Two suspects wanted in connection with an attempted homicide in New Jersey were detained Tuesday afternoon in unincorporated Seminole County, Florida, after one attempted to run and was struck by a deputy’s car, according to Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
Deputies received information that 19-year-old Darren Salazar and 20-year-old Janelly Ramos were near the intersection of Red Bug Lake Road and Tuskawilla Road around noon.
According to the announcement, Salazar attempted to flee from deputies while surveilling the defendants’ vehicle.
“The male then ran from the car, leaving the female in the car,” Sheriff Lemma stated Wednesday. “And as he was running through the roadway, he turned and reached into his waistband.”
A video acquired by News 6 shows the man lying in the middle of the intersection after being struck by a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office car while attempting to flee.
Sheriff Lemma explained that his deputies acted to prevent a perceived threat.
“The deputy that was there on the scene saw him reaching for his waistband, believed it to be him grabbing for a firearm, and then intentionally used the vehicle to minimize the threat, hit him with the vehicle and then put him down on the ground,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
While the intersection of Red Bug Lake Road and Tuskawilla Road was closed for investigation, all lanes of traffic reopened around 6:30 p.m.
According to Lemma, one of his department’s license plate readers detected the presence of a wanted criminal in the neighborhood.
“We had unmarked vehicles in the area, because typically, what we’ll do is we will want to confirm that the driver of the vehicle matches the description of the person that’s wanted,” according to Sheriff Lemma.
According to the sheriff, deputies discovered two occupants in the car: a man and a woman sought in connection with an attempted killing in New Jersey.
Salazar, the guy struck by the deputy’s vehicle, is in the hospital with broken ribs and other injuries, according to the sheriff, who said the injuries are not life-threatening.
Ramos, the lady arrested at the scene, was booked into the Seminole County Jail and appeared before a judge Wednesday afternoon.
During her first appearance, she was asked if she wanted to waive extradition back to New Jersey, and she said, “Yeah.”
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