Police: Officer discharges weapon after driver injures one officer, threatens him
A Cape Coral man is facing multiple charges after officials say he attempted to elude police by first dragging one officer and then driving straight at another as he fled from a gas station on Pine Island Road early Saturday morning.
The officer trapped in the door of the vehicle managed to deploy a stun gun while the second fired two shots at the advancing car but Eddie Vernon Brown Jr., 25, of 1132 NE 3rd Ave, fled the parking lot of the Petro America Gas Station at high speeds to his home where he eventually surrendered.
Brown was charged with resisting with violence, battery of a police officer with a deadly weapon, assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon and fleeing to elude a police officer.
The stun gun shot was ineffective and Brown was not struck when the officer discharged his weapon, officials said.
The first officer received minor injuries to his right arm and left leg.
The incident began at 2:30 a.m, after a Cape Coral police officer responded to the gas station at 3 N.E. Pine Island Road for a subject with a possible warrant. The officer, who has not been identified, made contact with Brown.
The officer asked for and received Brown’s ID.
As the officer began to question Brown about the warrant, Brown became confrontational, officials said, adding the officer called for back up.
Meanwhile, Brown walked away and attempted to enter the gas station, which was closed. Brown then continued to be confrontational with the officer as he walked back to his vehicle, police said.
Brown entered his car and was sitting in the driver’s seat. The officer was standing on the ground next to Brown, between the driver’s seat and inside of the open car door.
Brown turned on the car and rapidly accelerated in reverse before the officer could get out of the way, officials said, adding Brown accelerated and braked several times with the officer trapped inside of the door. Brown accelerated in reverse with the officer trapped and crashed into a concrete post that protects the gas pumps.
The officer deployed his stun gun as he was being dragged, but it was ineffective, police said.
As this was happening, a back-up officer arrived and witnessed what was transpiring. Brown then drove his vehicle at him, putting the second officer in fear for his life. The officer fired two rounds from his service weapon at Brown’s car but did not strike Brown himself.
Brown then fled out of the parking lot and onto Pine Island Road.
Officers pursued him with lights and sirens to his residence on Northeast 3rd Avenue. Brown got out of his car and ran into his home. He later surrendered to police and was taken into custody.
Source: Cape Coral Police Department