Source: Sumter County Sheriff's Office A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison with a 20-year minimum mandatory for adisturbing case th
A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison with a 20-year minimum mandatory for a
disturbing case that unfolded on I-75 in June of 2020.
Miguel Espinosa Navarro, while driving a black Ford F150 Raptor on I-75, recklessly discharged a firearm at passing vehicles.
One shot went through a driver’s window, narrowly missing the occupants. Multiple 9-1-1 calls prompted Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) patrol deputies to intervene, leading to a standoff where Navarro wielded his firearm.
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Deputies successfully stopped traffic, ensuring the safety of motorists, during their attempts to subdue the suspect. Navarro fled in his pickup, ultimately crashing into a fence along the interstate. Following a brief struggle, deputies were able to apprehend him and locate the discarded firearm.
Body cam videos and a passing motorist’s recording of the incident were pivotal during the trial.
A Sumter County jury delivered a guilty verdict on September 13, 2023, finding Navarro guilty on six counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Firearm, two counts of Shooting into an occupied vehicle and Fleeing or Attempting to Elude with recklessness or high speed.
“Justice prevailed in the face of reckless violence,” said William “Bill” Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “The sentencing of Navarro sends a resolute message that endangering lives through senseless acts will be met with severe consequences.”
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Florida Department of Law Enforcement lab analysts, along with Assistant State Attorneys Sonny McCathran and Dan Geraghty played crucial roles in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.
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