MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE 11/25: The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) says the man they shot following a two-county chase has died.
On Saturday, Nov. 25, CCSO identified the man as 33-year-old Skyler Wentworth of Titusville – calling him a ‘career criminal.’
What happened
Deputies say it began when they attempted to stop a driver – who was later identified as Wentworth – in the area of Hernando for a traffic violation.
CCSO says Wentworth took off and threw a black bag from his car while attempting to getaway. Deputies recovered the bag for evidence and say it contained pressed pills that tested positive for fentanyl.
Deputies say they initially canceled the pursuit due to safety concerns of a woman and child who they noticed in the car. They say the child in the back seat appeared to be in distress and was trying to get out of the moving vehicle.
Deputies re-initiated the pursuit when the suspect slowed down to let the passengers out on the side of the road.
CCSO says Wentworth crossed into Marion County and then got out of the vehicle roughly 10 miles later.
CCSO says deputies shot Wentworth because he had a rifle in his hand when he got out of the car. They took Wentworth to the hospital where he later died.
“Wentworth is no stranger to our deputies; he is registered as a career criminal and has an extensive drug-related criminal history in our county,” said Col. Elena Vitt. “None of our deputies ever WANT to use lethal force, but they are prepared to if it means saving countless others.”
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office says if you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and needs assistance with finding resources, contact the county’s Behavioral Health Unit at (352) 249-2790.
ORIGINAL 11/24: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that began in Citrus County and ended in Marion County.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) posted a release on its Facebook page giving their account of the action. They say deputies tried to pull over a driver in a Mitsubishi SUV this evening, Friday, Nov. 24, on a felony warrant.
Deputies say the driver didn’t stop and led them on a chase. CCSO says deputies tried twice to use tire deflation devices to stop the driver. It slowed but did not stop the vehicle.
They say the driver crossed into Marion County along Highway 200. That’s when they say deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office joined the chase and used the Precision Immobilization Technique – also known as PIT maneuver.
The chase ended when the Mitsubishi driver crashed into a power pole.
They say the man got out of the vehicle with a rifle in hand and posed an immediate threat to deputies and people in the area.
CCSO says deputies drew their firearms and fired at the person, stopping the man and putting an end to the danger.
“The suspect in this incident posed a significant threat to two communities today through his reckless actions. At the end of the day, the deputies on scene had only seconds to decide how to respond to protect every citizen in the area before the suspect decided to further endanger the lives of both law enforcement officers and civilians present,” said Col. Elena Vitt. “This is yet another example of why having a great working relationship with all of our law enforcement partners is imperative. We joined forces and seamlessly protected those we swore an oath to serve.”
CCSO says the suspect was transported to a medical facility for treatment. As of this writing, we don’t know the man’s condition.
Deputies say there is no longer a threat to the public nor surrounding communities.