Florida Sheriff Helps Take Down Suspect Fleeing Traffic Stop

Deltona, Florida — On July 6, 2023, just after 8:00 p.m. at Catalina and Howland boulevards in Deltona, a deputy pulled over a black Mercedes for a temporary tag that was obscured by a cover plate. The driver, later identified as 23-year-old Michael Becht, stopped at the intersection, rolled down his window as the deputy approached, and agreed to pull into a nearby shopping plaza to avoid obstructing traffic. Instead, as the deputy headed back to his patrol vehicle, Becht took off on Catalina and fled to I-4, where Air One spotted the vehicle from overhead.

The Air One crew followed as Becht headed into Daytona Beach, swerving through traffic and avoiding stop sticks from units along the way. He finally came to a stop in traffic at the intersection of Nova and Beville roads. Sheriff Mike Chitwood, out of uniform in a Daytona Tortugas T-shirt after leaving Jackie Robinson Ballpark earlier in the evening, approached and pulled Becht out of the car as additional deputies joined in escorting him to the ground. Becht confessed to and apologized for his actions and was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and driving with a suspended license. He was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail with a bond of $5,500.