Hillsborough County, FL, Sheriff's sergeant Brian LaVigne was killed one shift before retirement. (Photo: Hillsborough County SO)
The man accused of ramming the patrol car of Hillsborough Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian LaVigne will be prosecuted on nine charges, including premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren announced late Thursday.
Travis Zachary Garrett, 28, intentionally plowed his car into the marked patrol car of LaVigne earlier this month, meriting the capital felony charge of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, Warren said.
Sergeant LaVigne was killed one shift before retirement.
“This was a deliberate attack on law enforcement; he targeted a cop,” Warren said in a statement. “When you commit a crime like this — when you cause pain like this — you should expect consequences like this,” TampaBay.com reports.
In a brief hearing Friday, a defense attorney said Garrett remained hospitalized and was not expected to be present for a Monday court hearing, where prosecutors will argue that he should be jailed without bail.
Speaking after Friday’s hearing, Warren said his office had yet to begin the process of deciding whether to seek the death penalty.
