A South Daytona police officer shot twice during a high speed chase on Interstate 95 remained in stable condition, according to a Facebook post on March 15 by Port Orange police.
The officer was identified as Jake Fessenden.
“Officer Fessenden was struck by gunfire twice and is in stable condition,” the Port Orange Police Facebook post stated.
According to the Facebook post, Fessenden was helping Port Orange police when Todd Martin, 31, fled from the scene of a shooting in the area of Country Lane earlier on March 15.
Media reports indicate Martin was involved in a road rage incident in the area with shots fired.
Martin fled and police pursued him. Fessenden joined the pursuit and during the chase, Martin crashed on the northbound ramp of Interstate 95 in Daytona Beach, authorities said.
Martin opened fire on pursuing officers, striking Fessenden twice, police said.
Port Orange shooting suspect suffers burns when patrol car catches fire
Police returned fire and Martin was also shot. Martin suffered additional severe burns after barricading himself inside a patrol vehicle that subsequently caught fire. He remained hospitalized at Halifax Health in critical condition, police said.
“We would like to take this time and thank Officer Fessenden for his commitment to our communities and sacrifice made in apprehending an armed and dangerous suspect. We wish him well on his road to recovery,” Port Orange police said in its Facebook post.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: South Daytona police officer was shot twice after high-speed pursuit
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
