Some drivers make a bad decision and immediately realize they need to stop. While others see flashing police lights and decide to make the situation worse.
That appears to be what happened early Saturday morning, August 15th, in Martin County, Florida, when deputies say a 27-year-old man crashed into another vehicle and then took off from the scene.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Ariel Simon Bamaca Camey crashed into a vehicle along SE Dixie Highway, leaving the female driver behind with a wrecked car. She was able to call for help, giving deputies a description of the vehicle that allegedly caused the crash.
There was just one major problem for Bamaca Camey: the white pickup truck he was driving had heavy damage to its front end. The truck wasn’t exactly in ideal condition for a getaway.
Deputies Didn’t Have To Look Far
Deputies began searching for the damaged white pickup after receiving the report. They eventually located the vehicle, but authorities say Bamaca Camey wasn’t interested in sticking around for the conversation. Instead, he took off again when deputies tried to stop him.
At that point, the damaged pickup had gone from evidence of a hit-and-run to the getaway vehicle in an alleged police pursuit. And it apparently didn’t have much getaway left in it.
The Pickup Gets Pinched
According to the sheriff’s office, Bamaca Camey drove less than a mile before deputies blocked him from both ends of the vehicle, preventing him from going anywhere else.
This moment is captured in the body cam footage released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, showing deputies bringing the short pursuit to an end. Bamaca Camey was then subsequently arrested.
Deputies Say He Was Intoxicated
The situation became even more serious once deputies took Bamaca Camey into custody. Authorities say he was intoxicated at the time of the incident. He was also accused of driving without a valid Florida driver’s license and had allegedly never been issued one.
Bamaca Camey was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving damage, fleeing and eluding, driving without a valid license, and a DUI. He was taken to the Martin County Jail, where he remained in an ICE detainer, according to the sheriff’s office.
Reactions to the Incident
The video also prompted some concern from commenters. In particular, for the female driver who was hit by Bamaca Camey before fleeing, who was uninjured.
One commenter simply hoped the female driver was uninjured, while another wondered how Bamaca Camey ended up with the truck in the first place. Others emphasized how the mention of an ICE detainer made them happy and how he didn’t hurt or kill anyone.
The charges against Bamaca Camey are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Still, if there is one lesson from this particular chase, it’s probably that fleeing in a heavily damaged pickup while deputies are already looking for you isn’t exactly the best way to disappear.