Jamin, North Fort Myers Ranger

Here's a Newspaper article on my brother-in-law, Jamin

Resident springs to action

26-year-old runs down man who was driving erratically
by Terry Brady
Originally posted on April 07, 2007

Jamin Eastman has never been in a fight. He's never worked for a law enforcement agency.

But when this former youth pastor saw a criminal getting away, none of that mattered — he sprang into action.

"I never really thought that I shouldn't," said Eastman, 26.

It was a Sunday in late February, and Eastman was heading to his boss' dinner party with his wife, Kelly, and his 1-year-old daughter, Emma. He works as a missionary with New Mission Systems International, which is based in Fort Myers.

The North Fort Myers resident was heading north on Cleveland Avenue toward Hancock Bridge Parkway when he noticed a white Infinity driving "erratically."

"He made a U-turn and caused a bunch of people to swerve," Eastman said. "He almost side-swiped a few cars."

Eastman called 911. While on the phone, he noticed the erratic driver had crashed into another vehicle.

The driver, listed as Angelo A. Elluzzi on a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, fled the scene and headed down Hancock Bridge toward Orange Grove Boulevard.

"The 911 operator asked if we could follow (Elluzzi)," Eastman said.

However, the Eastmans were at a red light and weren't about to run it.

"I just assumed the cops would catch them," Eastman said.

The light turned green and the Eastmans were again on their way to the dinner party.

Eastman was about to turn off Hancock when he saw the Infinity out of the corner of his eye.

"It was at the Mobile station (at Hancock Bridge Parkway and Orange Grove Boulevard)," Eastman said.

So Eastman cut across traffic and pulled into the gas station, where he saw a pacing man with his hands on his head. The man was the Infinity's driver, Elluzzi, 43. He said Elluzzi was talking to someone else in the parking lot who had witnessed his driving skills.

Eastman said the other witness, whose name he did not know, told him he had called the police and they were on the way.

But Eastman's role wasn't over.

As he was preparing to head back on the road, he noticed Elluzzi's pacing had started to increase.

"I said to Kelly, 'It looks like he's going to take off,'" Eastman said.

He did. Elluzzi jetted down Orange Grove Boulevard toward Pondella Road.

So Eastman jumped out of his car, kicked off his sandals and sprinted barefoot down Orange Grove Boulevard.

After about a 150-yard sprint, Eastman caught up to Elluzzi, took him to the ground, barred his arm behind his back and put his knee on Elluzzi's neck.

"I asked him if he had any weapons," Eastman said. "He pleaded me to let him go and said he had never done anything like that before."

But that wasn't true, according to the Lee County Clerk of Court Web site. Elluzzi has numerous prior violations, ranging from DUI to reckless driving to unlawful speed to failure to obey traffic signals.

After holding him to the ground for a few minutes, Kelly drove up toward them and asked him what she should do. She called the police and told them what had happened, Eastman said.

But the food they were bringing to the party was starting to get cold, and Eastman seemed to have Elluzzi well in hand as well as underfoot. So Kelly headed to the dinner party to drop off the food. After that, she returned to the scene to pick Eastman up and bring him to the party.

Eastman said he wasn't sure what caused him to chase Elluzzi down, but he said he was happy to have helped out law enforcement.

"It really made me angry that he took off," Eastman said. "After it happened my heart was beating pretty fast."

Eastman said the police thanked him for his assistance.

"We always appreciate the eyes and the ears of the public but don't encourage citizens to make contact with anyone who may cause them bodily harm," said North District Capt. Brad Gossman. "They could be carrying a knife or a gun."

He said they could also be carrying a needle, which could cause all sorts of medical issues. He said citizens might also be setting themselves up for a lawsuit if they injure the other party.

"There are so many things," he said.

According to FHP reports, Elluzzi was driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and was charged with a DUI as well as DUI/property damage, running a red light, leaving the scene of a crash, careless driving, failure to exhibit a driver's license, no proof of insurance, unlawful crossing of median and a refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test.

Elluzzi also crashed into a utility pole on Hancock Bridge Parkway at some point during his wild journey, FHP said.

Although Eastman was a bit late for the dinner party, he said the 40 who attended didn't mind.

He had quite the story to tell them.