Man rams several Florida deputy cars during high-speed chase before crashing into school bus
By: A man has been arrested after he stole two cars early Friday morning and took deputies on a high-speed chase that ended with him crashing into a school bus carrying students.
Joseph Crawford was arrested on several charges after he stole one car from Lake County Friday morning and later carjacked another person while fleeing from deputies.
Around 6 a.m., a woman reported that her car was stolen in the middle of the night. Using GPS provided by the woman, deputies located the car in the area of Castle Hill and Hartle Road in Clermont.
When deputies spotted him pumping gas, Crawford reportedly fled in the stolen car. During the pursuit, Crawford rammed three patrol cars before getting boxed into a construction site. Deputies said they successfully deployed stop sticks, but Crawford continued to flee into Orange County.
When the stolen car gave out, he attempted to carjack a person and was unsuccessful. Deputies said he continued running and was able to carjack a Ford Bronco Sport as the person was getting out of their car.
He then fled back into Lake County.
A 911 caller described Crawford as "driving really erratically" as he traveled down the wrong side of the road several times. Crawford drove into the area of Groveland where he crashed into a school bus carrying three students and two adults, deputies said.
The 911 caller told dispatchers that the Bronco erupted into flames after the crash.
No one on the bus was injured.
Crawford was taken into custody on three counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding, grand theft, and resisting law enforcement officers before being transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
He also faces additional traffic violations from the Oakland Police Department.