Many Florida readers are familiar with a shocking incident that took place at a Pilot gas station off of State Road 520. Two teenagers engaged in a shootout with a Florida State Trooper, and a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed in the incident. The trooper survived a gunshot wound, and the other teen involved, a 16-year-old girl, will be tried as an adult on felony charges.
Upon preliminary investigation, police believe that the teens were carrying out a plan to drive to another state and kill themselves. When they stopped at a gas station, the trooper attempted to approach the vehicle concerning a perceived safety issue. At that point, the 15-year-old boy fired a weapon, striking the trooper in the shoulder.
The trooper took cover and fired three shots at the vehicle as it began moving through the parking lot, attempting to disable the shooter, who was riding as a passenger. One of those shots struck and killed the teen. The 16-year-old girl was driving the truck but crashed soon after the shots were fired. In an interview with police officers, she admitted to telling her boyfriend to get the gun as the officer approached the truck.
The Florida teenager is now facing charges of attempted premeditated murder of a police officer, second-degree murder and resisting an officer through violence. The prosecution has decided to charge her as an adult in the incident, and she has been denied bond. As the matter moves forward, the girl and her legal team will have to present an aggressive criminal defense to avoid conviction on these serious felony charges.
Source: clickorlando.com, “Brevard teen girl to be charged as adult in trooper shooting“, Justin Warmoth, July 6, 2015
