Police K9 gets its first bite!

On June 23, 2023, at around 11:00 a.m., Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies responded to Take 5 Oil Change in the 16700 block of S Highway 441 in response to a report of a vehicle theft. Upon arrival, the victim advised someone stole his gray Nissan Sentra from the car wash next door to the business. The car was last seen traveling northbound on South Highway 441. A short while later, Belleview Police Department (BPD) Officer Hunt located the stolen vehicle near the intersection of Southeast 110th Street and South Highway 441, at which time he began following the vehicle and notified MCSO.

MCSO deputies arrived in the area and observed Majed Hack (O/M, DOB: 08/09/1966) driving the stolen vehicle. As deputies followed behind him, Hack turned onto Southeast 52nd Street and into the Mobil gas station, seemingly in an attempt to evade Sergeant Tim Liberatore. Sgt. Liberatore attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Hack fled and turned into a business in the 5100 block of S Highway 441. He drove to the Northeast corner of the lot and, when he reached a set of railroad tracks, got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

K9 Corporal Jarrick Donely and his partner, K9 Carrier, then pursued Hack on foot. After a short distance, K9 Carrier successfully apprehended Hack, and he was placed under arrest. Through additional investigation, deputies located drug paraphernalia in Hack’s pocket. They also located a backpack that belonged to him, in which he had marijuana and methamphetamine, packaged in a manner consistent with selling drugs. Hack also has a suspended driver’s license with multiple prior convictions for Driving with a Suspended License.