ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A Friday morning armed robbery at a Christmas tree lot on County Road 210 just off Interstate 95 prompted a high-speed pursuit that ended 9 miles away with a crash on State Road 16 at Pacetti Road and the suspect dead.
St. Johns County deputies identified the suspect as 51-year-old Michael A. Winters.
Investigators believe Winters put a gun to his head and took his own life shortly before the crash.
Linda Lee was at the red light at the intersection and shot video as deputies tried to get drivers out of the way and laid down stop sticks to slow down the speeding SUV. She was recording when the vehicle struck a sedan and spun off the road into a tree. Deputies surrounded the SUV with guns drawn, then smashed the windows out to get to the driver.
"It's just scary," Lee said.
St. Johns Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan said a preliminary medical examiner's report is pending an autopsy, and will provide the official cause and manner of death.
"That individual, unfortunately, chose to flee rather than stop and face the consequences," Mulligan said. "The deputy who was in the lead witnessed the subject place a firearm to his head and then immediately afterward, the car lost control and swiped the gray Ford Taurus."
VIDEO: Deputies: Suspect dead after robbery, chase
The driver of the sedan was hurt, but awake and alert when he was taken to the hospital. The driver's wife picked up the dog that was also in the car. By late afternoon, the driver returned, still wearing a hospital gown, appearing to get something out of his car.
State Road 16 was blocked until just after 5 p.m. while detectives documented the scene and collected the evidence. Other detectives were at the tree lot, where the owner was held up at gunpoint.
The investigation revealed Winters had allegedly stolen a Florida tag from a 2015 Ford car, which was in a lot nearby and where the robbery occurred. Deputies said Winters attached the tag to the Ford Explorer he was driving in an attempt to conceal the victim's identifiers.
Deputies said after the tag theft, Winters approached the victim of the robbery and demanded his wallet and cellphone while holding him at gunpoint.
The Sheriff's Office said Winters left the scene of the robbery and responding officers located him and gave chase after Winters refused to stop.
The chase ended near Mill Creek Elementary, where parents were thankful no one else was hurt.
"I got an alert. I got a call from the school," Joe Clifton said. "(I was) completely shocked. I mean, none of this happens around in your neighborhood."