The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested a man Saturday night for Aggravated Assault, drug trafficking, and weapons charges.
Deputies first responded to the 500 block of Beverly Road in Venice just after 8:00 p.m. for reports of an argument involving a handgun. The victim stated the suspect, identified as Zachary Beyer-Radford, DOB 05/29/92, pointed a weapon and threatened him, before leaving in a white Cadillac. Deputies quickly located the suspect’s vehicle fleeing northbound on South Tamiami Trail reaching speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. The driver eventually crashed and fled on foot through the parking lot of a nearby business. With assistance from the Venice Police Department, deputies located Beyer-Radford hiding under a van. During an inventory search of his vehicle, a loaded handgun was discovered, along with more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, 121 grams of marijuana, Oxycodone, and drug paraphernalia.
Beyer-Radford, a prolific offender with nearly two dozen prior arrests in Sarasota County for violent and drug related crimes, is charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of a Firearm and Ammo by a Convicted Felon. He is also charged with misdemeanor counts of Possession of Narcotic Equipment, Reckless Driving, Driving While License Suspended, and Resisting without Violence. He is being held on $69,240 bond.