Man in U-Haul truck leads deputies on a chaotic chase
By Caleb Califano
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FORT PIERCE, Florida (WPBF) — A man is facing several felony charges after deputies say he led them on a dangerous chase through multiple populated areas of St. Lucie County Monday evening before crashing in Fort Pierce.
Deputies say 34-year-old Brian Lassonde of Altamonte Springs was behind the wheel of a U-Haul truck that sped through a Winn-Dixie parking lot in Lakewood Park around 5 p.m. Monday. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says Lassonde forced multiple cars off the road and even intentionally hit two of them as he fled down a Turnpike feeder road.
Body camera video shows the chaotic end to the chase, when Lassonde crashed near Avenue H and U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce. The truck hit several vehicles, damaged traffic signs, and broke a water main. One woman was taken to the hospital with injuries.
“This was a significantly dangerous situation, and there was a blatant disregard by this driver for anybody’s safety or well-being in the public,” said Andrew Bolonka with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Vlad Bradescu, owner of Swift Grill near the crash site, said the scene was unlike anything he’d seen before.
“It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t believe he made it all this way,” he said. “I was just hoping everyone was okay. It was just more about figuring out what he did and why.”
Bradescu said his restaurant lost water for about five hours due to the damaged water main.
Lassonde was taken into custody and is facing multiple felony charges, including three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
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