Troopers bring a safe end to the three-county chase of suspected kidnapper

Florida Highway Patrol Troop G Public Affairs Officer, Master Sergeant Dylan L Bryan, reported to Historic City News that, following a three-county long pursuit by law enforcement officers, Benjamin Cody Dirkhising, a 30-year-old resident of 11976 Arbor Lake Drive in Jacksonville, is in custody and being held in the St Johns County detention center without bond since 6:59 p.m., Friday, January 21, 2022.

He has been charged with first-degree misdemeanor possession of marijuana, a second-degree misdemeanor traffic violation as well as fleeing and eluding police, a second-degree felony.  No bond has been set on any of the three criminal charges and Dirkhising is being held on an out-of-county warrant from Brevard County and an additional hold from Flagler County.

“The Florida Highway Patrol received a request for assistance from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office,” Bryan reported.  “Information obtained stated that a female victim inside the vehicle was reportedly trying to exit the vehicle while the vehicle was in motion. As a deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect then fled.”

The pursuit started in Brevard County with deputies pursuing the vehicle and its driver for “false imprisonment”.  Further investigation indicated that the victim, Dirkhising’s unnamed 29-year-old girlfriend, also of Jacksonville, was trying to exit the vehicle and Dirkhising refused to let her exit.

The vehicles entered Flagler County where FHP troopers took over as the primary law enforcement agency to the pursuit.  During the pursuit, Dirkhising lost control of his vehicle on I-95 near SR-207 and crashed into the grass shoulder.  FHP Troopers utilized their vehicles to safely terminate any further action by the driver.

Dirkhising was taken into custody without further incident.  There were no reported injuries to the victim, troopers, officers, or the suspect.