WASHINGTON COUNTY, Florida — A man jumped out of the driver's seat of a moving vehicle on Highway 79 in Washington County with three children in the car, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to a 911 call made by a young girl traveling with her parents on Monday. The child told WCSO they were fighting while driving down the road, and provided a description of their vehicle before the call was disconnected.
WCSO responded to the area and found a vehicle matching the description traveling northbound on the highway. Deputies activated the emergency lights and sirens of the patrol vehicle in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop.
The car continued northbound before the driver's door opened, and a man jumped from the moving vehicle, according to WCSO.
The deputy stopped and made contact with the driver, who was identified as Albert Searcy, the father of three young children who were in the car with him.
The passenger, later identified as Heather Searcy, was able to crawl over the center console and gain control of and stop the vehicle, WCSO said.
Deputies say when they made contact with Heather Searcy, they observed signs consistent with a physical altercation. She had injuries to her face.
Mrs. Searcy told WCSO she asked that Albert Searcy stop the vehicle and allow her and her children to exit. She told deputies he refused to stop.
Heather Searcy also told deputies that when Albert Searcy became aware that their child had called 911 from the backseat, he struck the child and took the phone.
The family had recently moved to the area in the northwestern part of Florida, within the Panhandle, from Louisiana. Heather Searcy told deputies they were in the process of returning there at the time the incident occurred.
Emergency medical services treated the family and cleared everyone involved.
Searcy was arrested and taken to the Washington County Jail on the charges of tampering with or harassing a witness, domestic violence battery, fleeing/attempting to elude law enforcement, resisting arrest, child abuse, false imprisonment and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
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