Suspects in custody after Cranston home invasion, high-speed Ferrari chase

PALM COAST, Fla. (WLNE) — It’s been a wild 24 hours on the East Coast for two suspects accused of stealing a Ferrari in Cranston.

After a chase down I-95 into Connecticut on Monday, police said they tracked down the stolen car in Florida on Tuesday.

The Cranston Police Department said 20-year-old Johnathan Costa of Cranston was arrested in Flagler County, Fla. in connection with the case, and 18-year-old Logan Slezak of Pawtucket was taken into custody in Rhode Island.

The chaos started around 3 a.m. Saturday, when the Cranston Police Department responded to a call of an armed home invasion on Crest Drive.

“I walk on the street every day,” neighbor Sophia Dimeglio said. “I always feel safe, I never feel uncomfortable. It’s a good neighborhood, we all feel safe here.”

Rhode Island State Police spotted a stolen car Monday believed to be connected to the home invasion, according to Connecticut State Police.

Video from RIDOT traffic cameras showed the blue Ferrari speeding toward the Connecticut state line with a series of cruisers pursuing.

The chase continued into Connecticut, where state police said troopers lost sight of the car shortly after they started following.

Sheriff’s deputies in Florida’s St. Johns County issued a public safety alert Tuesday, saying they were looking for the same Ferrari.

Police said two local high schools were put on lockdown as a precaution while deputies searched for the car.

Both suspects were considered armed and dangerous during the search.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s office said the Ferrari, a 2018 ‘Spider’ model, was spotted in Palm Coast Tuesday afternoon.

“Through electronic means, air support, good ground work by our law enforcement officers, we used every means we could to locate the suspects,” said David Williams, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Division Chief.

Authorities said they tracked the car down to a house in the area, and negotiators were called in to convince Costa to exit the home.

Slezak was taken into custody back in Rhode Island, according to Cranston police.

Major Todd Patalano said they believe the home invasion was targeted due to the suspects’ intimate knowledge of the victim and their cars.

Officials have not said when the men will be arraigned.