July 15, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

MAN ARRESTED WHILE FLEEING FROM DELTONA BANK ROBBERY

A suspect was in custody less than 15 minutes after a Deltona bank robbery was reported to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office late Tuesday morning. The 30-year-old suspect had passed a note to the bank teller demanding money, and he implied he had a weapon, but one was never actually seen. Once he grabbed the cash, he got into his car and drove away. But witnesses were able to describe his vehicle and within minutes deputies spotted him. Deputies pursued the man in Seminole county where he finally lost control of his vehicle and was quickly apprehended. There were no injuries reported during the robbery or final crash. 

The robbery happened at approximately 11:30 a.m. at Suntrust Bank, 892 Deltona Blvd. Ahmad Mays walked in and passed a handwritten note demanding money to the clerk. As soon as the clerk handed over a few thousand dollars, Mays went outside and got into his car. Witnesses described it as a silver four-door passenger car with tinted windows and a dent in one side, and they also had a license plate number. At about 11:35 a.m., deputy Roy Galarza spotted the suspect vehicle traveling westbound on I-4 heading into Seminole County. He stayed a safe distance behind the car while waiting for other units to arrive. Mays got off of the interstate at exit 104 and turned northbound on Hwy 17-92. After a short distance, he then turned around and headed the opposite direction. K-9 deputy Josh Vedder then spotted the car going by, and with Galarza as backup tried conducting a traffic stop. However, Mays sped away and deputies pursued him for about one minute until Mays lost control of his car in a construction area culvert near the intersection of Monroe Road and Iowa Avenue. Deputies then secured Mays at about 11:42. 

Mays is charged with armed robbery. He was booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County, but will be transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach later in the day.