A Florida man who was seen driving a stolen vehicle and then fled police was caught by a K-9 that chomped on the thief's backside as he begged for help from police, according to a bodycam video released by the Marion County Sheriff's Office on Friday.
The incident took place on July 31 in Ocala, Florida when K9 Corporal Calvin Batts located a stolen vehicle, followed the driver, and began to conduct a traffic stop. However, the suspect then "accelerated and began fleeing to elude" Batts.
The suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Matthew Gebert, eventually got out of the stolen vehicle and began to run on foot.
It didn't take long for Batts' partner, K-9 Jax, to catch Gebert and hold him down while he was placed in handcuffs.
"K9 Corporal Batts gave chase and released his partner, K9 Jax, who apprehended Gebert after a short foot pursuit," the MCSO said in a Facebook post.
"Show me your hands. The sooner you show me your hands, the sooner I take the dog off," Batts said in the video. "Let me see your right hand."
"Get him off, please!" Gebert replied.
"Don't fight," Batts said. "Soon as I get you in handcuffs, soon as the dog goes off, ok? Hold on buddy, hold on."
The 29-year-old was then taken into custody, and police found he was in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Not only did he have drugs on him when he attempted to steal a car, his driver’s license was suspended, and he was on active felony probation, according to the MCSO.
Gebert was arrested and faces seven charges in total -- grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting without violence, driving without a valid license, and violation of probation.
He is currently being held at the Marion County Jail without bond.
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