Today, our agency has been shaken by a devastating incident. Thankfully, despite the suspect’s clear intention and determination to harm one of our deputies, we do not have to plan a funeral.
Good afternoon everyone, my name is Josh Benson and I am grateful for your presence. The Hillsboro County Sheriff’s Office experienced a horrifying morning when a man attempted to take the lives of two deputies. The shocking footage captures the suspect ramming his car into both deputies, resulting in severe injuries. This alarming incident took place on dexel court in the Heather Lakes neighborhood, just off flaxwood Avenue in Brandon.
Our reporter, Nicole Rogers, is on the scene to provide us with the latest updates. Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed his emotions and stated that this act was intentional, which is absolutely terrifying.
I must warn you that the following video may be distressing to watch. The body camera footage reveals the moment when the lives of two deputies changed forever.
The impact was so intense that it was described by some as a gunshot, but it was actually the sound of the car colliding with the deputies. According to Sheriff Chronister, it all began with a 911 call from a woman who reported her 28-year-old son, Ralph Boozy, having a mental health crisis. He was vandalizing the house, posing a threat to her safety. Two deputies responded to the call and found Boozy sitting in the driver’s seat of a Nissan Ultima.
They attempted to establish a dialogue and deescalate the situation, but Boozy refused any interaction with the deputies. He then left the scene, but this was not the end of the story. Two additional deputies rushed to the scene after learning about Boozy’s extensive criminal history, which includes multiple felonies and misdemeanors.
At this point, Boozy returned to the scene and aggressively maneuvered his car towards the two newly arrived deputies, forcing them to jump between their patrol cars to avoid being hit. Sheriff Chronister emphasized that these deputies had no time to react or.
