According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Ronald Williams, 48, who could not swim stole a jet ski and got stuck on the Halifax River after the machine failed to start, and tried to float away on it anyway.
After the police were informed of the suspected theft, officers approached a family planning leaving the Ormond Beach docks to spend the afternoon on their boat to ask them if they could use it to catch Williams.
The boat owner allowed the police to use, and two officers took the boat out and found the suspect floating in the water on the jet ski.
One cop draws his gun and tells the man to put his hands up, while apprehending Williams, they instructed him to get off the jet ski and swim over to the boat they were in.
Ronald Williams then says to the officers that he can’t swim.
They ask if he has a gun, knife, or some weapon and after that the officer tosses a rope to the suspect and pulls him toward the commandeered boat.
The cops are seen returning the speedboat to the family and thanking them for their assistance.
They returned the jet ski to its owner and now Williams faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and trespassing.
Police asks a family to borrow their boat
You can check the video right here, https://youtu.be/zoJJQiBrMgY
In the video you can see a police body cam footage, an officer is seen approaching the family and explaining the situation to them.
The officer says, “Hey guys, quick question.”
One of the members of the family can be heard answering, “Yes, sir?”
The officer then says, “We’ve got a guy down here that’s trying to steal a jet ski. He’s on the jet ski in the river. Is there any way you could take a couple of us down there to him?”
The boat owner replies, “Sure. Do you want to take the boat? You can take it and come back.”
When the deputies come, they point the gun for the suspect, and you can hear they saying ‘’ put your hands up, come over here’’
While apprehending Williams, VSO officers instructed him to get off the jet ski and swim over to the boat they were in, when Williams responded ’’i dont know how to swim’’
While the cops are approaching the thief, a deputy is heard saying, “so you are going to take a jet ski and you don’t know how to swim?”
The officer continue to ask ‘’ any gun, knife, weapons anything?’’ and after that he throws a rope to the man and take back the jet ski.
At the end of the clip, the officers returned the speedboat to the family and thanks them with a handshake and introducing themselves.
Deputies said Williams was taken into custody without incident, and the jet ski was returned to its owner.
The jet ski’s engine would not start, so Ronald Williams and the machine drifted into the Intracoastal Waterway, where he was seen sitting on the watercraft, a Sheriff’s Office incident report states.
Court records show Ronald Williams was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and trespassing. He was being held in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $3,000 bail.
Volusia County deputies, who assisted Ormond Beach police, said they were called to the Cassen Park Boat Ramp at the foot of the Granada Bridge at 12:48 p.m. on Sunday.
Ormond Beach police did not immediately respond Monday to a request for information on the incident.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) said Monday: “Just want to say thank you to an Ormond Beach family who let our deputies interrupt their Sunday afternoon to apprehend a suspect on a stolen jet ski,’’ on Twitter.
The VCSO continues to speak “Nearby, a family was about to head out on the water for the afternoon, but instead they allowed deputies to take their boat over to the suspect, who was still floating in the Intracoastal Waterway trying to get the jet ski started.
The VCSO added: “We really appreciate the help from our residents!”
