January 19, 2006
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

BURGLARY SUSPECT CAPTURED IN LAKE CITY 

The suspect in a string of burglaries in the DeLand area was captured Thursday fleeing from another burglary scene miles away in Lake City. Zachary Wilson is facing a slew of charges in Columbia County following his arrest Thursday and has already been charged with one count of armed burglary and grand theft in Volusia County. Wilson is considered a suspect in numerous other residential burglaries in the DeLand area, including a recent rash of break-ins in Country Club Estates and along Lake Winnemissett Drive. 

Late Thursday afternoon, Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies obtained arrest warrants charging Wilson with a burglary earlier this month at a home on South Pratt Street, just west of DeLand. Unable to locate Wilson, the Sheriff’s Office issued an appeal to the public for information on his whereabouts. However, Wilson was already miles away with a female accomplice in Columbia County. Detectives there say Wilson pointed a gun at a resident who confronted him and then the two suspects fled in a stolen vehicle. The fleeing vehicle was spotted by an off-duty Lake City police officer, and Columbia County deputies quickly joined the pursuit. The female exited the stolen vehicle, but Wilson kept driving until he crashed into a building and then took off running. With the assistance of K-9 tracking dogs, Wilson was captured shortly before 7 p.m. following a lengthy foot pursuit. Late Thursday evening, Wilson was being booked into the Columbia County Jail on charges that included armed burglary, aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a vehicle, grand theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He also faced several traffic charges as well. 

Meanwhile, Columbia County Sheriff’s investigators were sorting through a variety of property seized during the arrest.