Suspect rammed into Lakeland police vehicles at shopping plaza, crashed near park: LPD

Suspect in custody after officer-involved shooting

Carla Bayron reports

LAKELAND, Fla. - A suspect is behind bars after ramming into Lakeland police vehicles and leading officers on a chase along U.S. 98 Monday afternoon, according to investigators.

Investigators also said an officer with the Lakeland Police Department fired at the suspect, identified as 57-year-old John Alfred Hofman, when he rammed into the police vehicles.

It all started just before 12:45 p.m. when Lakeland police responded to calls of a man in a white Lincoln sedan who appeared to be incapacitated. According to officials, the vehicle was stopped at a stop sign in the 1700 block of Lakehurst Street and the vehicle was still running.

READ: 3 injured, 3 in custody after shooting in Spring Hill, deputies say

Officers said they tried to talk with the suspect, but he woke up and slammed into a nearby vehicle as he drove off. Police didn't pursue him then, but he was spotted again at a gas station in the 3400 block of U.S. 98 North/

LPD officer tried to stop him again, but the suspect drove off a second time, authorities said. Officers didn't chase after the suspect then either.

Just after 1:15 p.m. the suspect's vehicle was found again at the Village Plaza parking lot. As officers approached the suspect's car, he hopped from the back seat into the front seat, and repeatedly rammed two police vehicles while trying to drive off.

That's when investigators said one of the responding Lakeland police officers fired at the suspect several times. As he drove off, police said they pursued after him on U.S. 98 North to Wedgewood Estates Boulevard where he crashed near Douglas M. Cook Park.

One officer had minor injuries and was treated and released from Lakeland Regional Health, according to investigators. Hofman was also taken to LRH for evaluation, but he didn't sustain any obvious injuries and was taken to the Polk County Jail.

Hofman has a criminal history with more than 30 criminal charges and 10 felony convictions, according to law enforcement. On top of charges from his arrest on Monday, he also had felony warrants from Sumter and Volusia counties.

According to police, the Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force from the 10th Judicial Circuit’s Office of the State Attorney will be investigating the incident, which is customary for all officer-involved shootings.

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