ST. LUCIE COUNTY − A 34-year-old man was arrested Oct. 27 after St. Lucie County Sheriff’s officials reported he drove dangerously, crashing into vehicles and causing a “significant hazard to motorists and pedestrians,” a spokesperson said.
Brian Lassonde, of Altamonte Springs, was jailed on charges including three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon; and single counts each of fleeing and eluding causing injury or death; and hit and run – failure to remain at a crash involving serious bodily injury, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lassonde was taken into custody after losing control of his truck, which “took out” a water main and road signs and rolled over in the area of U.S. 1 and Avenue H north of the downtown Fort Pierce area, Lt. Andrew Bolonka, sheriff’s spokesperson, said Oct. 28.
Bolonka said 911 calls came in about 5:15 p.m. Oct. 27 regarding an alleged reckless driver in a U-Haul truck in the Lakewood Park area of northern St. Lucie County.
He said a deputy spotted the vehicle driving erratically and at a “very high rate of speed” at a Winn-Dixie plaza at Kings Highway and Indrio Road.
“The deputies are able to confirm that this guy’s driving extremely dangerous, and there’s a significant hazard to motorists and pedestrians,” Bolonka said.
The vehicle reportedly traveled north on Turnpike Feeder Road to U.S. 1, and deputies turned on their lights and sirens, Bolonka said.
“He’s just continuing to flee and driving extremely recklessly,” Bolonka said.
The truck traveled south on U.S. 1.
“When they get down on U.S. 1, it looks like he ends up striking vehicles intentionally, like going after the vehicles,” Bolonka said.
Bolonka said the driver lost control north of Avenue H and U.S. 1, and hit two vehicles there. He “took out” a water main and road signs, and his vehicle rolled over.
Investigators concluded two crashes were intentional. One driver was taken to a local hospital with a suspected broken leg.
“They’re trying to determine if this guy was under the influence of some sort of controlled substances,” Bolonka said. “He definitely was not in the right state of mind, that’s for sure.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: ‘Extremely dangerous’ driver jailed after crashes on U.S. 1, sheriff’s office states
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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