A Florida man was arrested Wednesday after a car chase and a short swim in the Intracoastal waterway.
Officials say, Edward A. Sotelo, 51 swam for 15 to 20 minutes until he surrendered and climbed into a U.S. Coast Guard boat.
The incident started around 2 p.m. when a Daytona Beach Police Department officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals Task Force was driving behind Sotelo, who had an active federal warrant for violation of probation on a prior armed robbery charge.
Sotelo also had open warrants out of Orange County for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, grand theft, and retail theft, and was identified as a suspect in a series of retail thefts across Florida.
According to police, when Sotelo noticed he was being followed by law enforcement, he began to flee, ramming 2 sheriff's vehicles in the process, speeding away and ending up in a mobile home park at 2351 S. Ridgewood Ave. in Edgewater.
He then bailed out and jumped in the river. A female passenger stayed with the vehicle and was taken into custody. Police say she had two active warrants.
Sotelo was arrested on his warrants and also charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude with property damage, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, and resisting an officer without violence.
The female passenger was additionally charged with possession of heroin, possession of paraphernalia, and resisting an officer without violence.
Sotelo and Anderson are in the Volusia County Branch Jail. Sotelo with no bond and the woman with a bond of $19,000.
Check out the police video below:
