Officials seek to determine if carjacking in Merritt Island led to crash, chase in Cocoa

COCOA, Fla. — The Brevard County Sheriff's Office was trying to determine if a Tuesday afternoon carjacking on Merritt Island led to a chase and crash that injured two men in Cocoa, the Cocoa Police Department said.

Police said they were called shortly after 5 p.m. to the westbound State Road 528 exit to North Cocoa Boulevard after witnesses reported seeing two men fighting in a blue vehicle.

"Simultaneously, calls were being received reporting the vehicle crashed as it headed southbound on U.S. 1," said Yvonne Martinez, a police spokeswoman. "One individual was seen fleeing the crash into the woods, heading west off the highway. The other individual in the vehicle was on the ground with unknown injuries."

The man at the crash scene was taken to a hospital, and the other man was found at State Road 524 and Industry Road, where he was detained before being taken to a hospital, investigators said.

"There are reports indicating the two males came from the Merritt Island area, where officers received information regarding an alleged carjacking," Martinez said. "The Brevard County Sheriff's Office is investigating those reports."

Their injuries are non-life-threatening.

Sarah Pineo said she and her family were merging onto State Road 528 when a man driving a blue car smashed into a red pickup truck in front of them.

"His window broke, and then he was pretty much right in front of us and pulled himself out of the car, jumped over the railing and jumped through the train," she said. "They brought dogs here and all the cops showed up and it was very scary."

The crash remains under investigation.

No other details were given.

Cox Media Group