believed was an illegal drug transaction at about 5:26 p.m. June 13, on Garrett Road, they tried to stop a man, later identified as Baez who walked away from the suspected transaction with his fist balled up.

Baez reportedly jumped into his red Dodge pickup truck and sped away. Detectives pursued the truck through numerous stop signs and onto U.S. 27 near Main Street. The truck ran over the cement median and onto the wrong side of U.S. 27, heading north on southbound U.S. 27.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officer joined in the chase.

Near Sun Pure road Baez drove through an orange grove and down an embankment. He attempted to cross the railroad tracks and got stuck on the tracks.

When Baez stopped he reportedly tried to light one end of a glass crack pipe. He got out of the truck and threw it at one of the deputies hitting him in the chest.

Baez reportedly continued to resist by kicking at deputy Ernest Gelinas. Gelinas reported he yelled "Taser, taser, taser," before he fired the weapon hitting Baez in the elbow with one prong. A second prong missed, but Baez was disabled long enough to get him into handcuffs, the report stated.

Several small pieces of crack were found on the truck's floor board. The glass pipe broke on some rocks. A piece of copper mesh tested positive for cocaine.

A small orange tree that Baez ran over was valued at $500.

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