PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Baldwin County pursuit that crossed the state line on Interstate 10 ended with a Pensacola man in custody Wednesday morning after he abandoned his SUV at an Escambia County park and ran, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Terell Cargill, 41, was arrested by troopers at a home off Chimes Way and is facing charges in Florida, with additional charges expected from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, FHP said. Troopers reported finding possible narcotics when they searched the vehicle. No injuries were reported.
A Traffic Stop That Turned Into a Chase
According to an FHP crash report, the episode began in Baldwin County shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, when the driver of a silver Hyundai Tucson refused to stop for sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop.
Deputies followed the SUV as it fled. While the pursuit was still in Alabama, items were thrown out of the vehicle, troopers said. Authorities have not said what was tossed or whether any of it was recovered.
The Tucson got onto Interstate 10 heading east and crossed into Escambia County, Florida. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office then alerted Florida troopers, and FHP units responded to help near mile marker 1, just inside the state line, at about 10:10 a.m.
Pursuit Called Off, Then a Foot Search
The chase did not last long on the Florida side. Troopers terminated the pursuit after they lost sight of the SUV, according to FHP.
Officers later found the Tucson at a park off Concordia Boulevard. The driver had left it there and fled on foot, troopers said.
Law enforcement tracked the man to a residence off Chimes Way, where he was taken into custody without incident. Troopers identified him as Cargill.
A search of the abandoned SUV turned up possible narcotics, according to FHP. Authorities have not said what kind of substance was found or how much, and suspected drugs recovered in cases like this are generally sent for laboratory testing before charges tied to them are finalized.
Charges on Both Sides of the Line
FHP said Cargill was arrested on Florida charges and is being held for additional charges from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. Neither agency has publicly listed the specific charges, and no bond information has been released.
Cases that cross state lines typically move on separate tracks. Florida prosecutors handle whatever charges arise from events in Escambia County, while any Alabama charges connected to the traffic stop, the pursuit and the items thrown from the vehicle are handled in Baldwin County. When a person is jailed in one state and wanted in another, the second state generally places a hold, and the person can either agree to return or contest the transfer through the extradition process.
Cargill has not been convicted of any crime, and the allegations against him have not been tested in court.
Pursuits That Cross the State Line
Interstate 10 links Baldwin County to Pensacola across the Perdido River, and pursuits that begin on the Alabama side sometimes end in Florida. When that happens, officers from the originating agency usually notify law enforcement in the next jurisdiction so that local units, such as Florida troopers, can join in or take over.
Agencies weigh the risks of continuing a chase against the danger a fleeing driver poses, and pursuits are frequently called off when officers lose sight of a vehicle, as happened in this case. Once a pursuit ends, investigators often shift to finding the vehicle and the driver through other means, which in Wednesday’s case led troopers to the park off Concordia Boulevard and then to the home on Chimes Way.
What Comes Next
Cargill faces charges in Escambia County, Florida. Additional charges are expected from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, according to FHP, and more details on those counts may be released once they are formally filed.