A 21-year-old man is in custody on charges including fleeing from law enforcement in a car and on foot in Fort Pierce.

Leon Kevin Gentle-Coaxum was charged with fleeing and eluding with property damage; hit and run with property damage; operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver license; and resisting arrest without violence, according to a Fort Pierce Police Department news release.

At 4:45 p.m. Sept. 25 Fort Pierce Police officers were conducting a traffic enforcement initiative near Okeechobee and Jenkins roads when they saw a blue Volkswagen Jetta driving south on Okeechobee Road, according to the news release.

An officer attempted a traffic stop after they determined the driver of the Volkswagen, later identified as Gentle-Coaxum, had a suspended driver’s license. As the officer approached the vehicle, Gentle-Coaxum fled the traffic stop.

Gentle-Coaxum sped into oncoming traffic and around stopped vehicles while using the road’s shoulder to pass, according to the news release.

The Volkswagen later stopped near South 25th Street and Edwards Road. The officer commanded Gentle-Coaxum to get out of the vehicle, but he refused and fled a second time, striking the vehicle in front of him.

To stop the vehicle, the officer broke the driver’s side window. Gentle-Coaxum then exited through the passenger side and ran. During the foot pursuit, a nearby person tackled him, which allowed officers to take him into custody.

Gentle-Coaxum was transported to the St. Lucie County Jail without further incident.

No other information was available Sept. 29, including Gentle-Coaxum’s city of residence.

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Olivia Franklin is TCPalm’s trending and breaking news reporter. You can contact her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com, 317-627-8048 or follow her on X @Livvvvv_5.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Man flees traffic stop in Florida; officers, deputies pursue