On Sunday at around 8:00 p.m., Corporal Brent Griffin with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling on New Lantana Road when he observed a white car weaving in and out of traffic on a four-lane highway at a high rate of speed. The deputy confirmed the car was traveling 84 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone.

The deputy turned his vehicle around, activated his emergency lights and sirens, and began pursuing. The car gained distance between itself and the deputy, reaching speeds of approximately 116 miles per hour without stopping.

The vehicle turned left onto Dunbar and continued outbound, passing cars in the oncoming Lane despite the double yellow line. The vehicle then turned left onto Osage and navigated several side roads attempting to elude the deputy.

It then turned to Coyote Court and into the driveway of a residence on that road. The deputy exited the patrol car and the driver raised his hands appearing to surrender. However, he then put the car in reverse and rammed the front of the deputy’s patrol vehicle knocking him backwards.

Out of fear for his safety, the deputy attempted to maneuver out of the way as the driver was pushing the deputy’s patrol car out of his driveway and into the roadway.

The vehicle then struck a secondary patrol car driven by Deputy Broderdorf who was trying to get parked, causing damage to both patrol cars as well as the suspect’s car. After this the man exited the vehicle, running on foot into the residence.

The deputies gave pursuit through the house until he entered a bathroom, closing the door behind him and an attempt to hide. The two deputies forced the door open and made contact with the suspect. Deputy Griffin tried to bring the suspect to the ground to gain control of his hands, uncertain whether or not the suspect was armed. However, he shouted at deputies and refused to comply with orders, keeping his hands under his body instead of placing them behind his back.

The suspect was identified as Joel Rice, who began to scream “Leave me alone! Leave me alone! People have been torturing me!”

All searching the vehicle, Deputy Broderdorf located two jars containing what is believed to be 19 g. of marijuana.

Rice would be charged with two counts of evading arrest, resisting arrest, two counts of reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and simple possession/casual exchange.