Deputy-Involved Shooting Sends Fleeing Man To Hospital

The day went from bad to worse for a "career criminal" whose attempt to flee from a gas station in Mango put detectives at risk, resulting in shots that led to the man's hospitalization, according to Cristal Bermudez Nunez, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

"One of the detectives was actually right up on the vehicle, with his hand on the hood, about to be struck by the vehicle," she said, in an interview from the scene, at about 6 p.m. "It wasn't like they were far away shooting at a car about to drive away. They were in fear of their life, of being run over."

The incident occurred Aug. 27, at the RaceTrac gas station in Mango, at the corner of County Road 579 and East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Reportedly, at 3:17 p.m., Justin Bryant, 25, was at the pump in a stolen vehicle when three detectives, who had him under surveillance, made their move to serve two warrants for grand theft auto. According to Nunez, there also were "two cases of probable grand theft auto" against Bryant as well.

"The suspect is a career criminal," she said. "He has 46 previous felonies, with charges ranging from grand theft of a firearm to the armed burglary of a dwelling."

According to Nunez, Bryant was released from jail July 25. She said he had been serving time for "obstructing or opposing an officer without force, grand theft of a motor vehicle, providing false information on a pawn-broker form and dealing in stolen property."

His last known address, she said, given on his latest booking report, was "2718 Scholhouse Lane, Durant." (Note: "Durant" is not a city, but there is a Schoolhouse Lane in Plant City, near Durant Road.)

At the RaceTrac gas station Aug. 27, one of the detectives, whose name has not been released, approached a person pumping gas in front of Bryant's car, and alerted him to move away, Nunez said.

Meanwhile, the two other detectives approached the front of the vehicle occupied by Bryant, identified by Nunez as a stolen Navigator. "The suspect swerved his vehicle and stepped on the gas, intent to strike the two detectives, and that's they they fired," Nunez said.

Two bullets were fired and one struck Bryant in the chest, Nunez said. "We're not sure whose bullet struck him," she added.

The two detectives were placed on administrative leave, as is routine in deputy involved shootings, pending a review by the State's Attorney's Office.

Nunez identified the detectives as Patrick Saunders, 38, with eight years experience with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and Jeff Fender, 48, who has 18 years with the office.

In addition to his previous charges, Nunez said Bryant will be facing two charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. She added that a Charger and a Jeep, and a Navigator and a Suzuki, were involved in the two warrants and two probable-cause cases involving grand theft auto, respectively.