Florida K-9 takes down suspected car thief during chase: ‘Get him off, please!’

A Florida K-9 caught an accused car thief in its jaws of justice last month during a foot chase that ended with the suspect begging deputies for help, according to bodycam video released Friday.

Deputies were alerted to a stolen vehicle around 4:30 p.m. on July 31 in Ocala, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

K-9 Corporal Calvin Batts located the stolen vehicle in the area of Southeast 32nd Street and Southeast 3rd Avenue and tried to conduct a traffic stop, the sheriff’s office said. 

The suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Matthew Gebert, sped away before later coming to a stop and fleeing on foot, according to authorities.

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Batts’ K-9 partner Jax apprehended Gebert after a short pursuit, grabbing hold of the suspect’s rear end and holding him on the ground, according to bodycam video. 

“Show me your hands! The sooner you show me your hands, the sooner I take the dog off,” Batts is heard yelling in the footage. “Let me see your right hand!”

“Get him off, please!” the suspect begs the deputy. 

“Don’t fight,” Batts says. “Soon as I get you in handcuffs, soon as the dog goes off, okay? Hold on buddy, hold on.”

Gebert was taken into custody and found in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, the sheriff’s office said. He also had a suspended driver’s license and was on active felony probation.

Gebert faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting without violence, driving without a valid license, and violation of probation.

Gebert was being held at the Marion County Jail without bond.