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What began as an alleged domestic assault with a knife last Saturday night ended with a police chase and multiple charges against a Marco Island man.

Marco Island officers received a call at 11:23 p.m., July 21, about a domestic disturbance at unit 310, 139 Marco Lake Drive. The officers were told that a man with a knife was involved in the disturbance with the female resident.

While driving to the residence, the officers noticed a 1993 black Ford Thunderbird driving south on S. Heathwood Drive at more than 60 mph. The vehicle turned right on Balboa Court and headed westbound towards the dead-end cul-de-sac.

The officers attempted to box in the Thunderbird with their vehicles, but the driver made a U-turn and drove back eastbound. The vehicle drove off the right side of the road to avoid hitting a pursuing patrol car.

After hitting a mailbox at 1269 Balboa, the Thunderbird ran the stop sign at S. Heathwood Drive, continued east across the road and into the other dead end of Balboa.

The vehicle then crashed into the driver’s side of a parked and unoccupied 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, continued driving eastbound onto the Mackle Park property, and finally became disabled.

Matthew Grant Smith

The driver of the Thunderbird attempted to flee from the vehicle, which was owned by the victim. After ignoring the officers’ orders to stop, officer Karie Ziegelmann deployed her taser weapon on the suspect, later identified as Matthew Grant Smith, 40, of the same address as the victim.

Smith was handcuffed and taken into custody. He was driven to Physicians Regional Hospital and taken to the Naples Jail Center after being medically cleared.

Another MIPD officer who met with the victim and witnesses was told that Smith pushed the woman and threatened her with a knife.

Smith was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, battery, crashes involving damage to a vehicle or property, resisting an officer without violence and fleeing and eluding police in a marked patrol vehicle.