Two men arrested on drug charges after aviation unit spots suspects fleeing deputies in Sarasota 

VENICE, Fla. - Dylan Rodgers, 27, and Frank Crouse, 33, were arrested Tuesday night on drug charges after they fled from deputies and were spotted by an aviation unit, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said both men were riding bicycles when they ran a stop sign and cut off a marked patrol car near Woodmere Park in Venice. Deputies tried to contact the men at Alligator Bridge, but they fled eastbound along a small path on the trail. 

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office aviation unit spotted Rodgers and Crouse and watched as they through a backpack into a wooded area while fleeing from deputies on the ground. Eventually, deputies caught up with the men, and they said the men told them that they fled because they had drugs on them.

Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

Deputies said Rodgers admitted to fleeing due to an outstanding warrant. When the deputies searched the discarded backpack, they said they found a small amount of methamphetamine, glass pipe, pills, bolt cutters and various tools used to commit burglaries.

“This is another great example of how beneficial our Aviation Unit is when it comes to supporting units on the ground,” commented Sheriff Tom Knight. “Whether our helicopter is assisting on a felony traffic stop, a missing elderly patient, or a brushfire, they offer a great deal of support by providing an extra eye from the sky. In this case, these narcotics and tools often used to commit burglaries, may have never been recovered.”

Both men were taken into custody and booked into the Sarasota County Correctional Facility.