A felony traffic stop in Fort Lauderdale ended in a police chase and crash in Pompano Beach early Tuesday, officials said.
The incident began when an officer patrolling in the area of Broward Boulevard and Southwest 31st Avenue on the border of Fort Lauderdale and Lauderhill began following a green SUV.
The officer allegedly witnessed the SUV get into a confrontation with another car, and saw one of the occupants of the SUV pull out a handgun and point it at the other car.
Reports that the officer attempted to stop the vehicle which tried to flee the scene, and a chase ensued.
The green SUV led officers on a chase for 15 minutes or so before it crashed on the I-95 off-ramp at Copans Road in Pompano Beach.
Fleeing from police officers is known as fleeing and eluding. Fleeing and eluding is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. It also carries a mandatory adjudication (conviction) as well as a mandatory driver's license suspension.
Fleeing at a high rate of speed from police cars that have their lights and sirens is known as aggravated fleeing and eluding. Aggravated fleeing and eluding is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.