The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Lawtey Police Department honored a Lawtey police officer for apprehending a suspect in a carjacking incident.
According to an arrest report, witnesses said that on Aug. 3, suspect Gregory Drummond was driving a black pickup erratically eastbound on Jacksonville’s Argyle Forest Parkway when he intentionally rammed his truck into another vehicle that was changing lanes to avoid Drummond. The suspect then lost control of his truck and hit a trailer being hauled by another truck.
The two drivers both exited their vehicles, then Drummond became angry, hopped into the other truck, and attempted to leave.
A man in the passenger’s seat of the truck told a JSO detective that when Drummond got behind the wheel, the passenger drew a handgun, pointed it at the suspect, and stated, “Get out of the vehicle, or I will kill you.”
“The suspect then told (the victim), ‘Just kill me. Just kill me,’ and proceeded to start the vehicle,” said Detective B.R. West in the report. “(The victim) attempted to stop the suspect by turning the vehicle off, and the suspect struck the victim on the left eye, causing it to swell.”
West added that Drummond drove the truck, screaming and laughing uncontrollably as he went for about three miles. The suspect then told the victim he would kill them both as he intentionally drove the truck into a ditch. Drummond then got out of the truck and ran, leaving the victim trapped inside.
As the suspect fled, Cesar Rodriguez, an off-duty Lawtey police officer, was riding a motorcycle in the area and stopped where Drummond crashed the truck into the ditch. Witnesses told Rodriguez that the driver ran into a nearby wooded area, and the officer took off after him.
JSO Sgt. Cliff Sames said in the report that when he caught up to the pair, Rodriguez had Drummond face down on the ground as the two were struggling.
“The suspect had his left hand under his body near his waistline,” Sames said, “where people commonly carry guns.”
After Sames tased Drummond between the shoulder blades, the suspect responded by shouting, “You can’t hurt me. You can’t hurt me.” He then rolled over on his back, grabbed the sergeant’s right wrist, and began kicking his legs wildly.
Sames then tased the suspect a second time in the abdomen, and Drummond gave up, stating, “I’m done.”
During a Lawtey City Council meeting, a JSO representative awarded Rodriguez a certificate of appreciation.
“Without hesitation, Officer Rodriguez intercepted the suspect who resisted efforts to being detained,” wrote Sames in a letter to Lawtey Police Chief Jerry Feltner. “Using excellent physical control techniques, Officer Rodriguez performed an arm-bar takedown on the suspect and detained him until on-duty JSO Officers arrived. The suspect violently resisted JSO Officers and Officer Rodriguez assisted in safely taking him into custody.”
Chief Feltner gave Rodriguez an Award of Valor from the Lawtey Police Department.
