ORLANDO, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida sheriff abruptly put a live radio interview on hold when nearby troopers were in hot pursuit of a suspected car thief. The moment the sheriff joined the chase was caught on air, stunning listeners and the hosts.
“Mike thank you very much for joining us, I really appreciate the time, uh oh,” said the host.
The call was so out of the ordinary, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood shared that clip on Facebook.
He had just started a live interview on a radio show when listeners heard something happening on Chitwood’s end of the line. Even the host was confused.
“Is everything OK? I don’t know. Do you think everything’s OK? Sheriff are you alright?” said the host.
Turns out Chitwood jumped off of the live radio interview to join Florida Highway Patrol troopers on Interstate 95 near Orlando last week as they tried to stop a suspected car thief.
“It was the first time in probably a year that I was in the right place at the right time. Normally I’m 20 miles away,” said Chitwood.
The chase crossed county lines and lasted nearly 100 miles before 22-year-old Seth Potter finally stopped.
“I’m like ‘Holy cow, I’m right here, let me just shoot across and get on the southbound side,'” said Chitwood. “Sure enough, I get over there and they come right by. Jump into pursuit now I completely forget that my phone is plugged into the radio station.”
The sheriff said he jumped in to help fellow officers because it comes second nature to him and he would do it again as he believes it is his duty to help no matter his title.
“When I’m out there, as I’ve done my whole career as a police chief and a sheriff if you’re there man you’re going that’s the fun part of the job.”
Right after the suspect was arrested the sheriff hopped back on the radio show, giving listeners a play-by-play of what happened.
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