LAND O'LAKES, Florida — Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said a reported domestic violence incident led to a fiery, fatal crash Saturday night.

Nocco said the clerk at a Circle K near the Ballantrae subdivision in Land O’ Lakes called 911 to report a couple fighting.

“This woman mouthed to him, ‘Help me.’ She was in a headlock,” Nocco said.

The sheriff said when deputies responded, they saw the suspect vehicle leaving the gas station.

“He did probably what every deputy would do – you follow that vehicle,” Nocco said of the responding deputy. “If that vehicle goes, and we know that there’s threats, possibly, to harm her and kill her, you’re going to do everything you can to save that life.”

Nocco said it was later learned that the alleged victim remained at the gas station.

Pursuit ends with crash

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the 2015 Chrysler four-door that fled deputies was driven by Michael Blomberg, 54. At some point, Blomberg ended up driving the wrong way on State Road 54.

Near Odessa Gardens Lane, Blomberg crashed into a 2007 Chevy pickup truck driven by Kirby Sober, 24. 

“Oh, he hit him,” a deputy can be heard exclaiming on body camera footage as one of the vehicles burst into flames.              

Deputies can be seen in the footage breaking a window of Blomberg’s car and pulling him from the wreck. They performed CPR, but he died from his injuries.

Nocco said Sober was found outside his vehicle. He was hospitalized.

When reached by phone, Sober’s attorney, Hunter Higdon, described his clients injuries as "very serious."

Response televised

Deputies’ response was broadcast nationwide as part of the A&E show “Live PD," according to Nocco. He said the situation hasn’t made him reconsider what his office allows crews to film.

“The real world, we get one chance," Nocco explained. "If our citizens get to see what we do with that one chance, to see we’re trying to do our best, that’s good. That humanizes us."

"We’re human beings," he continued. "As a human being, we’re trying to save that life, even of the suspect."

This was not the first time Blomberg had a run-in with the law. Records show he was arrested on September 6 on aggravated stalking charges involving the same victim in the gas station incident.

Nocco said the two dated for ten years.

“At the center of this whole thing, there was a victim, and she was put in a horrible situation,” Nocco said. “So, we’re working with her right now to get her all the help that she needs.”