Man Who Ditched Stolen Car Stopped By K-9 In Brandon Chase: Deputies

BRANDON, FL — Deputies arrested a 35-year-old man accused of taking authorities on a chase in a stolen car that ended in Brandon Friday morning, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office news release said.

An HCSO Eye on Crime camera alerted deputies of a suspect, Joseph Hernandez, driving a stolen car at 11:40 a.m. on South 78th Street, authorities said.

Hernandez is accused of driving away from deputies when they drove up to where the car was parked at a house on Blueridge Drive in Clair-Mel later in the morning.

Deputies arrested Hernandez when a K-9 caught up with him and bit him in a wooded Brandon area after he jumped out of the car, deputies said.

Hernandez faces charges of grand theft auto, violation of probation and resisting arrest, deputies said.

According to deputies, the car chase went through the Palm River area until Hernandez got out of the car at Causeway Boulevard and Visconti Boulevard in Brandon.

Deputies accused him of running away from the car after he stopped it.

A deputy then ran into the woods after Hernandez.

Hernandez is accused by deputies of jumping into a body of water followed by the deputy who jumped in after him.

Hernandez swam to the other side of the water and then got out running to a fence while the deputy continued to chase him, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities said the deputy shot his gun once in the pursuit.

The bullet did not hit anyone, deputies said.

Shortly afterward, a K-9 stopped Hernandez and bit him, deputies said.

According to deputies, Hernandez was taken to a local hospital for the K-9 bite.