Man's 'ambush' attack with car leaves 2 cops critically injured after running them over deliberately: Police
"What happened today makes me absolutely sick," said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Two police officers have been critically injured after a man “ambushed” them with his car when he accelerated as he got close to them and deliberately ran them over, police said.
The attack occurred early Thursday morning just after 8:00 a.m. in the suburbs of Tampa Bay, Florida, outside of a home in Brandon -- located some 11 miles east of the downtown area -- when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a call from “a woman stating that she was in fear of her son, who was behaving violently at their home,” according to a statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
“When the deputies arrived, they came into contact with Ralph Bouzy, 28, who was in the driver's seat of a vehicle in the driveway of his home,” authorities said. “Deputies tried to make contact with him, expressing they were there to help, but Bouzy refused to speak to them and drove away.”
Approximately 15 minutes later, police say that Bouzy returned to the scene, “deliberately ambushing the deputies there.”
“He accelerated his vehicle as he turned onto Dexwell Court, causing a deputy to jump out of the way to avoid being hit,” the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said. “Bouzy then continued to speed towards two deputies standing outside of their marked patrol SUV, violently colliding with both deputies.”
The two deputies involved were Corporal Carlos Brito, 39, and Deputy Manuel Santos, 31. Both sustained serious, critical injuries and are receiving treatment at Tampa General Hospital.
"There is no other way to describe this other than an ambush," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Our deputies put their lives on the line every day to protect this community and what happened today makes me absolutely sick."
Corporal Brito has been with HCSO since 2013 and Deputy Santos started at HCSO in 2019, authorities confirmed.
Two other deputies who were on site encountered Bouzy after he exited his vehicle following the collision with Brito and Santos and, after he refused law enforcement commands, a taser was deployed and Bouzy was taken into custody, police said.
"Corporal Brito and Deputy Santos came to work today committed to making a difference in their community," added Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Because of this man's deliberate and intentional actions, their lives, and their family's lives are changed forever."
Bouzy has a criminal history and authorities said that he has previously been arrested for three felonies and 14 misdemeanors.
He is now facing three charges of attempted murder on a law enforcement officer in association with Wednesday’s incident.
Police said that the investigation into the collision is still active and that additional charges may be pending.
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