A Key Largo man remains behind bars after he allegedly attacked a woman, charged a deputy who responded to the incident, fled in a sheriff’s patrol car and stole a woman’s car in Key Largo on Dec. 23.
Armando Lopez, 52, faces a litany of charges, including attempted murder, battery by strangulation, resisting an officer, grand theft auto and fleeing and eluding.
The sheriff’s office responded to the report on a domestic incident in progress at a home on Palm Drive just before 4:30 p.m. The report stated that Lopez was beating a woman at the house. A sheriff’s sergeant who responded to the incident was reportedly attacked by Lopez. A tussle ensued as Lopez punched the sergeant and tried to take a service weapon from the sergeant’s holster.
Lopez left the house and drove away in the sergeant’s patrol car. The sergeant’s attempt to Tase Lopez failed as he took off. Deputies say Lopez drove to the end of the road where he stopped a Kia SUV in the patrol car. He reportedly forced the female driver out of the car, jumped inside and drove north. Lopez rear-ended another vehicle near MM104, causing the Kia to flip.
Lopez was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier and then to jail.
“I am relieved there were no life-threatening injuries caused by this incident and the suspect is currently where he needs to be — sitting in jail,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “It is a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers routinely face while simply doing their jobs.”
An arraignment hearing is set for Tuesday, Jan. 7 in front of Judge James Morgan at the Plantation Key Courthouse.
