Viral TikTok video captures Sheriff Chitwood apprehending fleeing driver.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

In a captivating turn of events, a driver who attempted to escape from law enforcement following a routine traffic stop in Deltona found himself in custody after an arrest that caught widespread attention on TikTok. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood played a pivotal role in apprehending the suspect, forcefully removing him from his vehicle in an act captured on video by a witness.

The incident unfolded Thursday evening at the intersection of Catalina and Howland Boulevards in Deltona when a deputy pulled over a black Mercedes due to an obscured temporary license plate. The driver, later identified as Michael Becht, stopped at the intersection, rolled down his window as the deputy approached, and agreed to pull into a nearby shopping plaza to avoid obstructing traffic. However, as the deputy headed to his patrol vehicle, Becht took off on Catalina and fled to I-4, where Volusia County Sheriff's Office Air One spotted the car from overhead and began tracking Becht's reckless journey toward Daytona Beach. 

Becht was swerving through traffic and skillfully evading attempts by law enforcement to stop the vehicle using stop sticks and eventually came to a halt at the intersection of Nova and Beville roads, trapped in congested traffic.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who was wearing a Daytona Tortugas T-shirt after attending an event at Jackie Robinson Ballpark earlier that evening, approached the suspect's car. Displaying remarkable courage, Chitwood extracted Becht from the vehicle with the assistance of additional deputies, promptly subduing him on the ground.

After his arrest, Becht was remorseful for his actions, confessing to his attempted evasion, and issuing an apology. Authorities subsequently charged him with offenses including fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and driving with a suspended license. Becht was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail, pending his first appearance on a bond set at $5,500.