Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online

TBO > News

Missing Felon Captured

By JOSH POLTILOVE and MIKE WELLS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2008

Updated: 01/14/2008 12:13 am

A felon who escaped from two Hillsborough County deputies Thursday night is back in custody.
Law enforcement officials caught up with Walter John Brois III Sunday at an empty storage facility at 6543 46th St. N., Building 11, in Pinellas Park.

He was being held without bail at the Pinellas County Jail on Sunday, facing charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle and other charges.

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.
Brois has been arrested at least 24 times since 1995 and has served time in prison on theft and forgery convictions, state records show.

Sheriff's office spokeswoman Debbie Carter gave this account of what happened Thursday:

About 6 p.m., a deputy driving west on Gunn Highway spotted a 2007 Honda motorcycle speeding and doing wheelies.
Brois did a U-turn in a yard and lost control of the bike when deputies tried to pull him over.

After deputies confronted Brois, he pepper-sprayed them in the face, though they were able to handcuff him behind his back and put him in the back of a patrol car.

He lay down in the back seat and complained of chest pains, so deputies pulled him out of the car and called paramedics.
Brois shoved past the paramedics and a deputy. Though still handcuffed, he jumped into another cruiser, flipped his arms around and drove off.

Deputy Henry Alvarez jumped in the driver's side, trying to stop the car, while Deputy John 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 car 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.

Soon after, a resident called to report that someone had stolen his pickup.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com. Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

Share this: