Three suspects sought in a chase that began Monday near Water Oak in Lady Lake were ultimately found hiding in the bathroom of a Dunkin’ Donuts in Leesburg.
The release of information from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is shedding more light on the incident in which a deputy was forced to shoot two suspects after they attempted to strike him with the escape vehicle.
The deputy had initiated a traffic stop on the trio’s white Dodge Charger on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 near the 55+ community in Lady Lake. The deputy was investigating a shoplifting incident which had occurred at Walmart in Leesburg.
During the traffic stop, the deputy was near the passenger side of the vehicle, when the driver attempted to pull away. The deputy was in “well-founded fear of being struck by the vehicle, leading him to discharge his firearm into the vehicle in a effort to prevent the continuance of a forcible felony upon him,” according to an affidavit of probable cause from the sheriff’s office.
The trio got away in the vehicle, but later abandoned it at the Country Life Mobile Home Park in Leesburg. They fled on foot to the Dunkin’ Donuts at 27820 U.S. Hwy. 27 in Leesburg. Dunkin’ Donuts employees said the men had been “loitering” near the bathroom. All three were found in the bathroom where they were taken into custody. Also found in the bathroom, were a glass jar and zip lock bags containing marijuana. Scales were also discovered, suggesting the men had been selling drugs.
Calvin Anthony Williams, 20, of Davenport, was taken into custody and booked on multiple charges at the Lake County Jail. Bond was set at $30,000.
The other two suspects were identified as Jeffrey Gilbert and Pierre D’Haiti. They have not been booked at the jail and presumably are in a medical facility being treated for gunshot wounds.