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Hillsborough Fugitive Caught After 3-Day Run

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune
and MIKE WELLS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2008

A felon who escaped from two Hillsborough County deputies Thursday night is back in custody.

Law enforcement officials caught Walter John Brois III at an empty storage facility in Pinellas Park.

"They worked diligently throughout the weekend, and we are glad that he is now back in custody," sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Hillsborough County deputies, the U.S. Marshalls Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Pinellas Park officers followed leads to catch Brois at 6543 46th St. N., Building 11.

He will be booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

On Thursday, the 36-year-old Tampa man wrestled with and pepper-sprayed deputies, stole a patrol car and dragged one deputy 75 feet before slamming through three fences, authorities said at the time. He might have stolen a pickup after the cruiser crashed, they said.

Brois has been arrested at least 24 times since 1995 and has served time twice in a Florida prison on theft and forgery convictions, state records show. He was released from prison in 2002 and three years later was sentenced to five years of probation on convictions for theft and stopping payment on a check to defraud.

Carter gave this account of Thursday's incident:

About 6 p.m., Deputy Kevin Bennett was driving west on Gunn Highway when he spotted a 2007 Honda motorcycle speeding and doing wheelies.

When the motorcycle entered Logan Gate subdivision, Bennett activated his patrol car's emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. Deputy John Footman was in the area and also activated his lights.

Brois did a U-turn in a yard and lost control of the bike.

When the deputies confronted Brois, he pulled out a chemical agent and sprayed their faces. They managed to handcuff his hands behind his back and put him in the back seat of Footman's patrol car.

The deputies radioed for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. While paramedics treated Bennett and Footman for the chemical agent, sheriff's Cpl. Jean Becker and Deputy Henry Alvarez arrived to assist.

Alvarez saw Brois lying down in the back seat of the patrol unit and complaining of chest pains. He summoned paramedics, and Brois was removed from the car.

Brois shoved the paramedics away, pushed past Alvarez and jumped into the driver's seat of Footman's patrol car. He still was handcuffed but had managed to rotate his arms to his front and could drive.

Alvarez jumped in the driver's side to stop the car, and Footman followed on foot.

After the car rolled about 75 feet, Alvarez fell away and Footman jumped in and tried to remove the keys. As the vehicle approached a utility pole, Footman also fell away.

Brois smashed though three fences and drove to the back of the subdivision, where the car jumped an embankment and he abandoned it.

Shortly afterward, a resident of the subdivision called the sheriff's office to report that someone had stolen his maroon, dual-wheel 1990 Chevrolet pickup.

Deputies found the handcuffs in the park, Carter said.

Alvarez was treated at a local hospital but not admitted, Carter said. Footman was not injured.

There were warrants for Brois in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Orange counties, ranging from felony petty theft, dealing in stolen property, grand theft auto to false imprisonment and kidnapping.

When Brois was arrested today, he again said he wasn't feeling well, Carter said. Pinellas County Fire Rescue came to the scene and checked him out before he was taken to jail.

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