WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A Boca Raton chef caught speeding at 102 mph through a red light Thursday faces felonies after deputies found a stash of drugs and marijuana hidden in his car.
30-year-old Rafael Soto Ross was arrested in the early morning hours following a high-speed pursuit on Forest Hill Boulevard in West Palm Beach.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy clocked Ross driving a black Kia at 84 mph in a 45 mph zone before blowing through a red light at South Congress Avenue.
The chase escalated as the vehicle hit 102 mph in a 35 mph zone before finally slowing down upon merging onto Interstate 95 southbound, where deputies initiated a traffic stop, according to the criminal probable cause affidavit.
Investigators noted a strong odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, and that Ross was driving without shoes. Deputies also uncovered approximately 7.58 grams of marijuana and a red cooler containing 129 dissolvable strips of Buprenorphine and Naloxone—a generic Suboxone medication—with the prescription labels ripped off.
Initially refusing a breath test, Ross later submitted to evaluations that recorded blood alcohol content levels at 0.146 and 0.146.
Records also showed his driver’s license was canceled in 2024 with prior suspensions.
Ross now faces multiple charges, including DUI, reckless driving, excessive speeding, driving with a suspended license, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
