Traffic Stop Turns into High-Speed Chase: Arrest Made in Collier County
Collier County, FL – July 23, 2024 – A routine traffic stop on I-75 escalated into a high-speed chase and eventual arrest on June 1, 2024, involving Mr. Carlos Alberto Castellanos. The incident unfolded just north of Pine Ridge Road when a Florida Highway Patrol officer noticed a silver 2018 Dodge Charger with an illegally tinted windshield.
At approximately 12:14 P.M., the officer initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle pulled over to the right shoulder, and the driver, identified as Carlos Alberto Castellanos, DOB 04/17/2000, provided a valid Florida driver’s license and vehicle registration. However, the distinct odor of marijuana emanating from the car prompted the officer to call for backup, with Trooper Rodriguez responding to the scene.
As the officers attempted to get Mr. Castellanos to exit the vehicle, he became uncooperative and made suspicious movements, reaching into the back seat, prompting the primary officer to draw his service weapon. Despite repeated commands to exit the vehicle, Mr. Castellanos refused to comply and instead fled the scene in his vehicle.
The officers pursued with lights and sirens activated as Castellanos exited onto Pine Ridge Road and headed west. An initial PIT maneuver attempt failed, but a subsequent maneuver temporarily disabled Castellanos’ vehicle. However, he managed to cross into the eastbound lanes and continued to evade law enforcement.
The pursuit continued eastward until Castellanos turned onto Logan Blvd. Here, Trooper Rodriguez successfully executed a PIT maneuver, and Castellanos’ vehicle was immobilized. The officers approached with guns drawn and ordered Castellanos and his passenger to exit the vehicle. After a tense standoff, both individuals were apprehended without further incident.
A search of Castellanos revealed a clear plastic baggie of marijuana in his pocket. The vehicle search uncovered a black backpack containing a scale, vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana, a baggie of fentanyl, and other drug paraphernalia. The passenger, a minor, was unharmed but was placed in harm’s way during the pursuit.
Mr. Castellanos, already on probation for similar offenses, faces multiple charges, including violation of probation, fleeing to elude law enforcement, and child endangerment. The Division of Child and Family Services (DCF) was notified, and a case was opened regarding the minor’s involvement.
Mr. Castellanos is being held without bond pending further legal proceedings. This incident underscores the dangers law enforcement officers face during routine traffic stops and the severe consequences of fleeing from authorities.
