VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Fort Lauderdale man is behind bars after deputies say he carjacked a driver at gunpoint in Daytona Beach Shores on October 6 before fleeing — and hiding in the Halifax River mangroves.

Just before 9 p.m., the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said the suspect, 34-year-old Grant Hagood-James, asked the victim for a ride on South Atlantic Avenue. Moments later, he allegedly pulled a gun, ordered the driver out, and drove off in the stolen vehicle.

Deputies tracked the suspect as he swam to a nearby restaurant in Port Orange, ran through it, and then dove back into the river to hide. A large search followed, involving Air One, K9 units, drones, boats, and officers from Port Orange Police, Edgewater Police, and Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety.

Hagood-James was found and arrested without further incident. The victim was unharmed, and his vehicle was recovered nearby with a firearm found close to the scene. Hagood-James is charged with armed carjacking and is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Source: Volusia Sheriff’s Office