Driver Causes One Crash, Then Two More In Oncoming Traffic Before Running Away, Only To Be Caught Down The Road

Date Added: June 01, 2018 11:15 am

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

Note: Video footage of the crash scene is available on VCSO Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

DRIVER CAUSES ONE CRASH, THEN TWO MORE IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE RUNNING AWAY, ONLY TO BE CAUGHT DOWN THE ROAD

2 injured in series of crashes Thursday night in Deltona

A driver who fled from a crash in Deltona and caused two more crashes before taking off running was arrested last night after deputies caught up with him about a mile away.

Two people were taken to the hospital with injuries after the series of crashes at DeBary Avenue and Main Street. Luckily, their injuries were non-life-threatening.

Deputies responded to the crashes around 8 p.m. as callers reported the driver who caused them, later identified as 23-year-old Julius Naval Bennett (DOB 2/24/1995) of Deltona, was running away west on DeBary Avenue.

Witnesses reported he first rear-ended a red Toyota minivan, causing major damage to the back end. Bennett fled that crash by driving over the raised median into oncoming traffic. He headed west in the eastbound lanes, then crashed into a silver Mazda 6. He fled that crash and collided head-on with a black Chevrolet Malibu. At that point, his vehicle finally became disabled, and he got out.

The other crash victims told deputies they tried to render aid to Bennett, but he said: “F*** this, I hope you die,” and took off running.

Witnesses called in updates on where he was headed, and soon Bennett was in custody at 915 Doyle Road.

Bennett complained of a shoulder injury and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, which revealed he was not injured. Once he was released from the hospital, he was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail on two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with injury, one count of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving with a suspended license and violating his probation for burglary.

He was being held without bond on the violation of probation charge; his bond for Thursday’s charges was set at $6,000.

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