Inset: Michael Spires before his arrest (Martin County Sheriff's Office). Background: Bodycam footage of a family emerging from the brush after being run off the road (Martin County Sheriff's Office via WPEC).
A Florida man allegedly drove a family off the highway using a PIT maneuver then claimed they were taking his money.
Michael Spires, 36, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated child abuse, and reckless driving in connection with a road rage incident that happened on Saturday evening. The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Spires targeted a North Carolina family who was heading home from Florida around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Police said Spires initiated the incident when he chased one of the victims in the parking lot of a gas station before following her onto the highway in his Chevy Equinox.
According to CBS affiliate WPEC, police said Spires tried to run the woman off the road several times. She reportedly called 911 in a panic and eventually escaped Spires by driving the wrong way on an exit ramp.
Then Spires allegedly targeted the woman's brother, who was following her in his SUV with his wife and their young son as passengers. According to an arrest report obtained by WPEC, Spires started throwing objects at the brother's vehicle, brake-checking him, and "flailing his arms and hands displaying gang signs."
Police said Spires then "used his vehicle to PIT the family's vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway, spin out and crash into a barbed-wire fence." WPEC obtained body camera footage that showed the family emerging from the brush where they had hidden from Spires after their SUV came to a stop. No one was injured in the crash.
Martin County sheriff's deputies found Spires at a Sunoco gas station, where he was captured on body camera telling them the SUV crashed into him and that the family was stealing his money. Police said there was no indication that the victims knew Spires or participated in the road rage incident.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek told WPEC, "Our suspect… Don't know what was in his mind. He acted erratic. He acted as if he was high on some type of drug, some kind of a stimulant, or he was having some kind of mental episode. We don't really know."
Police said a dog was also found inside Spires' vehicle. Spires allegedly stole the dog from someone he was dating, and the dog was safely returned to the owner.
Spires was booked into the Martin County Jail, where he is being held on $20,000 bond. His next court date was not scheduled.