OKEECHOBEE — After a car chase through several neighborhoods, city police officers quickly caught up with two fleeing suspects and charged them with multiple counts of trafficking and possession.

On Friday, Jan. 1 at approximately 9:15 p.m., Officer Ramon Liberato joined in a pursuit already in progress. He said the pursuit originally began with the county when a deputy noticed a missing tag light on the vehicle, but when it turned into a chase in the city, the deputy backed off. (Sheriff Noel Stephen said the sheriff’s department only chases if the person they are after is wanted for felony charges, and they are not putting the public at risk — considering speeds and traffic volume at that time. Liberato said they have a policy as well, but they can follow if they can do it safely.)

When the sheriff’s department dropped the pursuit, Sgt. Aurelio Almazon of the Okeechobee City Police Department picked it up. Officer Jessica Francis and K9 Luna quickly joined him. The driver of the vehicle they were following, later identified as 28-year-old Alexander Munch from Cocoa, fled down Southeast Eighth Avenue driving on the wrong side of the road and made it as far back as Lucy Island before realizing he was at a dead end. He turned around in someone’s yard and headed back toward the highway.

When the fleeing vehicle entered State Road 70 traveling eastbound, the vehicle was in the westbound lanes and began heading over the overpass. Liberato said it looked like Munch was deliberately swerving toward vehicles in an attempt to ram them, and he saw several vehicles brake hard and swerve to avoid him. As Munch went over the overpass, his speed was about 38mph. Munch then turned left onto Northeast 24th Avenue and continued until he reached a locked gate. Using his vehicle, he reportedly rammed the gate and then struck a trailer which then hit a mobile home.

Munch fled on foot and Almazon and Liberato gave chase, and he was located in a swamp, pulled out and arrested.

The female passenger, identified as 25-year-old Tichina Carter from Merritt Island, fled as well, and Francis pursued her. Liberato said K9 Luna is a narcotics dog only so was not utilized in the pursuit, but OCSO Deputy Ashley Waskiewicz responded to the scene with her K9 Storm, and she was able to help locate Carter hiding in the grass.

Once both suspects were detained, officers reportedly found narcotics, drug paraphernalia, weapons and cash.

Munch was charged with trafficking cocaine while armed, trafficking in methamphetamine while armed, possession of controlled substance/Dilaudid, possession of controlled substance/MDMA, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing law enforcement, resisting law enforcement without violence, criminal mischief, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and tampering with evidence. His bond was set at $453,000.

Carter was charged with trafficking cocaine while armed, trafficking in methamphetamine while armed, possession of controlled substance/Dilaudid, possession of controlled substance/MDMA, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing law enforcement and resisting law enforcement without violence. Her bond was set at $427,000, but because she had an outstanding warrant from another county, she is being held without bond.

Liberato, 22, joined the police department officially at the end of 2018, but was part of their ride-along program before that. This is the biggest bust he has been a part of since he joined the department, and fits right in with his plans for the future. He would love to be a part of the K9 program or possibly the narcotics task force one day.