Man who intentionally hit 2 Hillsborough deputies faces attempted murder charges: Officials
TAMPA, Fla. - The two Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies who were nearly killed Thursday morning by a driver who intentionally hit them with his car remained hospitalized Friday.
Hilllsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called the incident an ambush by Ralph Bouzy. The suspect was formally charged with multiple felonies by a Tampa judge on Friday morning.
Corporal Carlos Brito and Deputy Manuel Santos were responding to a mental health call in Brandon when investigators said Bouzy deliberately ran them over, leaving both critically hurt. They’re now at the hospital recovering.
The sheriff released a photo of Deputy Santos in the hospital. He suffered a broken leg which will require surgery.
FOX 13 was told Corporal Brito‘s leg may have to be amputated, but doctors are monitoring his progress and doing everything they can to save his leg.
Bouzy has been charged with three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and prosecutors want to keep him locked up until his trial. The judge withheld bond for Bouzy and has scheduled a bail hearing for next Wednesday, Nov. 15.
This isn't Bouzy's first run in with law enforcement. His criminal past is lengthy, and records show he had 18 mental health cases.
Back in 2015, he attempted to ram his car into a deputy's vehicle during a hit-and-run incident. Later in 2017, during another hit-and-run crash, he attacked a police officer during his arrest.
And later that same year, his family called police after they feared for their lives after he attacked two family members.
Records show his family told officers they tried to get him help for his mental health issues, but Bouzy refused to take his medication.
During that same incident, he intentionally headbutted a deputy and injured him. In some of his criminal cases, Bouzy entered into a pretrial intervention program rather than facing jail time. Records show other charges were dropped.