SANFORD, Fla. — Two of the men involved in a pursuit that ended with a deadly crash closing State Road 417 for hours have not been charged.
One of the suspects involved, Sonny Lee Thornton, 19, is out of the hospital, while another, Eric Farclaugh, 18, remains hospitalized.
A third, Spencer Thompson, 18, was arrested, and two other suspects died in the crash.
Detectives in Sanford know Thornton and Farclaugh were in the car, but so far, have not been able to prove the men committed a crime, which is why they’re not facing charges.
About two weeks ago, Seminole County deputies said a stolen Acura hit stop sticks, over-corrected, and overturned.
Raw: Helicopter video of fatal crash that killed suspected burglars
Photos: Fatal State Road 417 crash
Investigators said the men in the SUV burglarized four Lake Mary homes, then drove to a house in Sanford, sneaked through a doggy door, and stole jewelry.
A witness spotted two of the men and called police.
A deputy followed the men, who were in a stolen orange Corvette, until the men bailed from the moving car and got into an SUV that pulled alongside them.
The driver of the SUV, which hit a motorcyclist before the Sheriff’s Office helicopter could get its cameras overhead.
The motorcyclist was not injured.
The video shows the Acura weaving in and out of traffic on State Road 417 and passing five drivers on the Lake Jesup bridge before it hit stop sticks and lost control.
Deputies said they let the helicopter do most of the following and backed off on the ground when stop sticks were deployed.
“I think there is an expectation to protect the public from this reckless disregard. I think with the driving pattern and the imminent threat of armed suspects that have been involved in a forcible felony,” said Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma, of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
The five suspects have a combined 79 arrests.
Adarius Brown, who died in the crash, was charged with first-degree murder in 2011, but the charge was dropped.
Antonio Henry, 22, who also died in the wreck, had been arrested at least seven times.
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