Courtesy photo/jail mug. John D. Yovaish, is charged with grand theft auto and other related charges that reslted in a fatal crash that killed another motorist. An investigation is ongoing and he could face even more serious charges in the Dec. 12 fatality.
DELAND -- A 19-year-old DeLand man could be facing greater charges than grand theft auto in the wake of a Dec. 12 crash that killed another motorist.
DeLand police say they hay had abandoned their pursuit of John D. Yovaish after he allgedly almost ran over one of their officers when he lost control of the pick-up truck he was driving eastbound on State Road 44 when he swerved into the other lane and collided with a sport utility vehicle, killing its driver, David Johnson, 40, of DeLand, a father of two children.
Johnson, who was just west of Summit Avenue on S.R. 44, swerved to try and avoid the collision late that Saturday night, but the vehicles collided any way, police said.
Yovaish had stolen the vehicle from his employer, police said, and when they saw him at Woodland Boulevard and Beresford Avenue, they followed him a short distance before pulling him over. That's when Yovaish stepped on the gas and drove toward an officer who had to dash out of his way, though was struck on the arm and shoulder by the passenger-side mirror, police said.
Police said they used stop-sticks in an attempt to flatten the vehicles tires and when that didn't work they called off the pursuit shortly before Yovaish crash the truck. Police said they learned moments later of the fatal crash, in which the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Yovashish was briefly seen in the emergency room at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach before he was turned over to the custody of DeLand police. He was later booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and attempting to elude, grand theft and driving with a suspended license.
Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Kim Montes said a traffic homicide investigation is ongoing and Yovaish could be facing traffic homicide charges. Yovaish remains jailed on $12,000 bail.