Sanford crash and fistfight leads to Orlando chase, two arrests

What started as a crash in Sanford ended with a pursuit through Orange County, a foot chase in downtown Orlando and two arrests after deputies said a passenger took over a fleeing Kia and drove into multiple vehicles.

Sanford police said the chain of events began Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the 100 block of Upsala Road, where investigators believed one vehicle intentionally rear-ended another. Witnesses told police the drivers got out, fought physically and then one suspect removed items from the victim’s vehicle before taking off in a red Kia.

Orange County deputies later located the Kia and said they were alerted around 5 p.m. that the vehicle was tied to a felony investigation in Sanford Police Department jurisdiction. Deputies attempted a traffic stop, and investigators said the driver appeared to be surrendering when a passenger climbed into the driver’s seat and sped away.

The escape attempt quickly escalated. Deputies said the Kia struck multiple vehicles during the chase, including an Amazon delivery truck that was being towed after the crash. The vehicle then came to an end near Colonial Drive and Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando, close to the Camden Orange Court apartments, where the passenger ran on foot.

Deputies caught the passenger after the foot chase and also arrested the original driver. Both were booked into the Orange County Jail. Law enforcement identified Robert Lee Smith III, 24, as the person responsible for both the Sanford crash and the Orlando pursuit.

Smith faced charges of resisting an officer, aggravated fleeing and driving without a valid license. A judge set his bond at $20,000 on Friday, June 5, 2026. The driver who initially stopped for deputies was detained and later released without criminal charges, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Office information reported by ClickOrlando.

The case underscores how quickly a road-rage style confrontation can spread from a Sanford street to a multi-agency law enforcement response across county lines. Under Florida law, aggravated fleeing or eluding that causes property damage is a second-degree felony, a charge that fits the damage deputies say occurred during the chase through Orange County and downtown Orlando.