3 county police chase captures Hardee County murder suspect

Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:

Matthew Scott Flores, a suspect in the Hardee County murder of Jose Carlos Martinez, was captured after a police chase spanning three counties in North Carolina on Thursday.

According to the Wauchula Police Department, Flores drove through three counties in North Carolina attempting to flee from police before crashing along Main Street and Hollis Road in Ellenboro.

After the crash, Flores was hospitalized and taken into custody.

Currently, Flores faces Second-Degree Murder charges for the killing of Martinez.

But, Stephanie Velgara, who is said to have assisted Flores in fleeing law enforcement in Florida was also arrested. Velgara is being charged as an accessory after the fact for Second-Degree Murder.

The investigation remains active.

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