WATCH: Shark Trails Man After He Swims Out To Sea To Evade Police

In a harrowing video shared by authorities, a man who was reportedly being pursued by police and swam out to sea to evade arrest found himself being stalked by a shark in the process. Drone footage shows the man swimming roughly a mile out from shore in Surf City, North Carolina, as the predator trails behind him.

Zachary Kingsbury of Lynnwood, Washington was pulled over Wednesday during a traffic stop, at which time police observed “illegal contraband” in his vehicle, local ABC-affiliate WTVD reported Thursday. While being questioned, 20-year-old Kingsbury was able to temporarily evade police by foot before jumping into the ocean and swimming some 4,000 feet offshore.

Video showing the man swimming out to sea while a shark stalked him a mere 60 feet away was posted by the Port City Daily, an online newspaper for the Cape Fear region.

Police were able to track the man for some time using a drone. It was then that Surf City Police noticed the shark in the water, at which point Surf City Police Chief Ron Shanadan said the pursuit “became a rescue operation.”

The Port City Daily reported that Pender County emergency crews and a Fire Marine unit were dispatched to the scene. The United States Coast Guard, Surf City’s fire department and authorities from Topsail Beach were all called in as well. It was not clear Thursday whether the man knew the shark was nearby.

Police temporarily lost the man after the drone ran out of batteries, the Charlotte Observer reported Thursday.

“After 60 minutes of flight time, Kingsbury was over 4,000 feet offshore and visual contact was lost. At that point, the operation became a rescue operation,” Surf City Police said in a statement.

Kingsburg was later located and apprehended Wednesday evening in the Topsail Beach area after a three-hour search. He is currently being held at the Pender County jail and faces multiple charges that include resisting arrest, obstructing an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine and possession of marijuana of up to a half an ounce.