Jax man arrested following hit and run, high-speed chase

A 22-year-old Jacksonville man is facing a slew of charges after police say he led them on a high-speed chase Tuesday night following a hit and run.

According to the arrest report, Timothy Wright was the at fault driver in a hit and run downtown and failed to pull over for a JSO officer who witnessed the crash.

Wright is now charged with attempting to elude law enforcement officers after a crash, leaving the scene of a crash without giving information, driving without a driver’s license and making an improper left turn.

Police said Wright abruptly turned onto Julia Street without using his turn signal and hit another vehicle. The report stated an officer signaled for both drivers to stop but Wright kept going.

JSO said the officer caught up with Wright at a light and got out of his unmarked detective vehicle. The report said the officer identified himself as a cop, with his JSO shirt and badge on, but Wright took off again.

Officers followed Wright onto I-95 Southbound and then onto I-10 Westbound where he approached speeds of 90 miles per hour. Wright then led police on a chase on I-295 Southbound.

According to the arrest report, Wright violently swerved at officers in an attempt to run them off the road.

The chase came to an end when Wright attempted to swerve from the inside lane to the outside lane at 70 miles per hour. The report said he lost control and flipped the car into a ditch.

Wright was taken into custody and evaluated by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.

Police said Wright told them that he ran because he had “an emergency” and he was sick. He later confessed to officers he didn’t have a driver’s license and that’s why he fled the scene.

He also told police the vehicle he was driving was not stolen because “he traded crack cocaine for it.”

Wright was denied bond.