Bush spurs and sweat helped deputies link two suspects to a Lehigh Acres car chase

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. —

Two men were arrested over the weekend after deputies said a driver led them on a pursuit through a Lehigh Acres neighborhood before being caught near a home covered in bush spurs.

Deputies were patrolling near Leonard Boulevard when they reportedly saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and said the driver didn't stop at an intersection.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, deputies tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver fled, driving off the roadway and between homes before he and a passenger abandoned the vehicle and ran to a nearby residence, LCSO said.

The Florida Highway Patrol stepped in to assist, while K-9 units, drones, and aviation were used to track the suspects after 3 a.m. Saturday.

LCSO said the driver, Lilton Preston, 36, and the passenger, Shannon Hammonds, 27, were found sweating and covered in bush spurs. According to the sheriff's office, this evidence helped connect them to the area where the vehicle was abandoned.

Preston and Hammonds were taken into custody on charges that included resisting an officer. They have multiple prior arrests, the sheriff's office said.

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