PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Pahokee High School football star DeeJay Holmes Jr., who has signed a letter of intent to play for Ole Miss, is facing a third-degree felony charge after eluding an officer with active sirens Monday night, according to Palm Beach Gardens police.
Holmes, 18, was released from jail at 12:56 a.m. Tuesday after posting a $3,000 bond. The Palm Beach County state attorney's office is scheduled to file the charge at a court date at 8:30 a.m. May 18.
The three-star football prospect chose the Rebels on Feb. 1 over Colorado, Central Florida, South Florida and Cincinnati, according to the Palm Beach Post, a WPTV news partner.
On April 3, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission honored the outside linebacker and defensive end as the boys high school athlete of the year at its 46th annual awards ceremony. He also won the player of the year award at the Lou Groza banquet last December.
As a senior, he led Pahokee High to a 9-3 record, including the Class 1R regional finale. He finished No. 2 in the nation in sacks, posting 32.5 as well as adding 117 tackles.
His No. 6 jersey was retired. His cousin, former NFL and Florida State wide receiver Anquan Boldin, also had his jersey retired.
In the police report, officers responded to reports of vehicles drag racing and "almost causing multiple car crashes" on PGA Boulevard and Prosperity Farms Road at about 4:45 p.m. Monday.
Officers followed multiple Dodge Chargers, Ford Mustangs and Porsche vehicles exiting the area westbound on PGA Boulevard.
The officer then observed a two-door gray Dodge Challenger with an expired registration and activated his emergency lights. Rather than pulling over, the driver went northbound on North Military Trail and continued driving past Kyoto Gardens Avenue and at one point went 60 mph in a posted 45 mph zone.
The vehicle continued past Elm Avenue and finally slowed down and came to a stop at Victoria Falls Boulevard.
Homes told the driver he was driving a rental car and he "did not see anywhere to pull over."
The officer informed the driver he "passed approximately 12 safe places to pulled over to include turning lanes, housing developments or side streets," according to the arrest report.
The passenger in the car was Xavier Bryant, also a Pahokee football player.