JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man they say drowned in a retention pond after jumping a fence at a car dealership in the Commonwealth neighborhood while running away from an officer.
JSO said officers responded to the Jacksonville Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership at around 3:15 a.m. after getting a call from security on-site, who said they saw a man break into two cars on the surveillance cameras.
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After getting to the dealership, JSO said an officer tried telling the man to surrender himself, but he ended up running away.
“The officer attempted to deploy his taser, however, it appears the suspect at the time was wearing a large coat and it doesn’t appear the probes made contact and had any effect,” Lieutenant Marc Musser with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
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Police said the officer then chased the man to the edge of the property, where he jumped a fence and into a retention pond right past it. It was the last time police said he was seen above the surface.
“Officers did attempt to throw some floatation devices to attempt to aid the suspect, however, they were never able to see him again once he went below the water,” Musser said.
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JSO said a dive team later came to the dealership and pulled the man’s body from the pond. He hasn’t yet been named, but police say the body was taken to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.
Action News Jax’s Finn Carlin requested an interview with the dealership and the security camera video showing the overnight break-ins. The dealership declined both requests. JSO said it is still investigating what happened, including how the man ended up drowning in the pond.
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