SEBASTIAN, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man fell through a ceiling after fleeing law enforcement and barricading himself in a Sebastian residence on Nov. 3, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies said they received an alert from license plate readers about a stolen Ford F-350 heading westbound. The vehicle was reported stolen outside of Osceola County on Oct. 19.
After investigative efforts, the IRCSO Real Time Crime Center said it identified the driver as Keith Rodgers, 37.
The sheriff’s office said it identified Rodgers after he purchased lumber at the Sebastian Home Depot, still using the stolen vehicle.
Deputies located the truck parked in a driveway, and the suspect unloaded wood from the truck bed before he fled into the residence upon seeing law enforcement.
IRCSO said Rodgers barricaded himself in the house and refused to respond to verbal commands.
“Due to his extensive criminal history and previous statements that he would get into a shootout before going back to jail, SWAT and Crisis Negotiators were deployed,” IRCSO said.
After a standoff that lasted several hours, Rodgers fell through the ceiling “into the arms” of SWAT members, IRCSO said.
According to body camera footage of the incident, Rodgers was charged with grand theft auto and resisting an office without violence.
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