The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two suspects responsible for intentionally striking an HCSO vehicle after attempting to flee.
On January 7th, at approximately 1:30am, District V deputies, aviation, and K9 units responded to the report of two suspects burglarizing vehicles within the Paddock Club Apartment Complex, near Tampa.
The aviation unit observed the two suspects, 17-year-old Luis Guzman and 17-year-old Nathaniel Figueroa Lopez entering an unreported stolen vehicle and leaving the apartment complex.
Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop as the suspects fled the parking lot, but they refused to stop and intentionally struck an HCSO vehicle. The vehicle ultimately fled eastbound on I-4 to Osceola County.
Multiple agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, assisted in carefully pursuing the suspects.
Guzman and Lopez stopped the vehicle at the 500 Royal Palm Drive area in Kissimmee and then fled on foot towards a residential area. HCSO K9 units tracked down Guzman, who was hiding under a blanket. Lopez was found hiding in a shed nearby.
“Amidst the criminal and reckless actions of these two suspects, our deputies displayed unmatched professionalism and determination. Despite the deliberate strike on an HCSO deputy vehicle, our deputies’ commitment to the community’s safety while apprehending the suspects never faltered,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I am immensely proud of and thankful for our law enforcement partners for their seamless collaboration as these suspects fled across multiple jurisdictions.”
In total, six vehicle burglaries were reported.
The HCSO deputy who was struck did not sustain any injuries.
