ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 24-year-old man faced an Orange County judge Friday after allegedly committing multiple crimes in Sanford, then crashing his car into several vehicles and running from deputies to escape.
Robert Lee Smith III is now facing multiple charges, including aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, and resisting an officer without violence.
During his first appearance on Friday, Smith asked the judge to “trust” him, as he asked to be released on his own recognizance.
But the judge pointed out Smith’s prior criminal history, including three previous prison sentences and a recent arrest in Orange County for allegedly beating and threatening to kill a pregnant woman.
The state dropped that case Friday because the witness no longer wanted to cooperate, but Smith was out on bond for the case before he was arrested Thursday.
According to an Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, on Thursday afternoon, Orange County deputies were asked to be on the lookout for a wanted red Kia.
Sanford Police said Smith was driving the car when he was involved in a crash earlier that day in Sanford.
According to Sanford Police, Smith got into a fight and intentionally rammed his car into the other vehicle after the crash, then stole items from the victim’s vehicle before taking off.
When Orange County deputies spotted the wanted red Kia, investigators said Smith was the passenger.
According to deputies, the driver was surrendering, but Smith hopped from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat and tried to escape.
Investigators said Smith slammed into an Amazon delivery truck and hit other parked vehicles as he tried to flee.
He was ultimately arrested by an Orange County deputy near Orange Avenue and East Colonial after a deputy successfully deployed a taser.
On Friday, the Judge told Smith he believed he was a “danger to the community” and “a flight risk.”
The judge ultimately granted Smith a $21,000 bond for the three charges stemming from Thursday’s multi-county crime spree.,
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