A fleeing driver was stopped using the Grappler device in Central Florida.
A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy recently stopped a green Toyota sedan near West Waters Avenue and Redbraes Drive in Tampa after the driver failed to come to a complete stop. During the stop, deputies learned the driver, 38-year-old Danny Wilson III, had an out-of-county warrant related to unpaid child support.
When deputies attempted to take him into custody, Wilson sped away, weaving through traffic and driving at a high rate of speed before turning south onto Sheldon Road.
A deputy deployed the Grappler device, which attached to the rear tire of the vehicle and began bringing it to a stop. Even then, Wilson continued trying to escape, driving over a grass median near Beacon Lakes Drive in an attempt to turn around. Deputies maintained control and the vehicle was fully immobilized.
Wilson was taken into custody. He faced charges including: Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Deadly Weapon (x2), Fleeing to Elude at High Speed, Resisting an Officer Without Violence (x2), Possession of Cannabis (More Than 20 Grams), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Out-of-County Warrant – Failure to Pay Child Support.
“Thanks to the quick actions of deputies and the use of the Grappler device, the situation was brought to a safe end before anyone in the community was injured,” the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated.
The Grappler technology is helping Central Florida deputies stop dangerous drivers.
