North Naples high-speed chase ends in crash, arrest, deputies say

A Naples man was arrested early Sunday morning after crashing during a high-speed chase on Vanderbilt Beach Road, deputies say.

Herbert Lopez, 21, was spotted by Collier County sheriff's deputies street racing in a stolen 2016 GMC Yukon on Immokalee Road near Airport-Pulling Road at 4:20 a.m, said sheriff's spokeswoman Jamie Mosbach. The SUV was reported stolen from Windstar on Naples Bay.

The vehicle sped toward the beach chased by deputies before smashing into concrete benches on Gulf Shore Drive, Mosbach said.The pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100 mph, she said.

The driver bailed and took off on foot. Lopez was later found and arrested by deputies near the beach.

Lopez is charged with racing on highways, high-speed fleeing and eluding, grand theft auto, driving while license is suspended or revoked and resisting arrest without violence. He was taken to NCH North Naples Hospital for evaluation, Mosbach said. 

Even though Lopez faces a street-racing charge, deputies Sunday said they had no information on whether another vehicle was involved.