On Tuesday, April 10th, 40-year-old William Michael Cartwright, from DeLand, Florida, was apprehended whilst hiding in a pond after being chased on a stolen ATV, he told the owner he was going to take it on a test drive.
William was searching for an all-terrain vehicle, he had found on sale at a home in State Road 44 just west of DeLand. William was dropped off at the home by another man, the driver left after he dropped William off.
Wiliam approached the victim's home and enquired about the blue Yamaha ATV, and asked if he was able to take it for a test drive. The victim agreed to William's request but told the suspect that he could only drive it to the end of his driveway. William drove the ATV to the end of the driveway, then off the property and then sped off into the distance.
Twenty minutes had passed and the victim attempted to call William's phone, he did not pick up, he then contacted the police and reported his vehicle stolen. The victim contacted the man who drove the suspect to his home, the driver told him that William was on 3rd Avenue in DeLand.
The deputy who was nearby spotted Cartwright on the Blue Yamaha and gave chase. As William spotted the emergency lights of the deputy's vehicle he lept off the ATV and ran towards a pond, he hid inside the pond until he exited the pond and gave himself up.
William Michael Cartwright was arrested and charged with grand theft, resisting an officer without violence, he was booked into Lake County Jail.