Man accused of leading FHP fighters in pursuit appears in court for the first time
The judge ordered the man to be held on bail in excess of $200,000.
TAMPA, Florida. A man who Florida Highway Patrol soldiers said led them in pursuit and caused a crash on Interstate 75 made his first appearance before a judge on Thursday.
Wilfredo Cordova Diaz is charged with a long list of charges, including two counts of aggravated escape to avoid serious bodily injury, two counts of reckless driving with serious bodily injury, driving with a suspended action as a common delinquent, and possession of one kilogram of cocaine, which was found in his SUV.
The judge ordered the man to be held on bail in excess of $200,000.
Soldiers say Diaz left on Wednesday when they tried to stop him on Interstate 4 in Plant City. It then headed north on I-75, where it attempted to turn around south of Fletcher Avenue.
While trying to catch up with Diaz, one of the SUVs driven by a state trooper crashed into another marked vehicle and overturned.
The soldiers and two K-9s involved in the crash were brought in for medical attention, and all sustained injuries ranging from a crushed pelvis to a fractured collarbone.
The incident affected both the northern and southern lanes and initially resulted in the closure of at least three northbound lanes. In the evening all lanes were reopened.
Diaz’s car got stuck in the middle lane and he was arrested by the police.
