A Florida man has been sentenced to probation instead of jail after pleading no contest to several charges stemming from an incident in which authorities say he fled from police with three young children and threw them over a nearly six-foot fence during his escape.
Larry Rada Jr. entered a nolo contendere (no contest) plea to charges of child abuse, racing on a roadway, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer at high speed or with wanton disregard, and driving while his license was suspended or revoked, according to Lee County court records.
The court sentenced Rada to one year of community control, a highly supervised form of probation, followed by four years of standard probation.
Incident Began With Reckless Driving
The case dates back to Sept. 13, 2025, when a deputy with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling near Fort Myers Beach.
According to investigators, the deputy spotted a black Infiniti with Michigan license plates being driven recklessly and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
Instead of stopping, authorities said the driver maneuvered the vehicle in a complete 360-degree turn around the patrol car before speeding away.
The deputy did not continue the pursuit.
Crash Led to Foot Chase
While continuing to patrol the area, the deputy was flagged down by several motorists who reported that the fleeing vehicle had crashed into a ditch near the intersection of San Carlos Boulevard and Linda Loma Drive.
When officers arrived, witnesses told them that Rada had fled on foot with three young children.
Investigators determined that Rada was the father of one of the children and the uncle of the other two.
Surveillance Video Captured Escape
Police obtained surveillance footage from a nearby property that allegedly showed Rada running across a backyard while carrying or leading the children.
According to court documents, the video showed him reaching a locked fence measuring approximately 5.92 feet high before throwing each of the three children over the barrier.
Authorities said the children appeared distressed and were crying as they approached the fence.
Investigators alleged the children were thrown over the fence in a manner that demonstrated a blatant disregard for their safety.
Children Treated for Injuries
According to investigators, one child began vomiting repeatedly after the incident.
All three children complained of pain in various parts of their bodies.
Authorities said Rada climbed over the fence himself but fell before continuing to run through nearby backyards.
The children were later found covered in dirt and transported to a hospital.
Doctors told investigators the children complained of pain in their heads and abdomens and reported they had been involved in the earlier vehicle crash while Rada was driving.
Mother Told Children Were “Doing Well”
Investigators said Rada had picked the children up from school the previous afternoon and was expected to care for them for several days.
One of the mothers later told authorities that she spoke with Rada at approximately 6:30 p.m. that day.
According to investigators, Rada told her the children “were doing well.”
She later learned about the crash after receiving information from Rada’s brother.
Defendant Said He Was Afraid of Returning to Prison
Police arrested Rada at his home following the incident.
According to court records, during an interview with investigators, Rada admitted he knew his actions were wrong.
Authorities said he explained that he fled because he was afraid of going back to prison.
Court Sentence
Rada had originally faced numerous charges, including three counts of cruelty toward a child, three counts of child neglect, and hit-and-run, along with other offenses.
Following his no-contest plea, the court imposed one year of community control followed by four years of probation, allowing him to avoid a jail sentence in the case.
