Florida Man Steven Charles Whitney, 44, of Englewood is in the Charlotte County Jail charged with several felonies after he chased three victims, two of them juveniles around Punta Gorda in his pickup truck while firing a shotgun and shouting racial slurs at them.
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According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the three victims called county dispatch on Thursday evening as they were driving through the ranchettes, saying they were being chased by a man in a red pickup truck who was shooting at them.
The victims, who are residents of the Ranchettes, were originally approached by a man in a red Dodge pickup on Grove Blvd when he got out of the pickup with a shotgun, spewing vulgarities at the victims. The driver quickly backed up and turned around to get away from the suspect. The victims heard four rounds fired off and continued towards Arcadia.
The suspect allegedly began chasing them towards the town of Arcadia, but 911 dispatch told the juveniles to turn around and meet up with Charlotte County Deputies in a safe place.
Deputies conducted an area search and found a red truck matching the description parked at Grove Blvd. and Maris Rd. with a white male inside. When they asked him to show his hands, Whitney reportedly threw the truck in reverse and took off. The chase was on.
Charlotte County deputies said the pursuit lasted less than two minutes, as Whitney pulled onto Maris Dr. and ran towards his home, a fifth-wheel camper, where he was arrested. Deputies stated Whitney was combative as he was being arrested
A 44-year-old Englewood man was arrested after deputies say he got into a vehicle chase with three juveniles, shot at them and called them racial slurs.https://t.co/2fbDOaTBbB
— WINK News (@winknews) November 18, 2022
PUNTA GORDA – Deputies arrested a man late Thursday after he allegedly shot at several juveniles and shouted racial slurs during a car chase, according to police. https://t.co/6Fwj8lDfhn
— North Port Sun (@sun_port) November 18, 2022
In Florida, a SWS Steven Charles Whitney was chasing a group of children while hurling racial slurs and shooting at them with a shotgun. No hate crime charges is a 🚩. @tariqnasheed @TaureanReign @BLKLiberation84 https://t.co/t0zHTl9flA
— Tr1ll Texas (@TexasFBA4Ever) November 18, 2022
In a search incident to arrest, Deputies said they found 12 gauge shotgun shells in Whitney’s pockets, with more lying around the area. They executed a search warrant on his truck and home, where they found a shotgun and ammunition, spent handgun casings and clothing that allegedly matched the juveniles’ description of the suspect.
“I want to commend my 911 operators and deputies for their fast actions in this case, which resulted in a violent criminal being apprehended,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said. “These juveniles showed courage in the face of a frightening and vile encounter and now Steven Whitney is back where he belongs.”
Whitney was transported to the Charlotte County Jail where he was charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license (second offense), fleeing to elude a police officer, possession of firearm/ammo by a convicted felon, resisting an officer without violence, failure to register motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon times 3, and discharge of a firearm in public.
He is being held on $55,000 Bond.
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