Marathon man faces felony charges after 120 mph Keys chase

A 120 mph chase on U.S. 1 through the Lower Keys ended with a Monroe County deputy hurt and a Marathon man facing multiple felony charges after deputies say he fled a welfare check near Big Pine Key. The pursuit stretched from Mile Marker 30 to Marathon, turning a routine stop into a high-risk run on the county’s only major highway.

Deputies first contacted Aaron Tipsford on Tuesday night because of what they described as erratic behavior, but they did not believe he met Baker Act criteria. After a family member later requested a welfare check, deputies say they spotted him around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday driving a Honda SUV near Mile Marker 30 on Big Pine Key.

According to deputies, Tipsford’s speech was abnormal and he had trouble finishing sentences. He was also wearing a heavy jacket and gloves despite warm weather, with the temperature in Big Pine Key at 84 degrees. When deputies asked for his driver’s license, they say he sped off and reached 120 mph on U.S. 1.

Deputies deployed tire spikes several times before the chase ended when the SUV turned onto 39th Street in Marathon and struck a boulder. One deputy injured a hand while placing the spikes and was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Tipsford was being held at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Key West jail facility on no bond as of Thursday morning.

The charges listed against him include DUI causing serious bodily injury, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, dangerous or excessive speeding, criminal mischief with property damage, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Another account of the same incident said the deputy’s injuries were not life-threatening and identified the suspect as Aaron Scout Tipsword.

The case lands in a county where U.S. 1 is more than a commuter route. It is the spine of the Florida Keys, a single road that carries residents, visitors and deputies through long stretches with few alternate options when a driver decides to run.

It is also not the first time a chase has put Keys motorists at risk. In a separate November 2025 case, Christopher Brinkley Smithers allegedly fled near Key Largo, drove south through Tavernier and Islamorada, and ended the pursuit after striking a trailered boat. For Monroe County, the latest arrest again shows how quickly one reckless driver can turn the Overseas Highway into a danger zone.