Man allegedly flees police twice in four days on U.S. 1 in Keys

A Miami Gardens man allegedly fled Monroe County law enforcement twice in four days on U.S. 1, turning the Keys’ main highway into a high-speed danger zone for deputies, motorists and nearby residents. Jefry Julian Chaucanes Vasquez, 23, was released from Monroe County jail on Friday, June 12, then allegedly stole a Ford SUV from the Plantation Key Courthouse parking lot and took off again. The second pursuit ended near Mile Marker 61.

The earlier chase unfolded late on June 9, when deputies first spotted Chaucanes Vasquez around 11:48 p.m. near Mile Marker 80 driving about 90 mph, according to reporting. Deputies said he then sped away and reached roughly 125 mph on U.S. 1, passing other motorists illegally before tire spikes near Mile Marker 83 brought the pursuit to an end. No injuries were reported in that incident, and authorities said two THC vapes were found in his possession after the arrest.

The new allegations added another layer of risk: a reported theft from the courthouse lot just hours after release from custody, followed by another run south on the Overseas Highway. NBC Miami reported the charges included DUI, fleeing and eluding, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, reckless driving and dangerous or excessive speeding. Monroe County and Florida Highway Patrol also added burglary and theft counts tied to the courthouse-lot vehicle take.

The case underscores how quickly a single fleeing driver can escalate an ordinary traffic stop into a countywide emergency in the Florida Keys. Monroe County transportation materials describe the Keys as a string of islands connected by U.S. 1, and a county resolution says the Overseas Highway is the lone roadway all cross-county traffic must traverse. Florida Department of Transportation materials also describe the U.S. 1 Keys corridor as a priority safety corridor and part of the existing evacuation route.

That geography leaves little margin for error. With limited alternate routes and dense traffic moving through communities from Key Largo toward the Middle Keys, each pursuit can force deputies to coordinate across a narrow corridor that serves commuters, tourists and emergency access alike. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office arrest page notes that people shown there have been arrested but not convicted, and the case against Chaucanes Vasquez remains a criminal matter.