Reckless Escape: Father Attempts to Evade Police by Leaping from Moving Vehicle

A chaotic police pursuit in Florida took a dramatic turn when a father leaped from his moving SUV, leaving his wife and three frightened children inside as officers closed in on November 10. This startling incident occurred on Highway 79 in Washington County, situated in northwest Florida. The sequence of events was set in motion when a young child clandestinely dialed 911, reporting a domestic dispute between her parents occurring inside the vehicle. The call, however, was abruptly cut off before authorities could obtain further details. Shortly thereafter, deputies identified an SUV that matched the description provided by the child. Despite attempts to stop the vehicle, the driver, 46-year-old Albert Dale Searcy, refused to pull over. In a shocking moment, officers watched as Searcy swung open the SUV’s door and hurled himself onto the road, abandoning his family as the vehicle continued down the highway without him at the wheel. Searcy’s daring escape resulted in him hitting the pavement face-first, leaving him with a face marked by bloodied scratches, as revealed in his mugshot. Searcy hit the road face-first, and his mugshot showed the father with bloodied scratches across his head. Inside the SUV, Searcy’s wife Heather sprang into action. Authorities say she launched herself over the center console and seized the wheel, somehow managing to bring the vehicle to a safe stop while their three children remained strapped in the back. A responding deputy immediately detained Searcy, who deputies said was stunned, scraped, and covered in road rash, but still able to stand. His booking photo shows the extent of his injuries, although deputies noted he was not seriously hurt. The family, however, showed signs of a violent struggle. Deputies reported that Heather had ‘apparent injuries to her face’ consistent with a physical altercation. She told investigators she had repeatedly begged her husband to pull over and let her and the children out, a request he allegedly ignored again and again. She also said that when Albert realized their daughter had secretly called 911, he ‘struck the child and took the phone away.’ According to Heather’s account, the family had only recently returned to Washington County after a brief stay and were headed back to Louisiana when the fight broke out inside the vehicle. Emergency medical services evaluated all five family members at the scene. Heather and the children were cleared. Albert was treated for abrasions but required no further medical care. He was then taken to the Washington County Jail, where he remains in custody and is facing a barrage of charges including tampering with or harassing a witness, domestic violence battery, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, child abuse and driving while license suspended. Investigators made clear just how close the family came to catastrophe. Had Heather not reacted instantly, climbing into the driver’s seat as the SUV continued to glide uncontrolled, the outcome could have been fatal. Instead, the mother’s quick reflexes prevented what deputies described as a potentially deadly collision. Her decisive action kept her children alive as their father landed on the asphalt in an alleged attempt to avoid arrest. The sheriff’s office released Searcy’s mugshot showing his face bloodied after being bounced along the road.