The Bay County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man accused of sexual battery on a child Thursday after a brief chase.
Joshua Lutz, 32, was wanted for violation of probation-felony battery. The charges stem from a case involving the sexual battery of a child that occurred in January, officials wrote in a news release.
Lutz was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation and sexual battery of a child after he was arrested in January 2013. He pleaded no contest in September to felony battery and was sentenced to five years of probation and required to complete sexual offender treatment, but he allegedly violated probation when he failed to complete the treatment.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday morning deputies attempted to arrest Lutz near Sunrise Drive and Big Daddy Drive. Lutz fled on foot, made it to a vehicle and escaped but not before striking a parked vehicle and a stationary BCSO patrol vehicle, officials said.
Lutz was arrested later in the morning without incident in the area of 15201 Front Beach Road, BCSO said.
An earlier version of this story is posted below:
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man accused of sexual battery on a child.
Joshua Lutz, 32, is wanted for violation of probation-felony battery. The charges stem from a case involving the sexual battery of a child that occurred in January, officials wrote in a news release.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday morning deputies attempted to arrest Lutz near Sunrise Drive and Big Daddy Drive Lutz fled on foot, made it to a vehicle and escaped but not before striking a parked vehicle and a stationary BCSO patrol vehicle, officials said.
The pursuit of Lutz was terminated by BCSO supervisors due to safety considerations and school traffic, the news release states.
Lutz was last seen in a two-tone silver/gray 1989 Ford truck, bearing Florida tag T32 4GX.
Anyone with information about Lutz is asked to contact the Bay County Sheriff’s Office at 747-4700 or Panhandle Crimestoppers at 785-TIPS(8477).