TAMPA, FL – A harrowing incident unfolded in Florida as two Hillsborough County deputies were critically injured when a man intentionally drove his car into them. The deputies, Cpl. Carlos Brito, 39, and Deputy Manny Santos, 31, were responding to a 911 call about a woman’s adult son displaying violent tendencies.
The suspect, 28-year-old Ralph Bouzy, initially fled the scene when the deputies tried to engage him. However, he soon returned, speeding his car into the officers and pinning them against their patrol car. The sheriff’s office released home security footage of the shocking incident. Bouzy was subsequently tasered and apprehended.
The deputies, both suffering from serious leg injuries, are hospitalized but expected to pull through. One of them may require leg amputation due to the severity of his injuries, according to Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister. He described the incident as an “ambush,” emphasizing that Bouzy intentionally used his vehicle as a weapon.
In light of the incident, the sheriff’s office initiated a fundraiser on Friday to aid Cpl. Brito and Deputy Santos during their recovery. The Lynn Sowers Memorial Foundation will manage the funds raised, which will be used to cover medical expenses, rehabilitation, and additional support for the injured deputies and their families.
Bouzy, who has a history of three felonies and 14 misdemeanors, now faces charges of attempted murder of law enforcement officers. Sheriff Chronister revealed that Bouzy had previously shown hostility towards law enforcement, even threatening to kill a deputy after a hit-and-run arrest in 2017.