CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. – Two Southeast Georgia men are facing multiple charges after Camden County deputies said both men led deputies on a chase that began on Highway 17 and ended at the home of one of the men.
The dramatic pursuit was captured on body camera and dashboard camera videos, which were obtained by News4Jax on Friday.
According to an arrest report from the Camden County Sheriff's Office, the chase began Monday morning when a patrol deputy saw Rick Albertie, 49, of Kingsland, and Antonio Singleton Sr., 47, of Woodbine, driving recklessly along Highway 17.
The report stated the deputy observed a gold Mercury Grand Marquis and a white Ford Crown Victoria tailgating each other and performing erratic maneuvers on northbound Highway 17 at Brewster Avenue. According to the deputy’s radar, both vehicles were traveling at 105 mph in a 55 mph zone.
The deputy wrote in the report that he attempted to stop both vehicles, but neither stopped, so he chased them both.
During the vehicle pursuit, according to the report, the Crown Victoria passed another deputy, who then joined in on the chase. The first deputy stayed after the Grand Marquis, which, according to the report, kept making abrupt turns to get away at average speeds of 55 mph.
WATCH: 2 men in separate cars lead deputies on chase, Sheriff's Office says
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said it’s not unusual to hear about law enforcement officers attempting to pull over two speeding cars at the same time, even when it’s initially one officer.
"Sometimes one officer can stop both vehicles. It’s not the safest thing to do. It’s not the wisest thing because of the fear of the unknown," he said.
The report stated the Grand Marquis, which deputies later learned was driven by Albertie, pulled into the driveway of Singleton’s home, where he surrendered. According to investigators, Singleton had driven back to his driveway prior to Albertie pulling up, got out his vehicle and started to walk toward his house. That’s when investigators said Albertie pulled up with the other deputy behind him.
"We got both vehicles," a deputy can be heard saying in one of the videos. "Stay in the car. Don't move. Don't move. Show me your hands. Get out of the car. Face me."
The deputy who followed Singleton decided to back the deputy who was then behind Albertie, who was taken into custody. While Albertie sat in the back of a patrol car, other deputies tried to get Singleton to come out of his house. Deputies can be heard yelling, "Antonio," and knocking on the door in body camera video.
Deputies said they later realized that Singleton didn't go inside, but ran away while the deputy was in the process of backing up the other deputy. Singleton eventually turned himself in two days later, investigators told News4Jax.
The men, who are cousins, are each charged with eluding law enforcement, reckless driving and speeding. Camden County jail records show both men have been released on bond.
The chase caught on video in Camden County was one of three pursuits Monday in the Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida area.
According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Ayrmon Wilson, 20, led a deputy on a high-speed chase after first attempting to run over the deputy. Investigators said he crashed into another car at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park and took off running before he was arrested.
Hours after that chase, a vehicle crashed in the Panama Park area of Jacksonville while being pursued by law enforcement, investigators said. One person died and three people were seriously injured, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
Jefferson said there’s always a risk of tragedy when drivers attempt to evade law enforcement.
"A lot of times, when suspects are running from the police, a lot of action is going on. They’re looking behind them to see where the police are. They are not paying close attention to things in front of them. That’s what causes them to run off the road or lose control of the vehicle," Jefferson said.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the Camden County chase.