Lee County deputies stop carjacking suspects fleeing Highlands County

Reporter: Justin Kase Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
Daniel Zamot and Artavis Spivey. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office

A man accused of armed carjacking in Highlands County was arrested in North Fort Myers after a pursuit Thursday afternoon.

A new video from an LCSO helicopter shows the chase in North Fort Myers. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says two men took the car from a woman on her lunch break in Avon Park.

Several people were home when the car crashed into one of their backyards. One neighbor said one of the suspects ran right by her property before she heard deputies yelling at him to stop.

Deputies in the video shared by LCSO can be heard describing the scene they saw from the air, “subject’s bailing. Going towards Horizon Road.”

“I see a car drive through my neighbor’s kind of vacant lot next to it. And the guy jumps out and starts running. He ran towards this way,” said Ann Myers.

Deputies say the two men inside this car stole it from a woman in Highlands County. The woman was on her lunch break when the two approached her with masks on and a weapon according to deputies.

“Subject’s on the ground. He’s continuing southbound on Horizon Road. Pink shirt,” said deputies in the helicopter.

“The person that was by my gate, which I could see mostly. He apparently complied. He was being handcuffed,” said Myers.

For hours, the area was taped off as investigators collected evidence. During that time, WINK News spoke with the woman whose backyard became a crime scene.

“We were having lunch, late lunch. And my husband saw a car go through our yard,” Lorraine said.

The two men arrested are 18-year-old Daniel Zamot and 20-year-old Artavis Spivey.

“This was really a good afternoon for the police and for the two fellows that were caught because they didn’t get hurt,” said Lorraine.

Investigators say after the car was stolen, a license plate reader pinged and alerted the sheriff’s office to the car.

Deputies say the car was going at a high rate of speed as they tried to get away from deputies.

Zimot and Spivey face charges of aggravated battery on officers and resisting officers without violence. Spivey also faces a charge of fleeing police with disregard of safety to persons or property.

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