OKEECHOBEE — A 17-year-old male was arrested and charged with fleeing law enforcement while lights and siren were activated and with resisting arrest without violence early Sunday morning.
Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin White responded to a call at the Holiday Inn Hotel on U.S. 441 South on May 31 at approximately 3:15 a.m. The complaint was in reference to juveniles causing a disturbance in the building, but prior to his arrival he was notified the teens had departed. He located a vehicle matching the description in the 3500 block of U.S. 441 South and turned around in order to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated away from him, turning onto State Road 78 West.
Deputy White located the vehicle again in the 7900 block of State Road 78 West, where he reportedly saw two males fighting in the roadway next to the vehicle.
When Deputy White activated his lights, he said that was when the driver, later identified as Derrick Rednour, got back into his vehicle and drove away. After following with lights and siren activated for approximately a mile, Deputy White was advised to terminate pursuit, and he turned off lights and siren and followed at a safe distance. A short time later, the vehicle entered Glades County, but then turned around and came back, pulled over and shut off the lights.
Deputies arrived to search for other possible occupants of the vehicle, and three youths were found nearby. They all reportedly admitted to being in the vehicle with Rednour. The report notes Rednour was taken to Raulerson Hospital due to his level of intoxication. The others were turned over to parents or guardians. Rednour was transferred to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.