A man is recovering in jail after leaping out of a moving vehicle while traveling along a Florida highway earlier this week.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), 46-year-old Albert Searcy and his family were driving on Highway 79 on Nov. 10, heading back to Louisiana after a short stay in Florida’s Panhandle.
During the drive, a 911 call from the couple’s daughter reported that her parents were fighting. The call then disconnected, prompting deputies to search the area for the family’s vehicle.
When a deputy located the car and attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle did not pull over. A short distance later, the deputy witnessed Searcy open the driver’s door and jump out while the SUV was still in motion, according to the WCSO. He suffered severe road rash to his face after hitting the pavement.
Meanwhile, his wife and their three minor children were still inside the moving vehicle without a driver. Investigators said a potential tragedy was avoided when Heather Searcy quickly climbed over the center console and managed to stop the car safely.
Deputies noted that Heather showed visible injuries consistent with a physical altercation. She told law enforcement that she had asked her husband multiple times to let her and the children out, but he allegedly refused.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(527x0:529x2):format(webp)/albert-searcy-mugshot-1-111225-59ba7179ede146c4a5701da04708ed11.jpg)
Amid the struggle, their daughter used a phone to call 911 but was reportedly struck by her father before he grabbed the device, the WCSO said.
All family members were evaluated by medical personnel at the scene and cleared.
Searcy was taken into custody and is now facing several charges, including:
- Tampering with or harassing a witness
- Domestic violence battery
- Fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement
- Resisting arrest without violence
- Child abuse
- False imprisonment
- Driving with a suspended or revoked license
As of Nov. 12, Searcy had not yet appeared in court and no bail had been set.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org for confidential support available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential.
