OKEECHOBEE — Jose Alicea’s probation was revoked last week because he was arrested and charged with battery in December 2020. In addition, he failed to hold a job and pay court costs and fines. Alicea was originally arrested in December 2019 after Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Varnadore spotted him riding a green dirt bike on U.S. 441 on the wrong side of the road. Varnadore activated his lights in an attempt to stop Alicea, but the man just went around him and continued up the highway.

Varnadore turned his patrol car around to follow the bike and when he caught up to him, Alicea turned his bike around several times in the middle of the road before heading back in the other direction. As they drove southeast on U.S. 441, Alicea kept looking back at Varnadore and swerving in and out of traffic, eventually moving to the wrong side of the road again, dodging oncoming traffic.

Deputy Michael Cauley joined the chase and the two attempted to block the dirt bike in so it could not swerve into oncoming traffic. Eventually, Alicea pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to flee into the woods but crashed the bike and had to flee on foot. Alicea fell into a hole allowing Cauley to catch up to him, but he hit Cauley in the head and twisted out of his grip continuing his run toward a canal. When he reached the canal, he jumped in and Cauley followed, taking him into custody at gun point. Alicea told Cauley he ran because he was scared.

While they were still on the scene, a man approached and told them Alicea was supposed to be test driving the dirt bike after fixing the chain but was not supposed to be on the road.

Alicea was charged with fleeing or eluding law enforcement, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an arrest with violence and operating an unauthorized vehicle on the highway.

After pleading no contest, he was sentenced to six months in county jail followed by two years probation, but after his arrest in December, his probation was revoked.