Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of the 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1 in the first two weeks of January, if not sooner, before switching to the Top 5 storylines -- the good, the bad & the ugly on the horizon in "2022: The Year That Lies Ahead."
Photos for Headline Surfer / Jail mugshots of Edward A. Sotelo, 51, and Melissa Anderson, both arrested on outstanding warrants on Oct. 4, 2021. Below is a VCSO bodycam video of Sotello's futile attempt at swimming his way to freedom.
BY HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
EDGEWATER, Fla. -- A 51-year-old man sought by the U.S. Marshals Service on a federal arrest warrant was taken into custody back in October in the Intracoastal Waterway he fled from deputies from Daytona Beach through the New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater areas, rammed two law enforcement vehicles, then abandoned his wrecked car, and jumped into the river in a futile attempt to swim away.
Sotello had a passenger with him, who also had outstanding warrants for minor ofenses, but she did not resist arrest once he abandoned the car he was driving and jumped into the river.
Edward A. Sotelo, swam for 15 to 20 minutes until it became abundantly clear he was not going to escape the long arm of the law in the river. He finally surrendered and climbed into a U.S. Coast Guard boat. Responding units also got a helping hand from a boater in the area who took them out to Sotelo as he floated around, hesitant to come out of the water for the embarrassing ride to jail.
Edward A. Sotelo, swam for 15 to 20 minutes until it became abundantly clear he was not going to escape the long arm of the law in the river. He finally surrendered and climbed into a U.S. Coast Guard boat. Responding units also got a helping hand from a boater in the area who took them out to Sotelo as he floated around, hesitant to come out of the water for the embarrassing ride to jail.
The incident started shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, when a Daytona Beach cop assigned to the U.S. Marshals Task Force advised he was driving behind Sotelo, who had an active federal warrant for violation of probation on a prior armed robbery charge. Sotelo also had open warrants out of nearby Orange County for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, grand theft, and retail theft, and was identified as a suspect in a series of retail thefts across Florida.
When Sotelo noticed he was being followed by law enforcement, he began to accelerate, then he rammed the Daytona police detective’s vehicle and a deputy’s vehicle in the process, according to an arrest affidavit from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, and sped away before and ending up in a mobile home park at 2351 S. Ridgewood Ave. in Edgewater. That’s where he bailed out and jumped into the river.
A female passenger stayed with the vehicle and was taken into custody without incident, as she had two active warrants out of Brevard County involving possession of a controlled substance and DUI.
Sotelo was arrested on his warrants and also charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude with property damage, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, and resisting an officer without violence.
A search of the female passenger, Melissa Anderson, 32, revealed 0.5 grams of heroin in her bra and a syringe in her purse, and she was additionally charged with possession of heroin, possession of paraphernalia, and resisting an officer without violence.
For his troubles, Sotelo had to sit in the back of a patrol car in handcuffs, completely soaked and looking pretty foolish.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.