Sheriff Chitwood Helps Arrest Driver Who Fled Traffic Stop

DELTONA, Fla. – Sheriff Mike Chitwood was part of a team that arrested a Deltona driver who allegedly fled a traffic stop last week. Video of the incident, taken by a nearby civilian and uploaded to TikTok, has been viewed over a million times. According to a Volusia Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, 23 year-old Michael Becht was pulled over at Catalina Blvd and Howland Blvd for a temporary tag that was covered up. He verbally agreed to pull into a nearby shopping center to clear traffic but, according to the VSO, he then sped away. VSO’s Air One helicopter pursued Becht east on I-4 to Daytona Beach, with him reportedly swerving through traffic and avoiding stop sticks along the way. He hit traffic at Nova Rd and Beville Rd in Daytona Beach, and deputies descended upon his vehicle. Sheriff Mike Chitwood himself, wearing shorts and a Daytona Tortugas shirt (he was just leaving a game), yelled at Becht to “turn the car off motherf*cker!”, before pulling him out of the car and bringing him to the ground himself. With the help of various VSO deputies, Becht was placed under arrest and later charged with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, along with driving with a suspended license. He was booked into the Volusia Branch Jail and later released on $5,500 bond after reportedly confessing to police.