MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Melbourne man wanted on suspicion of beating his uncle was arrested in the nude early Thursday after being located in Georgia and trying to run over several police officers, according to authorities.
Matthew James Ibarria, 21, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, eluding law enforcement, reckless driving, failure to stop at an accident and numerous traffic violations.
After an alert was issued by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, authorities in Georgia spotted Ibarria’s van at a Fairfield Inn in Kingsland.
Ibarria, who was asleep and naked, was awakened and told officers that he was going to exit the van but instead drove off and struck a car before nearly hitting three officers, police said.
A chase ensued, and Ibarria hit two patrol cruisers with his van, police said.
Ibarria then entered St. Mary’s, Ga., and jumped out of the van, which was traveling 45 mph down a dead-end street, police said. Ibarria rolled several times before getting up and running to the edge of a nearby river, police said. He was then arrested by Kingsland and St. Mary’s police.
Ibarria was treated at a hospital and taken to the Camden County Jail.
The State Attorney’s Office in Brevard County said Ibarria was wanted on battery charges.
On Monday, Ibarria’s uncle came to his nephew’s Melbourne home with the intention of checking his nephew into a mental facility.
Prosecutors said Ibarria sprayed his uncle with mace and attacked him before taking off in his van.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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