BRISTOL, Fla. (WFLA) — A Georgia man accused of kidnapping his 2-month-old child was arrested Sunday after troopers said they caught him passing through Florida with the infant in his car.
Authorities say they tried to get 23-year-old Maurtez Rashaad Edwards to pull over Sunday, but said he refused to comply and sped off, “initiating a dangerous pursuit.”
Officials said Edwards was driving “erratically,” reaching speeds of up to 92 miles per hour and brake-checking officers, all while his 2-month-old child was in the back seat.
The pursuit continued into a nearby county, where authorities said a trooper was able to “successfully and safely” execute a PIT maneuver.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Edwards tried to flee from the vehicle but was stopped by deputies. Edwards then grabbed an AR-15 rifle hidden in his car and placed the barrel under his chin, according to officials.
Liberty County deputies were able to disarm Edwards after a brief struggle. Troopers said Edwards then took off running into the woods, leaving the baby in the vehicle.
However, troopers and deputies quickly caught up with him and placed him under arrest, according to the FHP.
Authorities said the abducted infant was safely secured in a car seat with no signs of injury. The 2-month-old child was reunited with his mother and grandmother at a hospital in Gadsden County.
Edwards was booked into the Liberty County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault on an officer, aggravated battery on an officer, cruelty toward a child, kidnapping a child under 13, and displaying a firearm during the commission of a felony.
“This incident highlights how important it is for the motoring public to stay alert to their surroundings and assist law enforcement,” said Gary Howze, Colonel of the Florida Highway Patrol. “It demonstrates how Florida law enforcement work together as resource multipliers in our commitment to helping those in harm’s way, pursuing justice and holding criminals accountable.”