Two men – one from Lady Lake and the other from Ocklawaha – were arrested after they jackknifed a stolen pickup truck and camper while being pursued in the Ocala National Forest.
Jesse Parker Burns, 37, of 211 Arlington Ave. in Lady Lake, was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer with lights and siren active, grand theft of a motor vehicle, resisting an officer without violence, and driving with a suspended license as a habitual offender.
Burns has numerous previous arrests, including one in May 2016 on drug charges, another in November 2017 for the theft of a motorcycle, and yet another motorcycle theft in September 2018.
Billy Frank Posey, 32, of 24100 SE 150th St. in Ocklawaha, was charged with resisting an officer without violence and giving a false name to law enforcement. A records check revealed three active warrants, including one out of South Carolina with full nationwide extradition for numerous felony charges.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Marion County sheriff’s deputies were sitting at the intersection of SE 252nd Avenue and SE Highway 42 when they observed a grey 2000 GMC pickup traveling west on SE Highway 42 towing a pull-behind camper with no tag and no rear lights. The travel hitch coupling between the pickup and camper was dragging on the pavement, causing sparks to fly off the asphalt, according the sheriff’s office report.
The deputies tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued westbound and fled. The deputies did not initiate a pursuit until the vehicle slowed abruptly and turned northbound down “Forest Road 28,” which is in the 23200 block of SW Highway 42, the report said.
The deputies traveled northbound down the dirt road, where they came across the truck and camper jackknifed in a curve. The vehicle was unoccupied, and there were two sets of shoe prints in the sand leading northbound away from the vehicle. Numerous patrol units, K9, and the aviation unit responded to assist, according to the report.
At around 2:15 a.m., Air-1 spotted a heat signature that appeared to be two humans in the area of the 24100 block of SE 150th Street, which is approximately 2.1 miles north of the final resting point of the truck and camper. Air-1 advised the individuals appeared to be trying to conceal themselves in the woods about 20 yards off the graded roadway, the report said.
Two deputies responded to the location and, with assistance from K9 “Drago,” apprehended the men. At first, Posey provided a false name, saying he was “Cory Allen Carlisle,” but fingerprints revealed his true identity, according to the report.
There was an active unauthorized us be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) placed on the pickup on Sept. 9 by the registered owner, who said he loaned the vehicle to a “Jamie Cole,” who was going to take the truck to the Ocklawaha area. The deputy contacted Jamie Cole, who said she in turn loaned it to her ex-boyfriend, who gave it to his good friend named “Jesse.” Jamie did not know Jesse’s last name, the report said.
The men were taken to the Marion County Jail, where Posey is being held without bond awaiting extradition to South Carolina. Burns is being held on $15,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Oct. 22.