Man with kids in truck leads Fort Myers chase

Fort Myers police this morning arrested a man suspected of five burglaries after a police chase with the man’s four young children in his truck.

Willie Sirmons

The Fort Myers Police Department received a call about a burglary at 2:20 a.m. at Advanced Auto Parts, 5050 Cleveland Ave., involving a black pickup truck. Officers found the truck – which was determined to be stolen -- but the driver refused to stop, authorities said.

Police said the driver, Willie Sirmons, 26, of 4224 Michigan Avenue, No. 518, fled from officers and crashed into another truck at Ford and Hanson. He then tried to hit an officer, police said.

Sirmons continued leading the chase on several streets, then officers used stop sticks, which caused the stolen truck’s right-front tire to lose air, police said. The truck eventually came to a stop on Blount Street.

Police said Sirmons confessed to four burglaries in addition to the Advanced Auto Parts burglary. Authorities said Sirmons had his four children, all under the age of 5, in the car. No one was injured.

He was charged with burglary, grand theft, grand theft auto, aggravated fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest with violence and four counts of child neglect. He was also given citations for willful wanton reckless driving, driving while license suspended/revoked, leaving the scene of an accident and no child restraints.