In a wild scene that could have been straight out of an action movie, a man led Maryland police on a 30-mile chase after stealing a highway help truck, crashing into vehicles, and injuring officers—all during rush hour traffic. The chaotic event, caught live by media helicopters, ended with his arrest and a hefty prison sentence.
Flavio Cesar Lanuza, a 27-year-old from Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years behind bars. Back in September, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including assaulting law enforcement, fleeing police, and failing to stay at the scene of numerous crashes.
It all started on February 16, when Lanuza struck four cars in a hit-and-run on the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway, near College Park, just before 5 p.m. Instead of stopping, he fled to a nearby park-and-ride lot, lost control of his car, and smashed into a guard rail.
That’s when a State Highway Administration truck arrived to check on the crash. But instead of accepting help, Lanuza got out of his car and stole the 14,000-pound highway truck, turning it into a battering ram.
What followed was a nearly 30-mile chase through Maryland, from Interstate 95 in College Park to Route 29 and Lockwood Drive in Montgomery County. Along the way, Lanuza crashed into more than a dozen vehicles, including a Maryland State Police cruiser that he shoved more than 50 feet. A state trooper was injured in the process.
Police used spike strips to slow him down, which blew out at least one of the truck’s tires. Even with the metal rims scraping the road, Lanuza kept going until the truck finally gave out and bottomed out on the road.
During the dramatic chase, rush hour traffic came to a standstill. “It’s a miracle no one else was seriously hurt,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy. “This man showed no concern for anyone’s safety—ramming cars, running through intersections, and even hitting police vehicles during the busiest time of day.”
When the truck came to a stop, Lanuza still refused to give up. Officers had to break the truck’s windows to get him out. Even then, he fought back, hiding his hands and using his strength to avoid being handcuffed.
Lanuza was already sentenced in October to two years in prison for charges related to the theft of the highway truck and crimes in Prince George’s County. The 10-year sentence handed down this week in Montgomery County adds to his punishment for what many have called one of the most reckless and dangerous pursuits seen in the area.
“It was like he was driving a tank,” McCarthy said, reflecting on the weight and power of the stolen truck. Thankfully, no lives were lost during the terrifying ordeal, but the consequences for Lanuza are now clear: years in prison to think about the chaos he caused.
