MEDIA RELEASE
Date: August 14, 2010
Time: 4:00 pm
On August 14, 2010 around 1:30 in the morning Deputy Matt King was patrolling in the area of the Dawg House bar, in Fanning Springs. King observed a white 2004 Toyota SUV leaving the bar and proceeded on US Hwy 19. The vehicle made a U-turn spinning the tires and accelerated to a high rate of speed. King attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver made another U-turn on US Hwy 19 and drove on the property of the Suwannee River Fair grounds. The suspect turned around abruptly and drove towards King's patrol car causing him to slam on his brakes to prevent a vehicle crash. The driver lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree disabling the SUV. The suspect immediately jumped out of the passenger side door and ran on foot.
A perimeter was cordon off with law enforcement officers with the Florida Highway Patrol and a deputy with Gilchrist County. K-9 Deputy Willie Barnes & his partner Taz (Belgian Malinois) responded to the area and tracked the suspect to the Bears Den Bar parking lot where he was apprehended without incident.
The driver was identified as Victor Vanderlinde and he has lengthy criminal history. Vanderlinde has been arrested over a dozen times on felony charges and some of the convictions are robbery, cocaine charges and auto theft. The investigation revealed the Toyota was reported stolen on August 8, 2010 in Cedar Key. Vanderlinde was arrested for grand theft auto, driving on a revoked driver's license for a habitual traffic offender and resisting arrest without violence.
Defendant:
Victor A. Vanderlinde
7731 NW 168th Lane
Fanning Springs, Florida
W/M, 05/15/73
Charges:
Grand Theft auto
Driving with a license revoked for habitual traffic offender
Resisting arrest without violence
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Major Evan Sullivan
Levy County Sheriff's Office
FBI-National Academy 183rd Session
Office: 352-486-5446
Cell: 352-577-4218