COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Collier County Deputies responded Tuesday morning to calls of a stolen vehicle, spotted by the caller at a gas station near Collier Boulevard and Manatee Road.
A black, 2004 Ford truck had been reported stolen out of Collier County on Aug. 31 of this year.
A relative of the victim recognized the vehicle and called deputies.
Deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, which instead led them on a pursuit spanning 27 miles.
Driving the vehicle was Pedro Luis Padilla, 20, of Collier County.
Padilla averaged speeds of 60 miles per hour during the incident, which lasted 23 minutes.
Padilla left the truck on foot and ran to the end of the street, diving into the canal to escape arrest. One of the deputies in the pursuit entered the water to follow Padilla and swam the 40-foot canal to the other side.
Padilla stopped running upon seeing an agency helicopter hovering above.
Backup units arrived on the opposite side of the canal to transport Padilla.
Padilla is facing grand theft auto charges, fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, and resisting arrest without violence.
