Man wanted on drug charges leads chase

A man wanted on federal drug charges led law enforcement on a chase for about a mile on U.S. 19 in Clearwater tonight.

Roderick J. Crawford, 34, of 1001 Bay Breeze Terrace in Largo, left his car near Park Place Drive as a helicopter monitored him. Deputies with a police dog found him in a retention pond and arrested him.

The Clearwater Police Department and sheriff's deputies were helping the Drug Enforcement Administration. They had no information on the nature of the charges.

No one was injured, according to the sheriff's office.

Stephanie Garry, Times staff writer