Man Charged After Shooting at Hardee County Deputy

A Wauchula man faces charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer after he fired at a deputy and fled into the Peace River on Jan. 23.

Jimmy Johnson, 30, shot at a Hardee County sheriff's deputy around 8:09 a.m. during a confrontation at an unspecified location. The deputy, positioned about 30 yards away, returned fire from cover and did not strike Johnson. Johnson then jumped into the river to escape.

The incident began when deputies responded to a report that Johnson had threatened a domestic violence witness, firing a round into the ground before she fled and called authorities. When deputies arrived and confronted Johnson, he produced a handgun and fired twice.

Law enforcement deployed a K9 team from Hardee Correctional Institution and apprehended Johnson shortly after. The Polk County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the capture.

Sheriff Vent Crawford said the deputies were unharmed. "We are thankful for our partnership with the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Hardee Correctional Institution, as they provided additional resources that assisted in the capture of this suspect."