The 19-year-old Pensacola man who jumped off the Escambia River Bridge in June trying to elude law enforcement has been indicted by a grand jury for the drive-by shooting death of a 70-year-old.
The Office of the State Attorney announced Monday that Jaquaris Ethridge was indicted for first-degree premeditated murder, shooting at or into a building, fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer at high speed and possession of a firearm by a convicted delinquent under 24 years old.
Ethridge, one of three men who jumped off the Escambia River Bridge allegedly trying to escape arrest following a high speed chase, allegedly killed 70-year-old Myra Hayes on June 24 when he and accused coconspirators Terrance Gross and Trevion Moton allegedly fired 40 rounds into a home on Erress Boulevard.
According to court records, Ethridge's indictment was filed Thursday.
Ethridge faces a mandatory life sentence for the premeditated murder charge if he's convicted, and he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for each of his remaining three charges.
Court records indicate Gross has not yet been charged by the Office of the State Attorney following his arrest in Texas.
What happened on June 24?
Escambia County Sheriff's deputies were notified by the Real Time Crime Center that a stolen vehicle had been spotted, so patrol deputies made their way to Erress Boulevard in Brent. Before deputies arrived, ShotSpotter notified the RTCC of 40 shots being fired on the same road as the vehicle.
Deputies then found the vehicle and began the pursuit.
Following the incident, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said during a press conference that the chase ran from Massachusetts Avenue to Fairfield Drive to Interstate 10. Then the car exited on Scenic Highway traveling toward Pace.
The chase ended with a deputy performing a PIT maneuver on the fleeing vehicle on the Escambia River Bridge.
Suspects leap from Escambia River Bridge in alleged attempt to escape
Previously:ECSO: 3 men jump from Highway 90 bridge fleeing capture after drive-by shooting
After the PIT maneuver, video shows the three suspects immediately exit the vehicle and jump off the bridge.
Simmons reported that one of the men, later identified as Moton, missed the water during the jump and died from injuries related to the fall.
Ethridge was arrested after his jump and charged with attempted first-degree premediated murder, felony murder for the death of Moton, firing missiles into a dwelling and fleeing law enforcement with lights and sirens activated.
Gross, after jumping from the bridge, eluded search parties for roughly three days until law enforcement in Laredo, Texas, found the 19-year-old on his way to Mexico, according to the ECSO.
70-year-old Myra Hayes dies from injuries
Following the volley of 40 shots on June 24, Hayes was transported to a local hospital in critical condition after being shot in the neck.
Hayes later died in the hospital a few weeks later.
Sheriff Chip Simmons believes the shooting was retaliation
During the sheriff's press conference, Simmons said he believes the shooting was in retaliation to the drive-by shooting that killed 22-year-old Terrell Owens on June 20.
Pensacola Police told the News Journal that Owens died at the corner of Gonzalez and M streets and that investigators were looking for a white SUV with potentially up to three suspects.
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