A Central Florida suspect for domestic-related assault was killed in a hit and run while police attempted to arrest him.
Tampa Police officers were called to the report of what appeared to be a domestic-related assault taking place in the 4000 block of West Hillsborough Avenue at approximately 2:20am.
Witnesses provided a detailed description of the suspect. A community member who witnessed the assault attempted to intervene before officers arrived. The first officer on scene located the suspect and attempted to question him.
The suspect refused to obey commands and attempted to re-enter the vehicle where the female victim was. The suspect then attempted to leave on foot, refusing officer’s lawful commands to stop.
The officer deployed his taser, and a vehicle traveling eastbound on Hillsborough Avenue struck the suspect and continued without stopping.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
This is classified as an in custody death due to the fact that the officer was attempting to make an arrest when the suspect was hit by a car.
The video released shows the suspect being struck by a vehicle, which fled the scene, as the officer was deploying his taser while attempting to arrest the suspect:
Tampa Police Traffic Homicide Detectives were working to identify and locate the vehicle that left the scene, which was described as a blue 4-door sedan, possibly a Nissan Altima.
The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Frank E. Rodriguez and next of kin has been notified, according to Tampa Police. Rodriguez has pending felony domestic violence and felony criminal mischief charges from an arrest in Hillsborough County on May 20, 2024.
Officer Luis Garcia, a six-month veteran of the Tampa Police Department with previous law enforcement experience, has been placed on administrative leave which is standard procedure for an in-custody death investigation. An internal investigation will be conducted to ensure the officer adhered to all department policies and procedures.
A local Victim’s Advocate will work with the female victim in this case. Her injuries were reported as non-life threatening.
The Tampa Police Department encourages anyone who may be a victim of domestic violence to seek help by calling law enforcement. Additional resources are available online.
If you are being abused or in need of immediate assistance, call 911.
