Florida crook accused of ditching stolen car, hiding from cops in home’s garage. But homeowner has a gun.

A 34-year-old male is accused of ditching a stolen car and hiding from police in a home’s garage in Orange Park, Florida, on Monday, WJAX-TV reported. Orange Park is about a half hour south of Jacksonville.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said it received word about a stolen car just after 3:30 p.m., and deputies within five minutes found the car at Blanding Boulevard and Camp Francis Johnson Road.

‘Hey, you know what? If they stole a car, and he ran in my house, I’d shoot him too. Good for him.’

The driver fled and crashed into two sheriff’s office patrol vehicles as well as a citizen’s car, officials said, adding that no one was hurt in the crashes.

But two suspects bailed out of the car along Blanding Boulevard and ran in opposite directions, officials said, adding that both suspects were pursued on foot.

Officials said “the female suspect/passenger was caught within minutes; the male suspect, who was behind the wheel of the stolen car, continued to run and went through several backyards of a nearby neighborhood until he entered a resident’s detached garage” on Grafton Drive.

WJAX reported that the male suspect was trying to hide in the garage.

However, officials said that once the male suspect entered the garage, the homeowner — who was armed with a gun — confronted him.

Sheriff Michelle Cook told WJAX the homeowner “intervened and actually shot the suspect who had entered his detached garage. The suspect was shot in the leg by the homeowner.”

Officials said deputies rendered first aid to the suspect who was taken to a local hospital; there are no outstanding suspects.

RELATED: Threatening male begins beating up Florida mobile homeowner, but victim pulls gun, fires once — ‘and the threat was over’

The arrested suspects are William Tracy White Jr. and Amanda Jean Strickland, WJAX said.

Neighbor Anita Jones told the station that at first she “thought somebody had died.”

Jones added to WJAX that she wasn’t home when it all went down but that nothing like this has happened since she moved into the neighborhood four years ago.

“I can’t believe it happened here,” Jones added to the station. “Hey, you know what? If they stole a car, and he ran in my house, I’d shoot him too. Good for him.”

The sheriff told WJAX that White has two outstanding warrants for grand theft and armed robbery.

According to jail records, White remained incarcerated Tuesday and was charged with aggravated fleeing with injury or damage, burglary, and other charges. His bond was just over $35,000. There is no jail record for Strickland, who is 32.

Officials said those with information that could assist in the investigation are encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office at 904-264-6512; tips can be submitted through the SaferWatch or by calling First Coast Crime Stoppers by dialing **TIPS.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!