There was danger on duty for a Florida deputy who was clinging to a car, while trying to catch a suspect. That deputy recognized the suspect at a gas station due to his long history of violence against law enforcement.
“Hey can you step out of the car please,” said the deputy. “Step out of the car.”
The incident involved a Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy who spotted the suspect who is wanted for battery on Saturday.
But instead of getting out of his car, 40-year-old Paul Smith took off while the deputy was still reaching inside the driver’s side window to stop him.
“And the suspect then decides that he’s going to drive away from the scene with the deputy inside,” said Pasco County Chief Deputy Jefferey Harrington. “And at that point, the deputy’s fighting for his life. At one point in time, witnesses told us that they saw the deputy sheriff’s legs hanging onto the vehicle and that the suspect drove away from the scene recklessly.”
The deputy deployed his taser as Smith showed no signs of slowing down. But Smith kept going and the deputy made the consequences clear.
“Get out, oh my God, please get out,” screamed the Smith. ‘
You’re gonna get shot,” screamed the deputy. “Stop the car, your’e gonna get shot.”
It’s not clear how many shots the deputy fired.
Smith’s car decelerated and he was taken to a hospital where he later died.
“Had the suspect just listen to what the deputy had said, none of this would have occurred and we would not be here today talking about an officer-involved shooting,” Harrington said. “The deputy reacted to the decisions and the actions that the suspect took and life is about decisions, so the deputy sheriff decided that he was going to go home tonight.”
The deputy was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
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