UPDATED BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A 7-week-old baby is back with family after a frightening high-speed chase that started in Liberty County and ended in Gadsden County. Im Tatyana Purifoy your Quincy neighborhood reporter…the baby's father is now in custody after leading police across two north Florida counties.
It started with an amber alert in Bibb County, Georgia. A 7-week-old boy had been taken — and police believed his father was on the run with him. Hours later, in Liberty County, Florida, a caller spotted a truck that matched the description. That call kicked off a multi-agency police chase across two counties. Troopers used a controlled pit move to spin the vehicle off the road. The truck hit a patrol car, but no one was seriously hurt.
When officers approached the vehicle, they were met with a tense scene. Sheriff Dusty Arnold of Liberty County said, "when deputies and troopers approached the disabled vehicle suspects was observed placing a barrel an ar15 style rifle into his mouth."
Two Liberty County deputies rushed in, wrestled the gun away. But the struggle didn't end there. The man took off running into the woods. Law enforcement officers chased him down and took him into custody. Inside the truck, they found the baby safe. EMS crews from Gadsden County checked her out on the scene and took her to the ER as a precaution.
Sheriff Arnold said, "everything checked out well with the baby. The baby was taken to Gadsden ER to be looked at by a doctor but everything was fine with the baby."
The baby's father was booked into the Liberty County jail. He now faces several serious charges, both in Florida and back in Georgia. In Florida he is charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, child endangerment, resisting arrest with violence and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
A 7-month-old baby is alive and safe… thanks to quick action by law enforcement and one alert citizen. In Quincy Tatyana Purifoy ABC 27.
Original:
The Florida Highway Patrol is releasing more information following a multi-agency chase in North Florida on Sunday, August 3rd. They say 23-year-old Maurtez Edwards has been arrested and faces several charges, including:
- Fleeing and eluding law enforcement
- Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
- Child endangerment
- Resisting arrest with violence
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felon
FHP says the incident started after Liberty County Sheriff's Office Dispatch got a 911 call saying they saw a vehicle matching the description from an active AMBER Alert issued out of Bibb County, Georgia. Troopers say the 911 caller gave them real-time updates, allowing deputies to locate the silver Ford F-150 associated with the abduction.
The report states that when deputies tried to conduct a traffic stop, the suspect fled, starting a chase through rural Liberty County. FHP Troopers were notified and joined in the pursuit to stop the truck. FHP tried a PIT maneuver to end the chase but was unsuccessful. The pursuit continued into Gadsden County, where more FHP units joined in. Troopers say once it was confirmed the 7-month-old baby was in the truck, law enforcement adjusted their tactics to prioritize the child’s safety.
FHP says as the truck approached the T-intersection of Flat Creek Road and Bonnie Hill Road in Gadsden County, a trooper executed a slow-speed PIT maneuver, successfully bringing the truck to a stop. They say as deputies and troopers approached, the suspect, Maurtez Edwards, was seen placing the barrel of an AR-15-style rifle into his mouth. The report states that a Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant and K9 Deputy moved in to de-escalate the situation, and a fight ensued to get the gun away from Edwards. During the struggle, troopers say he ran away into a wooded area but was taken into custody a short time later.
The infant was found safe and was seen by medical personnel. The baby has since been reunited with family members. The report states several law enforcement officers sustained minor injuries during the physical altercation, and one FHP vehicle sustained front-end damage. No officers required hospitalization.
The Liberty County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Monday regarding the incident.
WATCH FULL BRIEFING BELOW:
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
