2 Florida Deputies Critically Injured, 1 May Lose His Leg: Sheriff

BRANDON, FL — Two Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies have undergone surgery and one may lose his leg after a driver with a history of mental health problems ran them down in Heather Lakes subdivision in Brandon Thursday.

Cpl. Carlos Brito, 39, and Deputy Manuel Santos, 31, both suffered critical injuries. They were rushed to the trauma center at Tampa General Hospital, said Sheriff Chad Chronister during a news conference earlier Thursday.

"Cpl. Brito and Deputy Santos came to work today committed to making a difference in their community," said Chronister."Because of this man's deliberate and intentional actions, their lives, and their family's lives, are changed forever."

At 7:44 a.m., the sheriff's communications center received a call from a woman who lives on Dexwell Court in Heather Lakes. She said her son was behaving violently and irrationally, kicking in doors throughout the home. She told dispatchers that she feared for her life.

When deputies arrived, they found Ralph Bouzy, 28, sitting in the driver's seat of a Nissan Altima in the driveway of the home on Drexwell Court. Deputies tried to talk to him, asking how they could help but they said Bouzy refused to speak to them.

“They try to establish a rapport,” Chronister said. “They try to de-escalate the situation. He wants nothing to do with the deputies. He won’t roll the window down. He won’t open up the door. He won’t even engage in conversation.”

Instead, Chronister said Bouzy put the car in reverse and drove off.

The deputies were still at the home when Bouzy returned around 8 a.m. Both were standing about 10 feet from their marked sheriff's sports utility vehicles. Chronister said Bouzy "deliberately accelerated and aimed his car at them."

Chronister said they both tried to jump out of Bouzy's way but struck one deputy and continued driving, striking the next deputy, pinning them both against their SUVs.

The sheriff said Brito was the most severely injured. A piece of the femur bone in his leg became stuck between the Nissan and his sheriff's SUV. Doctors at Tampa General say they may have to amputate the leg, Chronister said.

The surgeon at Tampa General asked deputies to transport the piece of femur bone left at the scene to the hospital so he could use it to try to save Brito's leg.

Santos also suffered significant leg injuries, said Chronister. He has a bilateral break in one leg.

There has been no update since Chronister's news conference on the condition of the two deputies.

Chronister said he has no doubt that Bouzy intended to harm the deputies.

"This was intentional," he said. Chronister said Bouzy accelerated his vehicle as he turned onto Dexwell Court, a cul de sac, then sped toward them, "violently colliding with both deputies."

“There is no other way to describe this other than an ambush,” said Chronister. “Our deputies put their lives on the line every day to protect this community and what happened today makes me absolutely sick.”

Backup deputies at the scene approached Bouzy after he got out of the Nissan and began walking “nonchalantly” toward the home, the sheriff said. The deputies used tasers to subdue Bouzy after he ignored their commands to halt, Chronister said. Bouzy then fell to the ground and deputies handcuffed him.

Chronister said Bouzy has a history of mental problems. According to Hillsborough County court records, more than a dozen mental health cases involving Bouzy have landed in court including four this year.

He also has five prior arrests, and has been charged with three felonies and 14 misdemeanors.

Bouzy is now facing three counts of attempted murder of law enforcement officers. Other charges may be added later, the sheriff said.

The sheriff's office has released surveillance videos taken from neighboring homes and body-worn camera footage from the backup deputies.

The surveillance videos show the moment Bouzy's car crashed into the two deputies.

The body camera footage shows Bouzy getting out of the car and walking toward the house as the deputies deployed their stun guns to stop him.

“He chose today to use his car as a weapon,” Chronister said. “These deputies never had a chance. They didn’t have a chance to get out of the way.”

Brito has been with sheriff's office since 2013. Santos joined the sheriff's office in 2019.

Tonight, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis weighed in on the crash that nearly killed the two deputies.

"Casey DeSantis and I are praying for the deputies who were seriously injured during an ambush in Brandon," he said on his Facebook page. "We don’t tolerate attacks on our law enforcement officers in Florida. The coward who brutally attacked these deputies will be punished."