Judge orders man accused of ‘ambushing’ Hillsborough County deputies to mental health facility
TAMPA, Fla. - On Wednesday, a judge decided the immediate future of the man accused of intentionally crashing into two Hillsborough County deputies en route to a call at his home.
After reading a physician’s report, a judge ruled that Ralph Bouzy, who did not appear in court, was incompetent to stand trial and met the criteria for involuntary commitment for secure placement.
Lawyers for Ralph Bouzy had argued earlier that he is mentally ill and should receive treatment instead of jail time.
Bouzy was charged with three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer after Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said he ‘ambushed’ the deputies on November 9 by deliberating ramming them with his car, leaving them both critically injured.
On Tuesday, nearly a month after the incident, Corporal Carlos Brito left Tampa General Hospital and headed to a rehabilitation facility.
Corporal Carlos Brito left TGH on Tuesday and headed to a rehabilitation facility. Courtesy: The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The other deputy who was injured, Manuel Santos, suffered a broken leg and required surgery. He was released from the hospital on November 11.
This wasn’t Bouzy’s first brush with the law.
Officials say in 2015, Bouzy tried to ram his car into a deputy’s vehicle during a hit-and-run incident. In 2017, during another hit-and-run crash, investigators say Bouzy attacked a police officer during his arrest. Later that year, Bouzy’s family called police because they feared for their lives following an attack on two relatives, according to authorities.
Ralph Bouzy mugshots courtesy of HCSO.
Authorities say Bouzy also injured a deputy by headbutting him.
Records show Bouzy’s family tried to get him help for mental health issues, but he refused to take his medication.
Bouzy’s mother told deputies her son was bipolar and schizophrenic and was out of medication the day he struck the two deputies. She added that Bouzy was trashing the house and acting aggressively.
Ralph Bouzy mugshot courtesy of HCSO.
The public defender's office also filed a motion explaining that Bouzy’s mother tried to get her son mental health treatment but failed. They say the mother tried to Baker Act Bouzy days before he hit deputies, but for some reason, the court rejected his mother’s request twice.
Before that, there were 15 Baker Act proceedings in his criminal record that his lawyers point to as evidence of his mental illness.
According to documents, in some criminal cases, Bouzy entered into a pretrial intervention program instead of facing jail time and in other cases, charges were dropped.
After receiving mental health treatment, Bouzy will head to trial when he is deemed competent.