GRAND DAFT AUTO: Arson Suspect's 11 Hours Up Tree After Car Chase

An arson suspect who fled after flipping police the middle finger during a car chase was seized after he spent 11 hours up a tree refusing to come down.

Accused Jessie James Kropp was ordered to stop by police when he was caught speeding in a stolen Chevrolet Camaro in Citra, Florida State, USA, on 1st January.

But as they tried to pull him over, he flipped them the finger and roared off, as seen in footage released by Marion County Sheriff's Office on 10th January.

Kropp, 39, only stopped when two of his tyres burst and he fled on foot.

Police bodycam footage shows him in a tense standoff with officers threatening them with a knife and a baseball bat.

Deputy Artman, who deployed his taser on Kropp, can be heard saying in the video: "You're getting tased! Get your hands up!"

Then right after he saw the blade in the suspect's hand, he warned his colleague: "He's got a knife! He's got a knife.

"Put the knife down! You're gonna get tased or shot, put the knife down!"

But Kropp shrugged off the taser and fled on foot into woodlands, where he was found trying to hide up a tree.

Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "After negotiating with Kropp for almost 11 hours, he finally came down from the tree.

"He was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail.

"During the investigation, deputies also learned the vehicle Kropp was driving was reported stolen out of Tennessee."

Kropp was reportedly charged with arson, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer without violence.

He is currently being held on no bond.