MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Authorities made a startling discovery after catching up to a driver who tried escaping police during a routine traffic stop near Orlando.
After Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies took Jordan Skeene into custody, they discovered he had a child in the backseat of his car the entire time.
Authorities said it began when deputies attempted to pull Skeene over for tinted windows and parts of his license plate that were not visible.
It appeared Skeene was pulling over into a nearby parking lot when he suddenly began ramming into the deputy’s car, breaking through with deputies chasing after him.
Deputies were forced to use the PIT maneuver, ramming into Skeene vehicle to bring him to a screeching halt.
“Get on the ground or I’m going to tase you,” the deputy running after Skeene yelled.
Skeene surrendered to authorities a short time later.
“Get on the ground. Put your hands behind your back,” the deputy said as Skeene surrendered.
After catching Skeene, deputies discovered he wasn’t the only person inside his vehicle.
“One of the deputies looks into the vehicle and realizes there is a child in that car, a small child, the whole time, had been in the car,” said MCSO Lt. Paul Bloom.
What started as a simple traffic stop turned into a reckless, dangerous drive, with Skeene ramming into police cruisers and plowing through fences with a little girl in the backseat.
“Not only as a deputy, these deputies, as fathers, you realize, ‘Wow, this guy is the pinnacle of selfishness,’ to put this child in such danger to get away from the cops,” said Bloom.
Skeene is now behind bars facing several charges, including fleeing and eluding police, violation of probation, possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana and child neglect.
Authorities confirmed the little girl was safely reunited with her mother.
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