CRESTVIEW, Fla., June 18, 2022—A multi-county pursuit ended on Interstate 10 early this morning after two armed robbery suspects fled the Miramar Beach area.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene and made contact with a suspect who opened fire on them, hitting the sheriff vehicles multiple times, according to Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson.

A pursuit began about 12:30 a.m. from the Ponce de Leon area onto I-10, at which point, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, DeFuniak Springs Police Department and Crestview Police Department joined the chase.

Multiple spike strips deployed and the suspect drove 15 to 20 miles on wheel rims for an extended period of time, Adkinson said.

The suspect’s vehicle was stopped west of the Crestview exit around mile marker 53.

The suspect got out of the vehicle and began shooting at deputies and troopers, according to an FHP news release.

No law enforcement officers were injured in the exchange.

The shooting extended over 65-plus miles of high-speed pursuit.

 “The subject was firing from Ponce de Leon all the way to Crestview,” Adkinson said. “There’s multiple places on I-10 where he shot at deputies and troopers. You’re going to see a lot of law enforcement officers trying to recover evidence on I-10.”

Interstate 10 will be closed down due to an extended crime scene, he said.

“Multiple agency vehicles were hit with rounds,” he said. Vehicles from Walton County, Okaloosa County and the highway patrol were disabled from the shooting.

The suspect and a co-suspect were injured and transported to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, according to Adkinson.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be taking lead on the investigation, working together with Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Walton County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Florida Highway Patrol, according to the FHP release.

Interstate 10, westbound, from mile marker 56 (Crestview Exit) will be closed while the scene is being investigated.

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Crestview Police Department are assisting with the alternate route from exit 56 north on State Road 85 to U.S. Highway 90, to County Road 189 in Holt.