Marathon man arrested after allegedly fleeing deputies on U.S. 1

John Paul Brower, 58, was arrested after allegedly fleeing Monroe County deputies on U.S. 1 in Marathon late Sunday, law-enforcement officials said. Deputies responded at approximately 11:12 p.m. to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked between the Sandal Factory and New Life Church, and found the vehicle running before the driver accelerated away.

Officials said Brower led deputies on a northbound pursuit that reached speeds up to 70 mph. The chase concluded shortly after when Brower stopped his vehicle near 76th Street; deputies took him into custody without further incident and confirmed there were no injuries during the pursuit. Brower was transported to the county jail for processing.

Brower faces charges of driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding, and driving with a suspended license, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Officials have not released a booking number, bond amount, arraignment date or a description of the vehicle involved in the incident.

The arrest of Brower comes amid several other recent law-enforcement actions in and around the Keys. In a separate Saturday-night incident, deputies found 54-year-old Donald Philip Parkinson unconscious and intoxicated in the road in front of the Brass Monkey bar at U.S. 1 and Sombrero Beach Road around 9 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office said. “A manager at the business wished to have Parkinson trespassed from the property,” the office said, and deputies allege Parkinson, once awake, began yelling, refused to enter a patrol vehicle and resisted officers. Parkinson was taken to Fisherman’s Community Hospital, continued to resist and allegedly attempted to headbutt a deputy. The Sheriff’s Office said, “Parkinson continued to make threats en route to jail,” and “He punched and kicked at Sheriff’s Office members.” Jail records show Parkinson was in custody as of 3:30 p.m. Sunday and faces charges including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and disorderly intoxication.

Authorities also arrested 40-year-old Douglas Grant Grill after a Monday-night pursuit in the Florida Keys. Grill, wanted in Pennsylvania for violating probation in an attempted homicide case in Harrisburg, allegedly led deputies on a chase, gave a false name and resisted arrest. “Grill gave deputies a false name and resisted arrest but was taken into custody and booked into jail, officials said.” He faces Monroe County charges including fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest and providing a false name to law enforcement.

A separate multi-county chase reported by regional authorities occurred in Monroe County, Michigan, where a 35-year-old Toledo man was pulled over at 3:05 a.m. Saturday on North Dixie Highway and Sandy Creek Road, fled, and was later arrested near Stoneridge Lane on fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing charges; that incident is not connected to the Florida cases.

Local jail reporting also shows Cordney Mallory Hayes, 30, jailed at the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island since Nov. 30 on unrelated petit theft and obstruction charges, is accused of striking a 59-year-old inmate on Dec. 3 and breaking his nose; the victim was treated at Lower Keys Medical Center.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office records supplied the sequence and charges in the Brower arrest; officials have not issued additional public records such as dashcam or body-worn camera video.