An Ocklawaha man was arrested after deputies say a stolen pickup truck, a high-speed pursuit, and a search involving K-9 units and aviation support led to his capture Thursday in Summerfield.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 8 a.m. March 12 to Shoreline Solutions, located at 15771 S U.S. Highway 441, in reference to a burglary and vehicle theft.
The victim told deputies he had left his 1991 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck inside a locked, fenced area of the business the night before, with the keys inside the vehicle. When he returned to work that morning, he discovered the back gate had been removed from its hinges and the truck was missing.
The vehicle was described as a single-cab pickup painted red on the top and bottom with a black middle section and black rims. The owner estimated its value at about $3,000.
A short time later, the victim called back as he reported spotting his own stolen truck traveling south on U.S. Highway 441 toward State Road 42.
Deputies responded to the area and located the vehicle near Southeast 102nd Court Road and Southeast 165th Place. According to the report, a white male driver and a female passenger were inside the truck. As the deputy approached, the vehicle began driving away.
Deputies activated emergency lights and sirens, but the truck accelerated and fled. Investigators say the vehicle reached speeds of approximately 100 mph along State Road 42 before turning onto Southeast 134th Avenue Road. The pursuit was later canceled.
The truck was later located abandoned but still running in the 17400 block of Southeast 134th Avenue Road, where it appeared to have lost control and struck a fence.
Deputies then received a call reporting a man and woman carrying a bag in the nearby area. Multiple units, including K-9 deputies and the sheriff’s office aviation unit, responded to search the area.
Deputies located Zachary Michael Smith, 29, and a female companion behind a vacant residence in the 17200 block of Southeast 130th Avenue Road. The deputy who had attempted the traffic stop stated he immediately recognized Smith as the driver of the stolen vehicle.
Smith was taken into custody. The female passenger was detained and found to have an active warrant for failure to appear related to petit theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deputies searching the recovered truck reported finding a glass smoking device in the cup holder that tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
During a post-Miranda interview, Smith told detectives he had been driving the vehicle after being picked up by the female passenger. He stated he was not initially aware the truck was stolen but learned that during the pursuit. Smith told investigators he fled because he did not have a valid driver’s license and because the passenger had an active warrant.
Smith also told detectives they had used fentanyl approximately an hour before the pursuit.
The victim later reviewed surveillance video from the business and reported that footage showed a man forcibly opening the rear gate and walking toward the truck around 5:30 a.m.
Smith was transported to the Marion County Jail and faces charges including burglary of a structure, burglary of a conveyance, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, driving without a valid license, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked without bond.
