Cape man charged with fleeing, eluding police
Late Monday night, a Cape Coral man was charged with fleeing and eluding Cape Coral Police Officers.
On March 27, at approximately 10:28 p.m., an officer from the Cape Coral Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for a traffic infraction at 4000 block of Del Prado Blvd., South, in Cape Coral.
Police reported that the blue Jeep Wrangler was speeding and nearly struck another vehicle while driving without lights. The officer utilized radar and verified that the vehicle was traveling 80 mph in a posted 40 mph zone. The officer attempted a traffic stop on this vehicle, but the driver drove on, disregarding the police vehicle’s red and blue lights and sirens.
Police said the vehicle continued through an intersection with a steady red light. It then took several evasive maneuvers by changing lanes, driving around other vehicles and violating numerous traffic laws to flee from the officer. The officer disengaged from the traffic stop due to the heightened safety risk to other drivers on the roadway as the vehicle continued with speeds over 100 mph.
The investigation revealed that this vehicle was being driven by Joseph Michael Patrick Ciccarelli, 36, of 3324 S.E. 11th Place. Earlier in the night, Ciccarelli was reportedly involved in a traffic accident with this same vehicle. Based on the earlier encounter, officers readily identified this suspect vehicle’s driver.
Officers contacted Ciccarelli, who was unwilling to explain the reasoning for his reckless driving pattern, police said.
Ciccarelli was subsequently transported to Lee County Jail and charged with
Flee/Elude Police-Failure to Stop F.S.S. 316.1935(1) and Flee/Elude Police-Flee Elude LEO with Light Siren Active at High-Speed F.S.S.316.1935(2).