An Old Town man was arrested Monday on a charge of fleeing from Levy County sheriff’s deputies after he ran from a deputy who stopped him for not wearing a seatbelt.

            Deputy Gerard Williams was on patrol in Fanning Springs when he saw a man driving a blue SUV pass by him who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Williams pulled him over in a residential driveway off NW 167 Lane. When the deputy approached the car of Jay Thomas Working, 31, he fled the scene in his vehicle.

            Williams gave chase and called for backup. The driver made multiple turns and drove the wrong way on U.S. 19 and accelerated to speeds of more than 100 mph attempting to elude Williams. The five-minute chase ended when Working overturned his SUV in front of Kendogs, a hotdog restaurant in Fanning Springs.

            The driver was taken into custody. An on-scene investigation revealed Working has a history of fleeing law enforcement. At the time of the investigation, he was in possession of methamphetamines.

            Working was transported to a hospital and evaluated. He was released into law enforcement custody and transported to the Levy County Detention Center where he was booked on charges of possession of methamphetamines, fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, and driving with a license suspended or revoked.

            Bond was set at $102,500.

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Posted June 12, 2023