PALM COAST, Fla. – A high-speed chase on Interstate 95 early Sunday morning ended with the arrest of a Jacksonville man and a 16-year-old girl reported missing from Tampa that authorities say are connected to a carjacking in Orange County.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office says the two were found in possession of a 2009 black Toyota Corolla which was stolen from the owner outside of the Florida Mall in Orlando during an armed carjacking Wednesday night.
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WJXT reports on Sunday, St. Johns County deputies spotted the car and alerted the Flagler County Sheriff's Office after pursuing the car south on Interstate 95. Deputies say the driver reached speed in excess of 100 mph.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the stolen car was spotted in Flagler County just before 4 a.m. and continued driving to Palm Coast Parkway, where the Flagler County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop the car using stop-sticks.
While trying to exit the highway, the Sheriff's Office says the driver of the stolen car was able to avoid hitting the stop-sticks and tried to re-enter the highway. While attempting this escape deputies say the driver lost control of the car hitting three palm trees before coming to a final stop on the southbound entrance ramp.
After the crash, the Sheriff's Office says the driver of the car ran from deputies to a wooded area near Cypress Edge Drive, leaving a female passenger inside the car.
Deputies began a ground search for the driver, who was located and had bite wounds from a deputy's K9 after the search dogs found him hiding under a trash receptacle outside of a Golden Corral on Cypress Edge Drive, the Sheriff's Office said.
The driver of the stolen car was identified as 24-year-old Dyson Graham of Jacksonville. Graham was charged with possession of stolen property, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm and resisting arrest without violence. Additional charges may be filed by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
The 16-year-old girl who was a passenger in the car is not being identified because she is a minor, but has been taken into custody and will be charged with possession of stolen property, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
During the investigation, the Sheriff's Office learned the teenager was reported missing from Hillsborough County.
Graham has a lengthy criminal record. According to Duval County records, Graham was convicted of possession of a firearm or weapon by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to one year in prison.
WJXT spoke with Graham's mother on Sunday.
"Disappointment. He just got out of prison," said Toshia Graham.
"Crime is nothing new to him."
"He's an adult now and I can only do so much as a parent. I can't keep controlling his life. He's gotta live his own life," Graham said.
"He's a convicted felon. So he's going to be labeled as a habitual offender. I'm quite sure he's going to get the maximum. I wouldn't expect anything less than that to be honest with you," said Graham.
After sticking by him while he served his first prison sentence, his mother said she won't do it again.
"I'm a god-fearing woman. I can see when he's veering off-track. He actually came to church with me Friday. Can't play with the man upstairs. He's going to make you see what he wants you to see," said Graham.
Channel 4 crime analyst Ken Jefferson said that if Graham is convicted in this case he will be in prison for a long time.
"You're looking at the commission of a felony with a weapon. You're looking at a minimum of 20 years just for a conviction of that one charge. Then you compile all the other charges that has been added to that, whatever they may be. So he's looking at a minimum of 20," Jefferson said.