A homicide suspect wanted out of Altamonte Springs was taken into custody in Volusia County after a pursuit, PIT maneuver, and three-hour armed standoff. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office says 65-year-old John Schmalz-Riedt was believed to have a handgun when deputies began searching for him Sunday afternoon.

The Altamonte Springs Police Department issued a BOLO for Schmalz-Riedt and a black Ram pickup following a homicide reported at around 3:15 p.m. Roughly an hour and 15 minutes later, a license plate reader detected the truck in Volusia County.

A deputy located the pickup traveling south on SR 415 and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. According to VSO, Schmalz-Riedt refused to stop and continued driving south as additional deputies moved into position.

One deputy eventually deployed stop sticks that struck one of the Ram’s rear tires. When the pickup turned from SR 415 onto Howland Boulevard, another deputy used a PIT maneuver that sent it into the woodline and brought the pursuit to an end.

The Chase Ended, but the Standoff Was Just Beginning

Please give the following video a moment to load completely.

 

Deputies surrounded the truck and attempted to conduct a high-risk traffic stop, but Schmalz-Riedt did not comply with their commands. Authorities confirmed he was armed and began communicating with him by phone instead of immediately approaching the vehicle.

That conversation turned into a standoff lasting approximately three hours. VSO says Schmalz-Riedt would not initially commit to leaving the truck peacefully, forcing deputies and negotiators to remain positioned around the vehicle.

At around 8:30 p.m., the standoff finally ended when Schmalz-Riedt surrendered to SWAT deputies. He was taken into custody without the confrontation escalating any further.

Multiple Agencies and Tools Helped Bring the Search to an End

The sheriff’s office credited a lengthy list of personnel and equipment with helping resolve the incident safely. Those resources included patrol deputies, 911 dispatchers, investigators, SWAT, Air One, K-9 teams, drone operators, negotiators, Crime Center analysts, the Bearcat and Rook armored vehicles, and Flock license plate readers.

Schmalz-Riedt is charged by VSO with fleeing, while the Altamonte Springs Police Department charged him with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the sheriff’s office, he was being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail.

The incident also demonstrated how quickly the search expanded after the homicide was reported, with the LPR detection coming little more than an hour later. From there, deputies went from locating the pickup to disabling a tire, conducting a PIT maneuver, and settling into a prolonged negotiation rather than forcing an immediate confrontation.

Commenters Praised Deputies’ Patience During the Standoff

Several commenters focused on how long deputies were willing to work toward a peaceful surrender, with one calling the amount of “de-escalation and self-control” shown by officers “astounding.” Another said they were surprised that authorities remained so patient rather than immediately forcing their way into the truck or escalating the encounter.

Others zeroed in on the technology used to locate Schmalz-Riedt, especially the Flock camera that detected the pickup’s plate. One commenter joked that the department “just wanted to mention the Flock camera in a good way,” while another cited the case as an example of the cameras helping to locate a dangerous person.

There was still room for some humor after the suspect was safely in custody, particularly around the sheer number of units credited for the arrest. One commenter decided the real unsung hero was the stop sticks, joking that they deserved an honorary mention after helping bring the fleeing pickup closer to a stop.

If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.