NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — A homicide suspect believed to be driving a stolen vehicle was arrested early Friday morning following a pursuit and a multi-agency search in Nassau County.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office received information from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office that a homicide suspect connected to a stolen vehicle could be in the area.
At approximately 4:55 a.m., Nassau County deputies located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop in the Hilliard area on U.S. 1 near Sauls Road. The driver refused to stop, leading deputies on a brief pursuit.
The chase ended around 5:04 a.m. when the vehicle crashed. The suspect then fled on foot into a wooded area nearby.
Deputies launched a search involving multiple specialized units. Members of the NCSO Special Response Team, along with K9 Rex, eventually located the suspect on the south side of County Road 108 in a large wooded area.
The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Christian Barrios, was taken into custody at approximately 7:50 a.m.
Sheriff Bill Leeper praised the coordinated effort that led to the arrest.
“I am proud of the coordinated effort by NCSO from our dispatch, patrol, K9, SRT, drone, and special operations units,” Leeper said. “We worked collaboratively with our partner law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend this suspect.”
In addition to the charges connected to the homicide investigation in St. Johns County, Barrios now faces several charges in Nassau County, including:
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Aggravated Fleeing
- Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer without Violence
- Reckless Driving
- Driving with a Suspended License
Several agencies assisted in the search, including the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, and Florida Agricultural Law Enforcement.
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