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Man dies, officer injured after high-speed chase
By KRISTEN KRIDEL Alligator Writer
Law enforcement officers opened fire on a man who drove into a Gainesville police officer Tuesday morning after he led them on a high-speed chase through two counties.
Officials say William Christmas died after the shooting, but they would not say if it was because of gunshot wounds or from driving his car into an animal hospital wall.
According to a news release:
An Alachua County deputy informed ASO, Florida Highway Patrol and Gainesville Police officers that a driver was leaving Alachua County and entering Union County around 8:30 a.m. Christmas then drove his red Nissan back into Alachua County at speeds exceeding 120 mph.
After Christmas stopped at the 1300 block of Northwest 39th Avenue, law enforcement tried to get him out of his vehicle. Instead, Christmas accelerated and hit GPD Officer John O’Ferell. Law enforcement officers then started shooting at Christmas.
Christmas’ car hit the wall of Shores Animal Hospital at 3811 NW 13th St. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Because both GPD officers and ASO deputies were involved, State Attorney Bill Cervone’s office is handling the criminal investigation, said Spencer Mann, the State Attorney’s spokesman.
Mann did not say if both law enforcement agencies were involved in the shooting or not.
O’Ferell was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a knee injury, GPD spokesman Keith Kameg said.
O’Ferell and the ASO deputies involved in the incident - Joel Coppock and Greg Lyons - have been taken off active duty.
Both GPD and ASO are conducting internal investigations, Mann said.
Officials did not release any information about Christmas or why he was traveling at high speeds through Alachua County
Man dies, officer injured after high-speed chase
By KRISTEN KRIDEL Alligator Writer
Law enforcement officers opened fire on a man who drove into a Gainesville police officer Tuesday morning after he led them on a high-speed chase through two counties.
Officials say William Christmas died after the shooting, but they would not say if it was because of gunshot wounds or from driving his car into an animal hospital wall.
According to a news release:
An Alachua County deputy informed ASO, Florida Highway Patrol and Gainesville Police officers that a driver was leaving Alachua County and entering Union County around 8:30 a.m. Christmas then drove his red Nissan back into Alachua County at speeds exceeding 120 mph.
After Christmas stopped at the 1300 block of Northwest 39th Avenue, law enforcement tried to get him out of his vehicle. Instead, Christmas accelerated and hit GPD Officer John O’Ferell. Law enforcement officers then started shooting at Christmas.
Christmas’ car hit the wall of Shores Animal Hospital at 3811 NW 13th St. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Because both GPD officers and ASO deputies were involved, State Attorney Bill Cervone’s office is handling the criminal investigation, said Spencer Mann, the State Attorney’s spokesman.
Mann did not say if both law enforcement agencies were involved in the shooting or not.
O’Ferell was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a knee injury, GPD spokesman Keith Kameg said.
O’Ferell and the ASO deputies involved in the incident - Joel Coppock and Greg Lyons - have been taken off active duty.
Both GPD and ASO are conducting internal investigations, Mann said.
Officials did not release any information about Christmas or why he was traveling at high speeds through Alachua County
