On Monday, a dramatic incident unfolded on Highway 79 in Washington County, Florida, as a man leaped from his moving car upon discovering his daughter had dialed 911 to report a domestic dispute. The young girl, witnessing an altercation between her parents, managed to call for help before the line went dead, according to WTVT.
Quick-thinking and brave, the child provided dispatchers with a description of the vehicle, which allowed deputies to locate it swiftly. However, when a patrol car approached with lights flashing, the driver, Albert Searcy, unexpectedly jumped from the moving vehicle. This left Heather Searcy, seated in the passenger seat, to hurriedly maneuver over the console and bring the car to a safe halt. At the time, the couple’s daughter and two other children were also inside the car.
Authorities wasted no time in apprehending Albert Searcy, slapping him with multiple charges. These included tampering with or harassing a witness, domestic violence battery, attempting to flee or elude law enforcement, resisting arrest without violence, child abuse, false imprisonment, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Further investigation revealed that Heather Searcy bore visible injuries, confirming the physical struggle. She recounted to detectives that her husband had struck her and seized the phone when he realized their daughter had reached out to emergency services.
Deputies quickly took Albert Searcy into custody, charging him with tampering with or harassing a witness, domestic violence battery, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest without violence, child abuse, false imprisonment, and driving while license suspended or revoked.
Investigators say that Heather Searcy had apparent injuries to her face and other signs of a physical altercation. She told detectives that when her husband realized the daughter had called 911, he hit her and took the phone away.
She also said she repeatedly asked him to stop the car and let her and the children out, but he refused.
Albert Searcy told investigators that they family had recently come to Florida from Louisiana and were on their way back there when the incident took place.
