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Fugitive shot by Fla. cops after ramming squad, pinning deputy

Officers fired shots at the vehicle in an attempt to stop an armed robbery suspect who escaped from a Tenn. mental-health facility in January

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By Jessica Inman and Tiffany Walden
Orlando Sentinel

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County deputy was pinned between two vehicles after a 37-year-old Tennessee fugitive rammed the deputy’s patrol car during a traffic stop Sunday night, officials said.

Deputy Aaron Jenkins and his partner, Deputy Matthew Fewless, fired shots at the vehicle in an attempt to stop the driver, Danny Wright, an armed robbery suspect who escaped from a Tennessee mental-health facility in January, reports say.

Wright and his 62-year-old passenger, Alan Grant, were shot by the deputies.

Both are being treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Jenkins, who was hurt after being struck by Wright’s vehicle, was released from the hospital Monday morning, according to the sheriff’s office.

Fewless was not hurt.

Wright escaped from Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute on Jan. 7 by climbing through the ceiling from one room to another before leaving the building.

He was there for a psychological evaluation

Wright was arrested on charges of aggravated robbery and felony evading arrest April 10, 2013 after allegedly robbing a GNC in Madison, Tenn. and then driving recklessly to evade arrest.

Wright was charged with assault in October after he allegedly threw a cup of urine on a Davidson County deputy sheriff who was working in the Metro Jail in Nashville.

According to Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Angelo Nieves, Sunday’s incident took place about 9:16 p.m. near the intersection of Holden Avenue and South Orange Blossom Trail.

Nieves said the deputies were trying to stop a white Chevrolet Impala for a traffic violation.

When the deputies got out of the patrol car, Wright accelerated and made a U-turn towards the driver’s side of the patrol car -- where Jenkins was standing.

“Deputy Jenkins feared for his life and fired at the suspect in the car as did Deputy Fewless,” Nieves said.

Wright slammed into Jenkins, pinning him between his car and the patrol car. Jenkins then fell to the ground, Nieves said.

Additional deputies responded to the scene after a call for backup. Wright and Grant were detained and taken to ORMC with gunshot wounds.

Wright, who is wanted in Tennessee on robbery charges, was still being treated at ORMC on Monday afternoon.

Grant, deputies said, was stable.

Earlier Monday, Nieves told reporters Jenkins was in “good spirits.”

Both deputies will be reassigned for at least one week per sheriff’s office protocol.

“After some home recovery, we are grateful that [Jenkins] should be able to return to full duty,” Nieves said.

Sheriff Jerry Demings has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the shooting.

Copyright 2015 The Orlando Sentinel

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