FLORIDA DEPUTY GOES AIRBORNE AFTER BEING STRUCK

A deputy was struck by a car while dealing with a disturbance on Fort Myers Beach. It happened early Monday morning at the restaurant Junkanoo. Deputies say the suspect then drove off leading them on a chase through the beach all the way up McGregor Boulevard. The Suspect was finally caught in Fort Myers at US-41 and Grace Avenue.

"Last night we had a little bit of excitement," said Kelly Ruff of Cleveland Ohio. It was not the kind of excitement Ruff and her family envisioned when they planned their vacation on Fort Myers Beach.

"I woke my husband and I said we're leaving tonight," said Ruff. Lee County Sheriff's Deputies say Deputy Jeffrey Barrack responded to a disturbance call at Junkanoos restaurant on Estero Boulevard, shortly before 1 A.M Monday morning.

While Barrack was arresting 23-year-old patron Omar Gonzalez, security officers working at the restaurant told Barrack that 20-year old Alex Salinas, who may be related to Gonzalez, threatened to get a gun from his car. The deputy then approached Salinas' car. That is when they say Salinas put his car in gear and hit the deputy sending him airborne. Salinas also reportedly hit one of the security guards with his car and touched-off a high speed chase.

"We kept hearing helicopters going around and we were like wow this is crazy," said Ruff. Deputies say Salinas roared through Fort Myers streets at speeds of up to 120-miles-per-hour. Not even stop sticks, which flattened his tires, could slow him down. "Who knows who he would have killed along the way," said Ruff.

Salinas finally bailed out of his car at US-41 and Grace Avenue in Fort Myers. He ran to an apartment complex in the 1900 block of Grace Avenue, where he was finally taken into custody. Alex Salinas is charged with a number of violations including battery of an officer. Omar Gonzalez is charged with disorderly conduct. Both Deputy Jeffrey Barrack and the security officer were treated and released with minor injuries.