TAMPA, Fla. โ After nearly a month in the hospital, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's corporal is finally on the road to recovery.
Corporal Carlos Brito was one of two deputies seriously hurt when a man intentionally rammed his car into them. At one point, Brito's injuries were so severe doctors weren't sure they would be able to save his leg, Sheriff Chad Chronister said previously. Brito has already had several surgeries on his leg.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office shared that Brito was being released from Tampa General Hospital to a rehab center. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crew members were there to escort Brito from the hospital to rehab.
"He is a fantastic example of resilience and determination to move forward in this long and arduous process," the sheriff's office said on social media. "He couldn't do this without the support of the wonderful medical team at TGH, his #teamHCSO family, and the community."
Brito and Deputy Manny Santos found themselves targeted by 28-year-old Ralph Bouzy who is accused of using his car to ram into them. He's now facing multiple counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
On Nov. 9, both Brito and Santos responded to a 911 call from Bouzy's mother. She said her son, who lives with her, was acting "irrational and violent," and she was in fear for her life.
Brito and Santos tried to make contact with Bouzy, who was sitting in his car in the Heather Lakes area home's driveway. After refusing to interact with deputies, Bouzy drove off.
He would soon return, however. This time, he was speeding back, according to the sheriff's office. Seconds after narrowly missing two other deputies, Chronister said Bouzy intentionally aimed his car toward Brito and Santos, ultimately hitting them and pushing them between his car and one of the deputy's marked SUVs.
Bouzy was tased and arrested by the other two deputies.
10 Tampa Bay's previous coverage contributed to this report.