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Driver flees from police and crashes
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A high-speed pursuit down N. Collier Boulevard Sunday morning ended in a car crash with the driver fleeing on foot. He was eventually captured by Marco Island Police Department officers.
Brandon Sontage was arrested for fleeing and eluding police, DUI with property damage, crashes involving damage, resisting officer without violence and DUI.
The chase began while MIPD officer Frank Steiger was on routine patrol Sunday along N. Collier.
At approximately 1:17 a.m., Steiger saw a gray Chevrolet two-door with a Tennessee license plate traveling south on N. Collier near the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge at approximately 50 mph.
Steiger drove behind the Chevy in the 1300 block of N. Collier and activated his red and blue emergency lights and siren. The driver of the Chevy accelerated the vehicle to more than 70 mph. He indicates the car drove through red traffic signals at N. Barfield Drive and E. Elkcam Circle and the stop sign at Bald Eagle Drive.
The Chevy came to a partial stop on the right shoulder of N. Collier in the 800 block. When Steiger notified dispatch and pulled up behind the car, the driver accelerated the car and fled down the boulevard a second time.
The driver lost control of the Chevy when the car entered the construction zone in the 700 block of N. Collier. The Chevy spun out of control, left the road and crashed into some bushes and trees next to the street.
When the male driver got out of the car, Steiger yelled, “Stop — Police.” The man fled on foot south on N. Collier along the sidewalk.
MIPD Cpl. Kevin Hennings pursued the suspect in his patrol car. When Hennings caught up to the man, he jumped out of his patrol car and caught the suspect.
When Steiger approached the driver, later identified as Brandon Sontage, 23, of 5959 Samoa Drive, Bokeelia, Fla., the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the man.
Steiger also noticed two 12-packs of beer and several empty bottles inside the Chevy. MIPD Lt. Matt Goetz photographed the vehicle and the beer.
Sontage was taken to Physicians Regional Medical Center by the Collier County EMS. He was treated for minor injuries and released to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for booking at the Naples Jail Center.
Sontage was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding police in a marked patrol vehicle, DUI with property damage, crashes involving damage to vehicle or property, resisting an officer without violence and DUI.
According to the police report, Sontage had an active warrant out of Tennessee for fraud and resisting and fleeing from police.

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Right...drive onto an ISLAND and perpetrate this foolishness...dumb.
#1 Posted by captnjimbo on June 21, 2007 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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