LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland man was arrested after he led a trooper on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash with his car flipped on its side. Now, troopers are trying to determine if he was under the influence.
Eric Sanjavier Perez, 34, was speeding driving northbound on US 98 when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled him over just before 5 a.m., according to Perez's arrest report.
Perez pulled into a parking lot, but when the trooper came to a stop behind him, he turned off his headlights and drove away. The trooper followed him and said Perez almost crashed and drove on the wrong side of the roadway, driving over the raised median to go in the opposite direction on Memorial Boulevard.
The trooper said that ahead of Perez was a traffic crash scene with multiple first responders. The trooper hit Perez's car to stop him and prevent him from driving through the active scene, according to the report.
Perez's car veered off the road and overturned onto its side when the trooper hit him. First responders were able to flip the vehicle over and transport the driver to Lakeland Regional Hospital.
He was arrested and is being charged with fleeing and eluding police. He also got a traffic citation for unlawful speeding when he was going 80 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to court records.
The Florida Highway Patrol is also requesting the blood vials from Perez to determine if this was a DUI-related incident, according to a letter to the hospital.