CASSELBERRY, Fla. – Newly released helicopter footage from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office shows the tense moments before Tuesday’s crash in Casselberry that left two people dead, as deputies monitored a suspect driving at high speeds and coordinated efforts to bring the vehicle to a stop.
The aerial video shows a BMW sedan, driven by 26-year-old Marquavious Wheaton, heading south on U.S. Highway 17-92 at speeds nearing 100 mph while darting in and out of traffic. For much of the recording, no marked patrol cars appear to be immediately behind the BMW.
Radio communications released alongside the footage indicate deputies were following the vehicle from the air as law enforcement units on the ground moved into position farther along the route.
“Still northbound. Pushing about, about 100, 90,” a pilot is heard reporting over the radio.
As the BMW continued moving erratically through traffic, deputies discussed using stop sticks in an attempt to end the pursuit without further danger.
“You want me to try to set up sticks?” one officer asked during the radio exchange.
A short time later, another deputy called for more units to help with the effort.
“He might be going straight down. If we could get help to set up sticks, that would be great,” the deputy said.
Moments later, dispatchers again instructed officers in the area to prepare stop sticks as the BMW continued at a high rate of speed.
Before Wheaton reached the officers staging ahead, the helicopter video shows his vehicle slam into another car at the intersection of U.S. 17-92 and Sunnytown Road. Two men inside the other vehicle were killed.
Seconds after the collision, deputies radioed a “major signal four,” indicating a serious crash.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were not closely following Wheaton on the ground immediately before the crash. In radio traffic recorded after the collision, a deputy can be heard telling supervisors that no sheriff’s deputies or city police vehicles were directly behind the BMW before impact.
The sheriff’s office said officers were instead positioned ahead of the suspect to deploy stop sticks. Video reviewed by News 6 shows the first patrol vehicle arriving at the crash scene just over 20 seconds after the vehicles came to rest.
Wheaton remained hospitalized Tuesday at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Authorities said he will be booked into the Seminole County Jail once he is released from the hospital.
The crash remains under investigation.
