ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — Two people are in custody after a deputy-involved shooting that also involved a deputy hit by a U-Haul truck and chase with Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office personnel early Sunday morning.
Shortly before 4 a.m., deputies handled a traffic stop of a stolen U-Haul truck in the 200 block of Parkwood Drive, sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.
James Boswell, 27, was arrested and faces fraud charges and a moving traffic violation.
While deputies were with the suspect, a female passenger, later identified as Ginger Taylor, 31, slid into the driver's seat and fled the scene, Barbera said.
Shortly before 5 a.m., the stolen pickup truck was located at the Royal Inn Hotel at 675 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.
As deputies were trying to make contact with the woman 31, Taylor fled the area and drove toward the deputy, striking him with the vehicle. The deputy discharged his firearm.
Taylor fled the scene, driving north on Royal Palm Beach Boulevard, where she crashed into the fence of a home at Persimmon Boulevard, PBSO said.
She exited the vehicle and ran toward the back of the residence. Deputies gave chase and she was quickly apprehended.
Taylor suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was taken to a hospital, where she was treated and interviewed by investigators, Barbera said. She was then taken to the county's jail and is facing charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, reckless fleeing and eluding, aggravated fleeing and eluding, reckless driving and resisting with violence.
Barbera said Taylor also has outstanding out-of-state warrants.
The deputy was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The deputy-involved shooting is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, violent crimes detectives and state attorney’s office investigators. The deputy is on administrative leave, which is standard department protocol.
At the locations where the chase ended, homeowner Carlos Avalos told WPTV abut the ordeal.
He said he woke up to a pickup truck crashing into his fence before 5 a.m.
"I heard the bang," Avalos said. "I didn't think much of it and then I heard the footsteps and the screaming of the police officers through my windows. That was the part that woke me up. It's awakening that you don't want to have. You hear people screaming for help. You look outside and your house is surrounded by cops. It's scary."
Albert Pantaleon, a guest at the Royal Inn, also woke up to the ordeal.
"It was like 4:30 this morning and there were like six gunshots," Pantaleon told WPTV. "Within five minutes or so, I heard the police sirens."
At the hotel, multiple people said they didn't have water after a vehicle ran over a line. Palm Beach County water utilities was at the scene.
