As Collier deputies ordered a Tampa man out of his car Sunday night following a high-speed chase on Interstate 75, they said they found a smoldering blunt on the ground next to the driver.
Cesar Barreras, 21, told deputies he "was having one last smoke while fleeing the police," an arrest report said.
The chase began around 6:15 p.m. as deputies watched a maroon Toyota driving west at about 90 mph near mile-marker 87. The Toyota refused to pull over for deputies, leading them on a chase to mile-marker 111.
At that exit, the Toyota hit a set of spike strips that had been set up by another deputy, a report said. The tires having deflated, the car continued driving on its rims until mile-marker 115, where the car broke down.
Inside the car, deputies found packets of "Mr. Nice Guy," a synthetic marijuana commonly known as "Spice" or "K2," the report said.
Barreras faces charges of high-speed/reckless eluding of law enforcement, possession of a harmful new legend drug, drug paraphernalia possession and driving while license suspended or revoked.
He also was named on warrants out of Hillsborough County charging him with domestic violence — false imprisonment, domestic battery by strangulation and two counts of driving while license suspended or revoked.
As of Monday, he remained in the Naples Jail Center in lieu of bonds totaling $10,000.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
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