ISLAMORADA, Fla. — A 23-year-old man from an upscale Washington, D.C. suburb is facing multiple charges after allegedly leading Florida authorities on a high-speed chase that reached 122 mph in a rented Range Rover, officials said.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Christopher Brinkley Smithers of Great Falls, Virginia, was stopped in Key Largo Tuesday after nearly sideswiping a deputy’s vehicle while driving erratically.
The deputy said Smithers appeared fidgety, restless, and incoherent, wearing dark sunglasses despite the overcast weather. Suspecting impairment, she called for backup to conduct a field sobriety test — but Smithers suddenly sped away, triggering a pursuit involving the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
Authorities said Smithers hit speeds of up to 122 mph, knocking down road signs and driving on shoulders and sidewalks during the chase. At one point, he crashed into a guardhouse complex in Founders Park, losing a tire before returning to U.S. 1.
The pursuit ended in Islamorada near mile marker 87, when troopers performed a PIT maneuver, causing Smithers to collide with a trailered boat.
FHP reports said Smithers later admitted to taking 80 mg of Adderall earlier in the day. He showed no signs of alcohol intoxication on a breath test, though troopers collected a urine sample for further testing.
After being treated and cleared at Baptist Health Mariners Hospital, Smithers was booked into the MCSO Plantation Key jail without bond. He faces several charges, including fleeing and eluding, DUI, and reckless driving.
Smithers is scheduled to appear in Florida Keys court on Dec. 2.
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