Deltona couple arrested after high-speed flee attempt with children in car

DELTONA, Fla. — A Deltona man and his girlfriend were arrested after they sped away from deputies with two children in their car, deputies said.

Detectives with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshal Service spotted Danny Pierce, 29, at his girlfriend’s home in Deltona around 3:20 p.m. Friday.

Pierce had a federal warrant for violation of probation for counterfeiting, and two Volusia County warrants for grand theft and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

As officers closed in on the Cedar Pine Drive home, the girlfriend, Ashley Monti, 27, was serving as the lookout for law enforcement, deputies said.

Pierce quickly placed two young children in a black 2014 Cadillac and he and Monti jumped into the car, detectives said.

Two detectives attempted to stop the Cadillac in the driveway, with guns drawn but instead, Pierce backed up the car, nearly striking one detective’s vehicle, and sped into a neighbor’s yard, deputies said.

Detectives did not chase the Cadillac.

They went back to the home Friday, but neither Pierce nor the Cadillac were there.

Monti told detectives she knew Pierce had warrants for his arrest and that he was being sought, according to a report. She said the couple was going to buy groceries Friday when detectives closed in, deputies said.

Detectives said Monti told them she thought the vehicle was going to flip because it was traveling so fast. She also told them the children were crying as they were tossed around in the back seat until she could fasten their seat belts, deputies said.

The children were not injured.

A deputy patrolling Tuesday in DeLeon Springs saw Pierce driving the Cadillac. When the deputy tried to pull Pierce over, he sped off again, deputies said.

A K-9 officer and his dog, along with the sheriff’s Air 1 helicopter, helped track Pierce to an abandoned trailer on Johnson Lake Road, deputies said.

Pierce was bitten by the dog and was taken to the hospital.

His charges include: possession of drug paraphernalia; two counts of fleeing/attempt to elude; grand theft; two counts of driving while license revoked; leaving the scene of a crash involving damage; grand theft motor vehicle; fugitive from justice; and two counts of child abuse without causing great bodily harm with no bond. He remains in custody.

Cox Media Group