A 22-year-old man is accused of leading state troopers on a high-speed chase at speeds of 140 miles per hour for 30 miles.
Troopers said they tried to pull over Jorge Montero, who was driving a Mercedes on I-75 in Punta Gorda.
During the pursuit, troopers say Montero got off I-75 at the Harborview Road exit, sped through a school zone, and drove so recklessly that innocent drivers had to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid being hit.
Troopers said Montero then got back on I-75.
The chase ended when Montero exited the interstate in Sarasota County near Venice and crashed into a pickup truck at the intersection of Laurel Road and Knights Trail.
But Montero didn’t stop there. According to FHP, he fled into the nearby woods, a K-9 had to bite Montero's leg to bring him into custody.
When troopers searched Montero’s car, they found a loaded handgun on the front seat, a wad of cash, and roughly 1,400 illegal THC vape cartridges in the trunk.
Montero was arrested and booked into the Charlotte County Jail, where he now faces a long list of charges, including drug trafficking. He has pleaded not guilty.
Montero also had a suspended license.
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