Deltona Homicide Suspect Ends Chase at Hammock Dunes Bridge with Self-Inflicted Gunshot

Last Updated: 1:50 p.m.

What started with the report of a shooting-death of a woman in Deltona early this morning ended after a police chase before dawn at the foot of the Hammock Dunes Bridge with a man shooting himself in the head after he crashed through the toll bridge’s arm and veered off the road. The man died at the hospital.

Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies had responded to the report of a shooting on Parma Drive in Deltona at 2:23 a.m. “An adult female victim is deceased,” VCSO said in a statement, later identifying the woman as Ashley Vaia, 38. Her child had found her at 2:22. The suspect was identified as Samuel Vaia, 33. He was Ashley’s ex-husband.

He was clocked driving at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour on I-95, heading north.




Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, who was at the scene at the bridge, said his agency was alerted to the suspect fleeing Volusia County at 2:45 a.m. The suspect’s vehicle information, a Land Rover SUV, was entered into the Real Time Crime Center’s databases.

“We spotted the vehicle on Old Dixie Highway, and then ultimately we got behind them on Interstate 95 and attempted to do a felony traffic stop,” Staly said. “The vehicle fled northbound. The vehicle exited Palm Coast Parkway, at which time we got a successful stop stick hit and flattened at least one tire. The vehicle continued to travel eastbound on Palm Coast Parkway. It went through the toll plaza, breaking an arm gate that was down, at which point the vehicle veered to the north down the embankment and came to a stop at the edge of the bridge,” on the west side of the bridge.

At that point sheriff’s deputies knew there was one occupant in the car, that he was believed to have committed a homicide, that he was armed, and that he was “allegedly wearing body armor,” the sheriff said, “so that resulted in us containing the scene and getting our SWAT to the scene and getting our Bearcat to the scene, which is our armored vehicle.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said several drones were deployed “for a continuous visual on the wrecked vehicle as Flagler SWAT approached and extricated the suspect around 5:15 a.m.”




The airbag had deployed in the car, making it difficult to see inside. Using the armored vehicle, deputies repeatedly called out using the public address system. There was no response.

“We could see that the individual in the vehicle was injured, and ultimately our deputies extracted him out of the vehicle and turned him cover to Palm Coast and Flagler County Fire Rescue,” Staly said. “We believe at some point when he veered off the road or when he came to a rest down the embankment, he shot himself.” Asked where the man shot himself, the sheriff said: “It does appear to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound but it’s still an active investigation. I don’t want to divulge those details at this point.”

No trauma helicopter was available. He was initially routed to Halifax hospital, but due to his condition, was rerouted to one of the two AdventHealth Palm Coast hospitals. That takes place when the individual is in such critical condition that additional traveling is either too dangerous or pointless.




The Hammock Dunes bridge area of the crash was an active criminal investigation this morning, with the sheriff’s CSI unit and detectives at the scene. The bridge itself had been closed to traffic for about two hours before reopening at 6:15 a.m. The pedestrian path on the north side of the bridge remains closed.

“I’m very proud of our guys,” Staly said. “They did a great job protecting themselves and the community when they couldn’t see what’s going on. This is why we have this heavy duty equipment, so our deputies can be safe when they go into very dangerous situations.”

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Samuel Vaia was arrested on March 23 on battery charges against the same victim. Deputies responded around 1:48 a.m. a week ago after the victim reported her ex-husband walked into her bedroom, took her phone and accused her of cheating on him. The victim indicated she and her ex were attempting to reconcile their relationship, and he still had a key to her house due to their time-sharing agreement involving their child.

During last week’s incident, Ashley told deputies that Samuel grabbed her, pushed her into a bathroom, closed the door and continued accusing her of infidelity. She said she tried to yell at her phone to call 911 but was unsuccessful, and Samuel covered her mouth. He left abruptly after Ashley called for another daughter who was in the house.

Deputies arrested Samuel on a charge of domestic violence battery. He was booked at the Volusia County jail and released on $2,000 bond last Monday.