Volusia County Suspect Surrenders After Attempt To Flee Helicopter Overhead

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Kyle Bellantoni
Kyle Bellantoni, shown here in a 2022 mug shot from a previoius arrest, ultimately decided to surrender to deputies on the ground.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL – A fleeing subject with a warrant tried to outrun a Volusia County helicopter for about 30 minutes in DeLand on Friday afternoon, but ultimately decided to surrender to deputies on the ground.

According to authorities, Kyle Bellantoni, 29, was wanted on charges of violation of probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking and domestic battery when a license plate reader in DeLand caught his tag just before 4 p.m.

Deputies in the area began looking for the grey Dodge Challenger he was driving, and soon Air One arrived overhead. The helicopter followed the car as it took a circuitous escape route through the DeLand area, ending with a bailout near the woods in the area south of Walts and Winslow avenues.

Bellantoni appeared to lay down and hide from Air One behind a tree before making a run for it through thick brush as deputies and a K-9 unit moved in on his hiding spot.

When Bellantoni emerged from the treeline with his hands up, deputies were there to greet him. He surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.

Bellantoni was taken to the hospital for treatment of an apparent medical episode, then transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Upon review of Air One video, it was observed that Bellantoni was carrying a backpack that was no longer with him when he was arrested. That backpack was recovered during an article search in the area.

Inside the bag was a loaded 9mm handgun along with 42g marijuana. Additional charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of more than 20g marijuana have been added to Bellantoni’s charges of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, driving with a suspended license, resisting an officer without violence and several counts of violation of felony probation.

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