Man leads police on chase through four counties

NORTH MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida suspect finally surrendered after leading police on a chase through several counties.

It was a police chase that spanned four counties beginning in Miami-Dade, up through Broward, Palm Beach and finally ended in Martin County nearly an hour and a half later. "We were able to with the stop sticks, get the van stopped," said Sheriff William Snyder.

Police said the van was being driven by 36-year-old Samal Hammond. Police said he was stopped in Miami-Dade County near Ives Dairy Road. As a police officer approached his van, police said Hammond fired several shots then fled.

Police said Hammond led them through a chase through four counties. Deputies were able to use stop sticks to bring him to a halt.

Drivers on the road late Friday night didn't know what to think. "It was intimidating when I saw all of those cop cars," said Michael Roche. "In my rear-view I didn't even know what to think because of the police chase and everything."

Once stopped, police said Hammond still did not surrender. He waited in the car for nearly an hour before finally giving up. Surrounded by police, he walked backwards with both hands in the air and was finally arrested. "It did look like we had one of those classic situations," said Snyder where sometimes the suspect wants the police to kill them."

No police we injured during the shooting or the chase.

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