2 flee stolen Mercedes after South Fort Myers crash

SOUTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — Two men ran away from Lee County Sheriff’s deputies after hopping out of a black Mercedes that crashed into the flyover at Summerlin Road and College Parkway on Sunday afternoon.

The car had been stolen, a 911 dispatcher said. Guy Schell, the husband of the owner, left the car running with the keys in the ignition while he and another man went into a 7-Eleven at 9651 Cypress Lake Drive. That’s when the car was stolen, Schell said.

“When I came out, the car was gone, and I was like what, what is going on?” Schell said.

The two men involved in the crash looked to be in their 20s. They were headed east in the car and got out right after the collision with the overpass, which took place at about 4:30 p.m.

Deputies quickly arrived on scene and began running after them. The deputies were able to get there as quickly as they did because Schell borrowed a stranger’s iPhone to track his, which was in the car, Schell said.

“I found some dude that pulled up at the pump, and I’m like do either of you have an iPhone?” Schell said. “And he’s like yeah, and I’m like, dude track my iPhone, my car was just stolen, my phone is in there.”

The sheriff’s office confirmed it was looking for the driver, but it’s not entirely clear whether the other man who fled the scene is wanted. They used a helicopter as part of the search, prompting many nearby to wonder what was going on, as these comments from the WINK News Facebook page show:

 

The sheriff’s office suspended its search for the evening before 10 p.m. Sunday.