Man found guilty of fleeing police at high speed, no active driver’s license

Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published:
Tony Ray Bethune

Tony Ray Bethune was found guilty as charged for Fleeing to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer at High Speed or Wanton Disregard and Driving While License Suspended, Revoked, or Canceled with Knowledge.

The jury returned the guilty verdict Friday evening, following a two-day trial in Lee County.

On April 25, 2020, a Fort Myers Police Officer spotted a car that had been reported stolen.

When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting other cars.

The officer saw the defendant, later identified as Bethune, driving the car. The defendant went through multiple stop signs without stopping.

Bethune ended up driving down a one-way street. He got out of the car and ran behind a house.

Three officers, along with a K-9 partner “Gunny,” tracked the defendant through a wooded area.

He was caught as he ran toward a home. The defendant, who had been driving on a suspended license, was taken into custody.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.