Two Florida deputies were critically injured Thursday when they were struck by a car in what Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called an “ambush.”
The extent of the injuries to Corporal Carlos Brito, 39, were so severe that he could face having a leg amputated, according to WTVT-TV.
Deputy Manuel Santos, 31, suffered a broken leg in the incident, which began at about 7:44 a.m. when Santos and Brito rolled up to a home in Brandon, Florida, after a woman called deputies saying she was fearful of what her son might do, according to a release on the sheriff’s office’s website.
Ralph Bouzy, 28, was behind the wheel of a vehicle when deputies arrived. Instead of responding to deputies, he drove away.
What came next was released from a compilation of video feeds.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic footage that some viewers will find disturbing
???????: ??????? ?????#teamHCSO is releasing surveillance and body camera footage from today’s ambush of two deputies in Brandon. Both deputies are currently at Tampa General Hospital undergoing surgery for critical injuries.
“Corporal Brito and Deputy… pic.twitter.com/kmcgOA0bu6
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) November 9, 2023
Bouzy returned at about 8 a.m., the release said, “deliberately ambushing the deputies there.”
One deputy jumped out of the way of the car as it accelerated.
The car then plowed into the SUV near which Brito and Santos were standing, hitting both men.
Bouzy left his vehicle and approached an officer.
Deputies then used a taser to stop Bouzy, who ignored police commands. Bouzy was then arrested.
“There is no other way to describe this other than an ambush,” Chronister said. “Our deputies put their lives on the line every day to protect this community and what happened today makes me absolutely sick.”
“Corporal Brito and Deputy Santos came to work today committed to making a difference in their community. Because of this man’s deliberate and intentional actions, their lives, and their family’s lives are changed forever,” he said.
Bouzy has a record of three felony arrests and 14 misdemeanor arrests. He was charged with three counts of Attempted Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer.
Injured HCSO Corporal went ‘above and beyond’, providing memorable acts of kindness #VolunteerWork #BuildingConnections #CommunityEngagement #CommunityInvolvement [Video] As Corporal Carlos Brito is … https://t.co/RpT8mMaunt
— Debbie Griffin (@DebbieGSGN) November 11, 2023
In a post on X, Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he and his wife were “praying for the deputies who were seriously injured during this ambush in Brandon.”
“We don’t tolerate attacks on our law enforcement officers in Florida. The coward who brutally attacked these deputies will be punished,” he wrote.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.