41-year-old Stoel Markes Jr. of Tampa, Florida, was arrested after allegedly crashing his car while allegedly attempting to escape a traffic stop. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office made a post on social media confirming the suspect’s identity, stating that everything started on October 26 at around 10:46 AM, when deputies attempted to stop a silver Nissan near North 56th Street and Puritan Road in Tampa.
The authorities were reportedly attempting to stop the vehicle for a traffic stop. However, instead of stopping, Markes allegedly reversed his Nissan into the deputy’s truck and struck a street sign. He also allegedly hit a City of Tampa water pipe while the driver attempted to flee. He then allegedly drove onto the sidewalk at an apartment complex off Heather Lyn Court and struck the building.
A man is in custody after he rammed a deputy’s truck, damaged a city water main, and crashed into an apartment building trying to get away. On October 29, 2026, at 10:46 a.m., a #teamHCSO attempted a traffic stop on a silver Nissan near N. 56th Street and Puritan Road in Tampa. The driver, Stoel Markes Jr., 41, reversed into the deputy’s vehicle, then hit a street sign and a City of Tampa water pipe as he tried to flee. He drove onto a sidewalk at an apartment complex off Heather Lyn Court and struck a building. He then ran on foot. With the help of HCSO’s K9 Unit, deputies tracked him down and took him into custody. He is facing the following charges: •Aggravated Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Deadly Weapon •Felony Fleeing to Elude •Resisting an Officer Without Violence •Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Property Damage •Driving While License Suspended or Revoked (Second or Subsequent Offense)
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) October 30, 2026
According to reports, Markes exited the vehicle and fled on foot after the collision. However, deputies used assistance from the 1. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit to track Markes and take him into custody. The incident was reportedly captured by both surveillance cameras and police body cameras.
After getting arrested, the sheriff’s office listed five charges for Markes. These include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, felony fleeing to elude, resisting an officer without violence, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, and driving while license suspended or revoked, second or subsequent offense. In particular, the deadly weapon that the first charge mentions is the Nissan that Markes allegedly used against the deputy’s vehicle…