KEY LARGO — A 26-year-old man accused of driving a stolen Ford Bronco and fleeing from deputies was arrested late Sunday night, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Corey Matthew Tolli of Key Largo was charged with second-degree felony fleeing and evading, which carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in state prison upon conviction.
The incident began when a deputy stopped a green Bronco at 11:35 p.m. at Mile Marker 101 for having a taillight out when he noticed it fit the description of a vehicle reported stolen earlier in the day, reports say.
He called for backup after the driver, later identified as Tolli, told him he didn’t have an ID, because his wallet was stolen and that the SUV belonged to his grandfather, reports say.
As the deputy went back to check the Bronco’s vehicle identification number, Tolli reportedly started the SUV and raced off, reports say. The deputy gave chase before a supervisor told him to disengage after seeing the Bronco turn onto Canal Street, reports say.
The Bronco was found running at a dead end on Ellen Street, and a jacket Tolli had been wearing was found wet near Carne Street and Adams Drive, which deputies surmised meant Tolli likely swam in the canal from Ellen Street to Crane Street, reports say.
Tolli was located wearing no shirt, khaki pants and soaking wet in a wooded area, where he was arrested by gunpoint with no further incident, reports say.
Tolli was taken to the Monroe County Detention Center on Plantation Key, where he remained Monday under no bail.
Information in the Crime Report is obtained from reports provided by area law enforcement agencies.
If you have information that could help solve a crime in the Florida Keys, call Crime Stoppers, 800-346-TIPS.
