The sheriff’s office reports that a guy who gave Lake County deputies a chase in a stolen RV before barricading himself inside has died from what appears to have been an overdose. The incident reportedly started in Leesburg at around two in the morning on Wednesday. According to Lt.
Fred Jones of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies tried to halt the RV that had been reported stolen from Flagler County weeks earlier. He claimed that when they attempted to stop it, the driver gave chase, taking them close to Lake Louisa State Park.
The RV was stopped by law police using stop sticks, and efforts were made to speak with the driver but were unsuccessful. They claimed the man inside shut the blinds and remained silent. Lt. Jones claimed that at one time, the suspect called a person to let them know he was overdosing.
According to Lt. Jones, Alachua County was the recipient of an anonymous phone call from an RV driver who claimed to be encircled by law police and to be overdosing. Upon entering the RV, SWAT discovered the man was already dead. Deputies recognized him as Richard Louis William, age 37.
For several hours, US Highway 27 was closed due to the stalemate. According to the sheriff’s office, no guns were fired during the incident. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Now, investigators are attempting to determine whether narcotics played a part in his demise and what motivated him to flee.
Deputies are negotiating with a barricaded subject in a recreational vehicle on US Hwy 27 at Lake Louisa State Park. Currently, Hwy 27 is shut down in both directions. Please use SR 33 or toll road 429 as alternates. We will update as soon as the situation is safely resolved.
— LakeCountySO (@LakeCountySO) September 14, 2022
