MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A 34-year-old man from Urbandale, Iowa, is facing charges after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase down U.S. 1 in the Upper Keys on Monday. Matthew Alan Price was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding.
The incident began around 3:53 p.m. when the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an armed and possibly suicidal individual traveling southbound in a Honda sedan near Mile Marker 118. While the initial report raised serious concerns, no life-threatening injuries were ultimately reported.
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Deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop at Mile Marker 101. However, Price allegedly refused to stop, leading to a pursuit that continued for approximately 15 miles. Law enforcement deployed tire spikes, successfully stopping the vehicle near Mile Marker 86.
Despite the initial report of a potentially armed individual, no firearm was found in the vehicle. Price reportedly told officers that the incident stemmed from a road rage encounter on the Stretch, a section of U.S. 1 known for its long bridges connecting the islands.
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Price was taken into custody and transported to jail. The Florida Highway Patrol assisted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the incident.
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