PLANTATION, FLA. (WSVN) - A 29-year-old man has been arrested after he attempted to flee a traffic stop by jumping into a nearby canal and swimming away from authorities.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident began Monday morning when a patrol unit observed a silver Ford F-150 commit a traffic violation involving an improper stop at a stop sign and illegal window tint near State Road 84 and Pine Island Road, just off Interstate 595.
After initiating the stop, troopers made contact with the driver and five other passengers inside the truck.
FHP said the driver provided proper documentation and complied with instructions, but troopers said one of the passengers, Jonathan Guzman, showed his Mexican passport and was having immigration issues.
Guzman exited the vehicle at the trooper’s request and was in the process of being placed in handcuffs when he aggressively turned around, causing the trooper to lose grip with him and cutting the trooper’s right hand with the strand rivet of the handcuff.
Guzman then escaped detention by climbing the river divider, jumping into the canal and swimming northbound.
Several law enforcement officials, including Plantation Police and Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies, created a perimeter around the area to locate Guzman.
Neighbors said the law enforcement presence was large.
“I’ve never seen so many cop cars on this street. Must have been 10 or 12,” said resident Mark Ahrens.
“[He] jumped into the canal, swam across and disappeared into our neighborhood,” said resident Bob Snead.
Snead said as the search for Guzman was underway, residents were told to stay inside.
“They told us, ‘You got to shut this down. You got to lock up, you got to get in your house. We got dogs coming out and we’re going to be doing house to house search,'” he said.
Soon after, officials advised on radio that Guzman was found by an officer’s K-9 in between some bushes of a home and was in custody. He still had one hand cuffed. The K-9 did not attack or injure Guzman.
“The guy came out voluntarily and they grabbed him and put him into custody,” said Ahrens. “He looked fairly compliant and knew he was done for.”
Guzman was transported to Broward County Jail. The injured trooper was taken to Cleveland Clinic Hospital by paramedics where he had to get nine stitches to his right hand.
The driver is not facing charges, troopers said. Border Patrol was contacted to assist with the identification of the remaining passengers.
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