WASHINGTON COUNTY, FLORIDA — A domestic dispute on a Florida highway turned into chaos when a father allegedly jumped out of a moving vehicle, leaving his wife and three children inside as the car continued rolling down the road.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened on Highway 79 on Monday, November 10, after deputies received a 911 call from a child reporting that her parents were fighting while driving north.
Father Flees, Mother Takes Control
When deputies tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver, identified as Albert Dale Searcy, 46, reportedly opened his door and leapt from the moving car.
His wife, Heather Searcy, quickly climbed across the center console into the driver’s seat and managed to stop the vehicle, preventing a crash with the children still inside.
Deputies said Heather had visible facial injuries consistent with a physical assault. She told investigators that her husband refused to let her and the children out of the car and became violent after realizing one of their daughters had called 911. Authorities also allege he struck the child and grabbed her phone to stop the call.
Multiple Charges Filed
Albert Searcy was taken into custody with a bloodied face after a brief pursuit. He faces several charges, including:
1. Domestic Violence Battery
2. Child Abuse
3. False Imprisonment
4. Tampering with or Harassing a Witness
5. Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement
6. Resisting Arrest Without Violence
7. Driving While License Suspended or Revoked
The family, who had recently moved to Washington County from Louisiana, was evaluated by emergency personnel and medically cleared at the scene.
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