CALL FOR SERVICE RESULTS IN SEPARATE PURSUITS

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Jul 10 2018 8:36 PM

CARYVILLE – A deputy’s attempt to stop a vehicle during the course of searching for a man with an outstanding warrant led to the pursuit of a second subject on July 9. The incident took place after Holmes County Sheriff’s Office responded to a request for a civil standby at the Caryville campsite.

While performing the service, the deputy collected information from the parties and went to his vehicle to conduct a warrants check which confirmed one of the subjects, identified as Steven Pope, had an active felony warrant. When the deputy returned, Pope had fled the scene on foot, and additional units, as well as the Holmes and Walton CI K9 teams, responded to assist.

Prior to the arrival of the additional units, a white Nissan Altima was seen leaving the area. When a deputy spotted the vehicle and attempted to conduct an investigative stop to see if the suspect was inside, the driver refused, initiating a pursuit. The suspect, later identified as Matthew Pate, turned south on CR 179 and continued toward Caryville where he turned onto Pate Pond Road. The pursuit then continued down River Road where the deputy lostsight of the vehicle in the Hinson Cross Roads area.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified, and a WCSO deputy located the vehicle on Creek Road, initiating a pursuit that headed north on Pate Pond Road. The vehicle went off the road before coming to a stop, with Pate now fleeing on foot. Pate was later apprehended by WCSO and the Northwest Florida Reception Center K9 team. Meanwhile, Holmes CI began tracking Pope, a trail which lead the team up to Highway 179 and Bear Hewitt Landing, where the track was lost. Pope is wanted on a Bay County felony VOP warrant and now faces additional charges of fleeing and eluding in Holmes County. Anyone with knowledge of Pope’s whereaboutsis asked to call HCSO at 850-547-3681 or their nearest law enforcement agency.

Pate is currently in the custody of the Washington County Jail and also faces fleeing and eluding charges in Holmes County. Sheriff John Tate would like to thank the Holmes CI, Walton CI and NFRC K9 teams and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in these pursuits and their continued working relationship with HCSO.

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