TAMPA, Fla. — Sheriff Chad Chronister says the man responsible for ramming into a Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputy is behind bars while several people who helped him are now also facing charges.
"This bad guy had zero regard for human life," Chronister said Tuesday during a news conference. The "bad guy" in question was identified as 24-year-old William Lewis Jr.
Chronister detailed what the sheriff's office said happened overnight on July 5. K-9 Deputy Kalin Hall was working overtime during the July 4 holiday as part of the agency's impaired driver initiative.
Hall was in the area of Nebraska and Bearss avenues when Chronister said he spotted a black BMW whose driver couldn't keep the car in one lane. Hall reportedly tried to pull over the driver, who Chronister identified as Lewis.
While Lewis briefly stopped for Hall's flashing lights in his unmarked patrol car, as soon as Hall got out of his car, Lewis sped off, Chronister said.
Because of the holiday and interest in keeping the community safe, Chronister said Hall decided not to pursue Lewis.
However, because Hall was trained in tracking down people, Chronister said he circled nearby neighborhoods until he was able to spot the BMW, which had backed into a parking lot at a nearby apartment complex. It took him less than 25 minutes to locate the car, Chronister said.
The sheriff said Hall pulled in front of the car, turned on his emergency lights and got out of the car to approach the BMW. Chronister said as soon as Hall got out of the car, Lewis took the only exit he had — through Hall.
"He puts the car in gear, hits the gas and intentionally strikes and runs over our deputy knowing that you can't ram the car, the only pathway to his escape is through the deputy sheriff," Chronister said.
"He put the car in gear, hits the gas and runs over the deputy," Chronister continued, "leaving him on the side of the road like an injured dog."
Chronister said Lewis rammed Hall and sped off, not caring to stop or come back to see if Hall was OK. The sheriff said Hall didn't know how serious his injuries were and told the first deputies who came to his aid to, "Please make sure my parents know that I'm sorry for putting them through this kind of trauma." Those could've been his last words. Thankfully, Chronister said, they weren't.
After hitting the deputy, Chronister said Lewis called his girlfriend, 23-year-old Keilise Garrison, told her what happened and asked for help. About a mile away from where he hit Hall, the sheriff said Lewis abandoned the BMW.
As he did this, Chronister said Garrison called Lewis' mom and asked her to pick him up and take him home.
Chronister said investigators traced the BMW to Lewis because he was the registered owner. When they arrived at Lewis' home with a search warrant, Chronister said Lewis was not cooperative and kept denying anything. Chronister said Lewis told investigators he didn't know where his car keys or phone were; both were located on a nightstand in the home, the sheriff said.
After that discovery, Chronister said Lewis asked for a lawyer and ended the conversation with investigators.
"Zero remorse, only denial," Chronister said. He only cared about "not getting captured."
In the days that followed, Chronister said investigators worked tirelessly to piece together what happened and prove Lewis was behind the wheel of the BMW.
As investigators gathered evidence to obtain an arrest warrant from the state attorney's office, Chronister said Lewis was kept under surveillance. During that surveillance, investigators reportedly saw Lewis and a friend, 24-year-old Zachoiry Carnegie, go to a rental car company.
Returning back to Lewis' home with the rental car, Chronister said investigators saw Lewis packing things into the car, getting into the car with Carnegie behind the wheel and driving away. Clear signs Lewis was planning to skip town and try to elude arrest, Chronister claimed.
Investigators reportedly kept their distance and followed the rental car into Pasco County. Hillsborough deputies asked their Pasco counterparts to assist. Chronister said the rental car eventually pulled into a shopping center and that's when authorities decided to strike. Lewis and Carnegie, who has been out on bond for a 2022 attempted murder charge, were both taken into custody, Chronister said.
Lewis is currently held in a Pasco County Jail. He is charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer great harm with a deadly weapon, marijuana possession, leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury, aggravated fleeing to elude serious bodily injury and fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer.
Investigators later added charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
Carnegie was arrested for his role in helping Lewis. Garrison, Lewis' girlfriend, was also arrested for allegedly helping him and was charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence.
Deputies later arrested Lewis' mother, 47-year-old Stephanie Brown, on Monday, July 22 for her alleged involvement in helping her son after he hit Deputy Hall with his vehicle.
The investigation is ongoing.