JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – According to jail records, the man who caused a multi-vehicle pileup on Interstate 295 last Tuesday that killed a 66-year-old man has been arrested.
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The arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office states that Rodney Wesley, 20, has been charged with grand theft auto, carjacking, theft, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, vehicular homicide, and resisting without violence.
His bond has been set at $2.5 million.
Last Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that a motorcyclist had died in a bizarre wrong-way, hit-and-run crash on I-295 that ended with the wrong-way driver escaping on the back of a semi.
JSO’s arrest report of Wesley states the incident began last Monday when officers were sent to 5114 Somerton Court in response to an auto theft. The victim, Brett May, said he was putting air in his tires and was walking “in and out” of his home when he realized he could no longer hear the air compressor.
When he went outside, his white 2017 Lexus RX350 was gone.
The next day, officers followed up on the auto theft when May told them his neighbor’s daughter knew who stole the vehicle and had seen the man with the Lexus earlier that day.
While the investigation was conducted, JSO learned that the stolen vehicle had been found abandoned at 8764 Buttercup St.
Later that day, around 4:30 p.m., officers were sent to an Arco gas station at 7890 103rd St. in response to an armed carjacking.
Officers spoke with the man who had his car stolen, Timothy White, who said he stopped at a pump to get gas and when he began to reach for the pump, Wesley was standing in front of him.
“Once the suspect and White disengaged, White ran into the gas station and observed the suspect driving his vehicle out of the gas station traveling east on 103rd Street,” police said.
A few hours later, around 9 p.m., officers were sent to the scene of a pileup crash involving White’s vehicle on I-295 North, which was shut down for hours following the crash.
Florida Highway Patrol later said that a 66-year-old motorcyclist died after he was thrown off his motorcycle after being hit by Wesley and was subsequently hit by an Acura that was driving behind him.
Troopers said after the pileup, that Wesley tried to steal another vehicle, but failed before running from the scene and was last seen riding on the outside of a semi that had driven through the area.
“Crime scene detectives processed the vehicle. A substantial amount of blood was located on the exterior of the driver’s side as well as the vehicle’s interior,” JSO said.
Officers also found a backpack in the vehicle that matched a description of the one worn by Wesley when he approached White at the Arco gas station.
Detectives continued to process the scene when one officer who said he saw the crash added that he would be able to identify the suspect if he saw him again.
On Wednesday, around 1 p.m., that officer was shown a picture of Wesley and confirmed that it was the same person he saw exiting the vehicle that was involved in the I-295 crash, noting the suspect had “the same hair and distinct jawline.”
The search for Wesley continued into the next day when a detective said he saw him committing traffic violations on his bike. The detective approached Wesley in his police car and attempted to pull him over.
According to police, Wesley “looked directly” at the detective’s vehicle, “swerved around” and began riding his bike away from officers. Once his bike path was blocked, Wesley got off his bike and began running away toward Susie Street.
Wesley continued running through the backyard of a home on Osteen Street as officers chased after him. He was eventually found hiding behind a shed at a home on Osteen Street by a K9 officer and was taken into custody.
“As detectives grabbed Wesley’s arms and attempted to take him into custody. Wesley tensed his arms and was given loud verbal commands to put his hands behind his back,” JSO said. “Wesley was placed into handcuffs and JFRD responded to provide medical aid for Wesley’s wrist and leg from the dog bite.”
After being taken to UF Health by JFRD, Wesley was booked for his active warrants and for resisting without violence.
