Broward Deputies Injured In West Park Confrontation
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Two Broward Sheriff's deputies were injured Friday morning when they confronted a man in West Park.
Around 2:13 a.m. the deputies spotted what appeared to be man passed out, or sleeping, behind the wheel of a car with the engine running in the parking lot of a plaza in the 4200 block of West Hallandale Beach Boulevard. That man was later identified as 49-year old John Musso.
Witnesses said deputies tapped on the windshield and driver's side window but Musso didn't respond. When a female deputy opened the driver side door, Musso appeared to be startled when he woke up and put the car in reverse, hitting both the female deputy and another male deputy.
The care went in reverse for about 50 yards, and hit one of the deputy's patrol cars, before stopped.
The sheriff's office said one of the deputies fired at the man's car.
"At some point the police have to protect themselves," said retired Miami-Dade corrections officer Pamela Williams who owns a business in the area.
Williams said she didn't expect this sort of thing to happen in West Park.
"The two cops that are there, you either stop or you know something, maybe he was startled, surprised, however, but me, myself, I wouldn't react, maybe, like that," said Williams.
Williams said when she heard about the shooting she was disturbed.
"To see what occurred with two officers because I retired from Metro-Dade Corrections, so you know, I have love for my department, love for law enforcement, so it just blew my mind," said Williams.
Both deputies and Musso were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At this point, Musso had superficial wounds, possibly from shattered glass.
"I heard the helicopters going around and said there's something up and I gotta go see," said West Park Commissioner Thomas Dorsett who went to the scene.
Dorsett said he's lived the area for 45 years and is concerned about what happened.
After being taken into custody, Musso admitted he was doing drugs in the car when he passed out. He didn't say why he decided to run over the deputies and attempt to flee.
