South Daytona Beach, Florida: A South Daytona officer shot is recovering from two gunshot wounds after a Sunday morning pursuit on Interstate 95 ended in a violent foot chase and an exchange of gunfire.
Officers with the Port Orange Police Department were first dispatched around 6 a.m. on March 15, 2026, to a reported shooting near Country Lane. No one was injured in that initial shooting, but officers identified a suspect, later named as Todd Anthony Martin, 31, who got into a vehicle and drove away before he could be detained. A multi-agency pursuit followed, with the South Daytona Police Department joining the chase.
The pursuit continued onto I-95, near the interchange at I-4 and Beville Road, where Martin’s vehicle was involved in a crash. Martin fled on foot. During that foot chase, he spun around and opened fire on Officer Jake Fessenden, striking him twice.
Officer Fessenden was shot in the shoulder and the leg.
South Daytona Beach Police Chief Joseph LaSata said the bullet struck just above Fessenden’s body armor, saying, “God was on his side today.”
While officers were attending to Fessenden, Martin managed to reach an unoccupied South Daytona patrol vehicle. He reportedly electronically altered the vehicle, causing it to catch fire. Martin then remained inside the burning vehicle for several minutes before finally jumping out.
Lasata confirmed that Martin refused to exit the vehicle for nearly one minute as it burned. Officers took him into custody after he jumped out and immediately rendered medical assistance. Martin was transported to Halifax Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition
Fessenden is the second law enforcement officer shot in Volusia County this month alone. According to data from the National Fraternal Order of Police, nearly 350 officers were shot in the line of duty across the United States in 2025, and 21 of those were in Florida. In just the first two months of 2026, 62 officers have already been shot nationwide, including three in Florida.
Field Lessons are offered strictly as general, industry-standard reminders drawn from common safety practices and typical policy considerations. They are not based on any inside knowledge of this specific incident, do not presume what actions were taken, and should not be interpreted as commentary on the decisions made at the scene.
- Our research shows that any type of pursuit, whether on foot or in a vehicle, dramatically increases the danger to officers.
- Officers should avoid tunnel vision on capturing the subject and maintain consistent threat assessment with every step of the chase, particularly as distance and cover change rapidly.
- Research reveals specific behavioral cues to watch for in a foot pursuit that indicate an escalation of violence: target glancing and concealed hands to the front of the body.
Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
