TRAGIC: Naked Florida Man Kills Sheriff Deputy Just One Day Before His Retirement
(Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
A Florida sheriff’s deputy was killed in the line of duty on Monday, just one day before he planned to retire.
According to a press release by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Master Corporal Brian LaVigne, a 30-year veteran of the department, was killed after 28-year-old Travis Zachary Gabriel Garrett purposefully drove his vehicle into the driver side of Corporal LaVigne’s police cruiser as he was attempting to flee the scene.
Hillsborough County Sheriffs were responding to a 911 call that a “black male was nude and acting erratically.”
“The caller reported that a black male had been throwing property out of his apartment window and front door,” according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived at the scene, Garrett became combative and struck one of the deputies, Michael Durig, several times.
Deputies Adam Pautz and Durif deployed tasers against Garrett, but they had no effect on Garrett.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported, “Garrett fled in his car, while Deputy Durig and Deputy Pautz gave chase. Deputy Pautz tries to block Garrett, however, Garrett is able to get past him and crashes through one of the apartment complex’s gated entrances. Garrett continued to flee onto Brandon Parkway, and then westbound onto Lumsden Road, where, according to several witnesses, he intentionally rammed into Master Corporal Brian LaVigne at a high rate of speed. Master Corporal LaVigne was operating his marked HCSO vehicle.”
Master Corporal LaVigne’s fellow deputies worked heroically to try and tend to his injuries, while Hillsborough County Fire Rescue attempted to extricate Master Corporal LaVigne for several minutes.
Despite their courageous efforts and those on frontlines at Tampa General Hospital, Master Corporal LaVigne passed away while in the line of duty.
“Master Corporal Brian LaVigne has been a part of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office family since 1990, and he was just days away from retirement,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We will never forget Master Corporal LaVigne for laying down his life in the line of duty or the response of his squad members who did everything they could to ensure that the individual responsible for his death was apprehended.”
Master Corporal LaVigne was set to retire this week. He was 54 years old.
He is survived by his wife, and two adult children, one of whom is also a deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
