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PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFTS) — A man took a Taser from a Pasco deputy during a violent struggle, then tried to steal his firearm as well before being subdued by good Samaritans and another deputy, authorities say.
It started when Deputy Darren Goodwald conducted a traffic stop on a grey Dodge caravan because the tag didn’t match the vehicle. The driver ran from the car and around a home before returning to the car.
He then backed his vehicle into the deputy’s vehicle. He again ran and tried to steal a woman’s Nissan, but could not get in because it was locked.
Deputy Goodwald was still in pursuit and eventually tackled the suspect, identified as Bryan Stephen Roque, 30.
After the tackle, the suspect fought with the deputy and was even able to remove Goodwald’s Taser from its holster.
He squeezed the trigger, striking both himself and the deputy, incapacitating them both.
Once free from the effects of the Taser, Deputy Goodwald reportedly reached for his firearm and found that Roque was already trying to remove it.
“I was in fear of my life. Every thought in my mind was ‘you might die,'” said Goodwald.
During the struggle, good Samaritans jumped in and another deputy arrived and used his Taser on the suspect and he was taken into custody.
One of those people who jumped in was Jose Bernal, who happened to be home sick from work.
“Don’t matter if it was a deputy or not, just somebody asking for help, so I went and helped,” said Bernal.
“There’s a lot of good citizens in this county that are willing to stand up and do what’s right even if it puts them in harm’s way,” said Goodwald.
Roque is charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, carjacking, resisting officer with violence, grand theft, depriving officer of means of protection or communication and DWLSR.
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