Sanford Man Arrested After Violent Attack, Multi-County High-Speed Chase

A Circle K employee on Palm Coast Parkway Southwest likely saved a woman's life on March 15 when she walked into the gas station battered, bleeding, and terrified, and the employee called 911 while she locked herself in the bathroom. The suspect, Korarise Hill, 24, of Sanford, was still sitting in a silver Chevrolet at the pump outside.

According to the victim and the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Hill had forced her to drive from Sanford to Palm Coast while striking her repeatedly throughout the trip. He made two stops along the way, first at a residence on Wilmart Place and then at the Blaze N Flame Smoke Shop on Belle Terre Parkway, confiscating the car keys at each location so she could not escape. After the second stop, he ordered her to drive back toward Sanford. She told him she needed gas. That trip to the Circle K, around 10:10 a.m., was the opening she needed.

The victim entered the store with multiple cuts, bruises, and a black eye. She told staff she feared for her life. The employee called 911 and also identified Hill to dispatchers as the man in the silver Chevrolet parked at the pump. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office reported that Hill had strangled the woman until she fainted and threatened to kill her with a gun during the ordeal.

When deputies arrived, Hill fled. The pursuit stretched at speeds exceeding 120 mph, drawing in the Florida Highway Patrol and the Seminole County Sheriff's Office alongside Flagler County deputies. The chase ended in New Smyrna Beach, in Volusia County, when an FHP trooper executed a PIT maneuver that brought Hill's vehicle to a stop. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office responded separately to investigate the aggravated domestic violence that occurred within their jurisdiction, and both FHP and Seminole filed additional charges beyond those brought by Flagler County.

Hill was charged with domestic battery, false imprisonment, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement with disregard for the safety of persons or property. He is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail. The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly did not soften his assessment of Hill after the arrest. "This dirtbag was already on Florida's inmate release status after serving just two years in state prison for attempted murder, and obviously, he needs to go back to prison, but this time for a very long time," Staly said. He added: "His prior conviction and arrests for very serious charges demonstrate that he is violent and a clear danger to society. I commend the victim for getting away from him and seeking help, and I commend the employee for calling 911. He likely saved her life.