10/16/2026
🚨DRIVER ARRESTED AFTER DANGEROUS PURSUIT INVOLVING DONUTS, EVASIVE MANEUVERS AND PIT MANEUVER🚨
ST LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA- A 37-year-old Port St. Lucie man was arrested after allegedly fleeing from a deputy during a traffic stop attempt, performing dangerous maneuvers on the roadway, and leading law enforcement on a pursuit through St. Lucie County.
According to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began in the 9600 block of South Ocean Boulevard when a Patrol Operations deputy attempted to stop a pickup truck for a traffic violation.
Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly made a U-turn and performed donuts in the roadway, forcing approaching motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
After briefly stopping, the driver reportedly made another U-turn, cut across traffic lanes, and accelerated toward the deputy’s patrol vehicle before fleeing northbound.
The Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit, known as AIR 2, tracked the truck from above and provided information to deputies on the ground as the pursuit continued.
Near Binney Drive, deputies successfully deployed stop sticks, deflating the truck’s tires. However, the driver continued fleeing through the Seaway Drive roundabout before traveling eastbound on Seaway Drive.
Detectives with the agency’s Special Investigations Unit later joined the operation and executed a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver, bringing the truck to a stop.
Authorities said the driver refused repeated verbal commands to exit the vehicle, prompting deputies to deploy pepper balls inside the truck. The driver eventually exited and was taken into custody without further incident.
The suspect was identified as 37-year-old Joshua Gallagher of Port St. Lucie.
Gallagher faces the following charges:
* Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
* Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription
* Resisting arrest without violence
Gallagher remains incarcerated at the St. Lucie County Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office credited the coordinated efforts of deputies, aviation personnel, and detectives with bringing the incident to an end and preventing further danger to the public.