Fugitive Captured After Multi-County Chase

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – A 25-year-old Holiday man remained behind bars Monday after law enforcement officials say he led them on a three-county chase Friday night.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, John Byrne was first spotted by officers from the Tarpon Springs Police Department heading north on U.S. 19 around 6:20 p.m. Sept. 9. Byrne, who was wanted on several outstanding felony warrants, was the passenger in a vehicle at the time.

Tarpon Springs officers contacted Pasco County deputies for help in conducting a felony stop, the sheriff's office explained in an email to media. The vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Brinley and Arelli drives, the sheriff’s office said. Byrne, however, is accused of bailing out and running into a swamp area near Veterans Village and Trinity West.

At that point, the sheriff’s office said it had 15 units responding, including officers from Tarpon Springs, K9 units and air support to set up a perimeter.

Byrne, the email said, is accused of stealing an unoccupied minivan and fleeing westbound down Lachlan Drive.

“At that time, one of our deputies discharged a pistol to disable the tire,” the email said. Byrne, deputies say, continued down State Road 54, got on the Suncoast Parkway and drove into Hillsborough County “where he spun out into a ditch on Firecracker Driver.”

He was brought into custody shortly after spinning out, the sheriff’s office said.

Byrne was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on multiple charges and was being held without bond Monday. The outstanding warrants for his arrest included several failure to appear charges, stalking and aggravated assault, jail records indicate. Byrne is expected to be extradited to Pasco County soon.

Booking photo courtesy of the Hillsborough County Jail