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Suspect in trooper's death traveling 140 mph during pursuit, arrest report says

St. Lucie County deputy had pulled over Michael Addison shortly before crash that killed Trooper Zachary Fink
FHP Trooper Zachary Fink split screen of patrol car in fatal crash, Feb. 2, 2024
Posted at 9:14 PM, Feb 05, 2024
and last updated 2024-02-06 18:08:15-05

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The suspect in the chase that killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was traveling up to speeds of 90 mph on Interstate 95 before going 140 mph on a road, according to an arrest report released Monday by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.

Michael Addison, 30, of Lauderdale Lakes, is facing several charges in connection to the deaths of 26-year-old FHP Trooper Zachary Fink and a truck driver killed Friday morning during the pursuit.

He was booked at the St. Lucie County Jail in Fort Pierce on Friday night, where he was being held without bond on 12 charges listed, including two from Broward County.

Procession held for Trooper Zachary Fink on Feb. 5, 2024.

Region St Lucie County

Procession honors Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink

Jon Shainman
10:02 AM, Feb 05, 2024

According to the arrest report, Addison was clocked by St. Lucie County Deputy Cheyenne Benning going 60 mph in a 30 mph zone in a white Kia on Midway Road at 2:40 a.m. Friday near White City Park in Fort Pierce.

The deputy activated emergency vehicle lights and pulled him over.

"When I reached the rear trunk, the driver of the vehicle accelerated rapidly heading westbound on Midway Road towards Selvitz Road," the deputy wrote.

Then another deputy observed the Kia going through the intersection of Midway Road and Selvitz Road.

The two deputies pursued him but ended the chase when he got on I-95.

At 2:52 a.m., deputies were notified by the Florida Highway Patrol that the same white Kia was observed traveling 140 mph on Commerce Center Drive.

The two deputies began pursuing the suspect again.

Michael Addison booking photo
Michael Addison, 30, faces several charges in connection with the death of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink.

But "due to the vehicle's high rate of speed," they were unable to get close to him.

In the area of Crosstown Parkway, the deputy wrote: "I observed headlights traveling against the southbound traffic, I realized this vehicle was traveling towards me in the same lane of travel as myself. The vehicle made no attempt to avoid a collision."

The deputy made a U-turn in an attempt to catch up with the Kia along with FHP.

The Kia was observed exiting I-95 and traveling westbound at the St. Lucie West exit. The Kia made a right-hand turn onto Commerce Center Drive. The deputies, along with an FHP trooper, searched the area where they found the car wrecked into a tree in the center lane of Commerce Center in Port St. Lucie.

The suspect later was tracked down and placed under arrest at the Port St. Lucie Police Department at 5:32 p.m. on a citation of fleeing and eluding.

In an unredacted report posted by the clerk's office Tuesday, the suspect during a record post Miranda statement "confessed to fleeing the initial traffic stop. Addison stated he fled the traffic stop with the 'female officer' because he believed he was wanted for an earlier incident he was involved in, in Broward County."

The report doesn't note the crash involving the trooper.

Fink, who had made a U-turn, was hit by an oncoming tractor-trailer, killing both him and the driver.

The driver of the semi-truck in the I-95 crash died at the scene, while Fink was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The truck driver has not been identified.

Addison previously has been arrested several times, especially in Broward County, where officials also said he was wanted on two warrants related to aggravated battery and weapons charges.