New Year’s Eve chase ends in bizarre building collision

A photo of the front of an office building after a Dodge truck driven by Kyle Last, 33, crashed into business offices at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and East Fort King Street on New Years Eve. No one was in the building at the time the truck drove through it. Last was pronounced deceased on the scene. [Ocala Gazette]

Late at night on New Year’s Eve, while many were reveling and welcoming in 2024, a Dodge truck driven by Kyle Last, 33, crashed into business offices at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and East Fort King Street.

No one was in the building at the time the truck drove through it.

Back of building after a dodge truck driven by Kyle Last, 33, crashed into business offices at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and East Fort King Street on New Years Eve.
No one was in the building at the time the truck drove through it. Last was pronounced deceased on the scene. [Ocala Gazette]

According to spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the truck driven by Last was being pursued as he was a person of interest in a burglary. The call also involved Marion County Fire Rescue, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Ocala Police Department.

During MCSO’s pursuit, Last allegedly rammed his truck into a deputy’s vehicle, disabling it and rendering the vehicle inoperable to continue the chase.

“He [the deputy] could only give out the last known direction of travel. Ocala Police Department units later located where the suspect had driven through the building,” explained the MCSO spokesperson. “Pretty significant damage to our vehicle from what I understand. Not sure if it will be totaled.”

A search of Marion County court records found one prior criminal matter for Last, a misdemeanor domestic battery charge that was dropped with this note by State Attorney William Gladson’s office: “Although there was probable cause to arrest, given the facts and circumstances of the case, as well as the fact that the victim does not desire prosecution, the likelihood of conviction is slight.”

The office building was home to Edward Jones financial advisors Justin Yancey and Brian Wakefield and Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate, with at least 35 real estate agents.

Bob Kennedy, owner of the building and the real estate firm expressed gratefulness that no one was in the building at the time of collision. Kennedy was still waiting to fully understand the cost of repairing the building.

Kennedy told the Gazette it was business as usual despite agents being displaced from office due to the accident. “We are Berkshire Hathaway- we have contingencies for everything.”