Florida Deputy Killed From Man Ramming Patrol Car Was A Day From Retirement

A 54-year-old Florida deputy who was a day away from retirement was hit and killed by a man fleeing authorities, according to NBC Miami.

Cpl. Brian LaVigne spent three decades working at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and his last day was supposed to be Tuesday (January 12), according to Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Officials said 28-year-old Travis Zachary Gabriel Garrett was arrested Monday night (January 11) and faces multiple charges. Earlier that day in the afternoon, deputies were called to Garrett's apartment regarding erratic behavior. Reports say he was allegedly throwing furniture and clothes from the balcony of his Tampa apartment, but since he wasn't committing a crime, they cleared the call.

Later, they got more calls about Garrett being nude and throwing food at neighbors, according to Chronister. When deputies arrived, Garrett struck a deputy in the head multiple times, the sheriff said. Attempts to Taser the suspect failed, too, they added.

That's when Garrett got into a car and went “as fast as he could make that car go," officials said. Chronister said Garrett rammed through a back gate and intentionally hit LaVigne's marked patrol car on the driver side.

“He had never hit the brakes,” the sheriff said. “There were no skid marks. He was intentionally running that car into the corporal’s car.” Initially, they couldn't reach the unresponsive LaVigne due to the wreckage, according to Chronister. “They’re doing everything they can, from breaking windows, trying to crawl in from the back window," he added.

Firefighters were able to free LaVigne, and he was rushed to the hospital, but the deputy died from his injuries. LaVigne is survived by his wife and two children, one of whom is a deputy at the sheriff's office, according to officials.

“You could only imagine the pain they’re going through being only one shift away from retirement,” Chronister said.

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