Home / Crime and Justice / Paddleboard Chase: Florida Officers Pursue Suspect on Water
Paddleboard Chase: Florida Officers Pursue Suspect on Water
19 Mar
Summary
- Officers used paddleboards to apprehend a suspect who fled into a river.
- The suspect jumped into the Halifax River while being questioned by police.
- He was charged with loitering, prowling, and resisting arrest.

On March 16, 2026, a man attempting to evade law enforcement in Volusia County, Florida, found himself in an unexpected pursuit across water. Officers from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and Daytona Beach Shores police were questioning 28-year-old Chase Cruz when he suddenly fled on foot.
Cruz's escape route led him directly into the Halifax River. Responding to the situation, two deputies swiftly employed paddleboards to reach the fleeing suspect. Video captured the officers navigating the river on their boards to apprehend Cruz.
One officer secured a flotation device to Cruz before he was guided out of the water and onto a paddleboard. Cruz was then brought back to shore and taken into custody. He faces charges of loitering and prowling, along with resisting arrest.




