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NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick.
Oak Hill Police Chief Diane Young, second from right, greets off-duty police officer Brandy Sutherlin's wife, Christina, Saturday night while he's filling out a report, at left. At far right is Sgt. Mike Ihnken. Young arrived in the parking lot where a bunch of cop cars were gathered at a gas station across from the New Smyrna Speedway after Sutherlin shot at a Ford pick-up truck that had done a 180 turn on State Road 44 and drove straight toward his vehicle. The two vehicles had been involved in a scrape minutes earlier on Interstate 95 in New Smyrna Beach. No injuries were reported and the other vehicle fled.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An off-duty Oak Hill cop driving south on I-95 with his wife was clipped by a black Ford pick-up truck that resulted in the officer firing a shot at the other vehicle after the two left the interstate for State Road 44 and the other vehicle made a sudden turn and drove straight toward his car.
New Smyrna Beach police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers are shown in these photos in the parking lot of the Kangaroo convenience/gas on State Road 44, across from the New Smyrna Speedway, shortly after the 9:38 p.m. shooting incident.
Nobody was hurt in the 9:28 p.m. incident, but the off-duty cop, Brandy Sutherlin told responding Florida Highway Patrol troopers and New Smyrna Beach police he fired shots because he feared for his life and that of his wife, Christina.
He had called 9-1-1 on the interstate and reported the situation to the Florida Highway Patrol, but after pursuing the other vehicle off the highway and west onto S.R. 44, the other driver suddenly did a 180 and the off-duty Oak Hill cop in his own vehicle, fired his gun once. The other vehicle then took off. The incident occurred just east of the Venetian Bay entrance.
New Smyrna Beach police have identified the driver of the truck as Jared Wayne Williams, 21, of Perry, near Gainesville.
New Smyrna Beach police Sgt. Christopher Roos said it is unknown if Sutherlin struck the driver, his vehicle or both.
The incident is being handled as a joint investigation between the FHP and New Smyrna Beach police and charges of aggravated assault are pending against the driver with the Oak Hill couple as victims.