On March 20, 2023, Sarasota Police officers were dispatched to Mourning Dove Drive on Bird Key at around 2 p.m. following reports of a vehicle burglary.
Upon arrival, the victims informed the officers that personal items had been stolen from their car. After reviewing video evidence, the officers identified a white, four-door Mercedes S-Series as the suspect vehicle.
Later that day, at approximately 5 p.m., the same white Mercedes was spotted in a neighborhood on Longboat Key. Longboat Key police responded to reports of a vehicle theft from a residence on Fair Oaks Place. Although several people were present at the time of the theft, no one was injured.
At around 9 p.m., the Sarasota Police Department received information that the white Mercedes had returned to Bird Key. Officers positioned their patrol vehicles at the entrance and exit of Bird Key in an attempt to prevent the Mercedes from leaving the area. As the suspect vehicle approached the entrance, it became apparent that it was heading towards the officers.
Anticipating that the Mercedes would either turn onto a side street or collide with one of the parked patrol vehicles, one officer was caught off guard when the suspect vehicle struck him instead. The officer was hit head-on by the vehicle while he was on foot.
The injured officer was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and has since been released, with a full recovery expected.
After the collision, the white Mercedes fled Bird Key, leading officers on a pursuit eastbound on John Ringling Causeway, northbound on US 41, and eastbound on Fruitville before being abandoned in the 2900 block of Orange Avenue.
When officers arrived at the scene, the suspects had already fled the vehicle, and no arrests have been made as of now.