What started as a routine traffic stop on a dark stretch of Interstate 95 in Brevard County turned chaotic early Monday when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was punched in the face and a vanload of people bolted into the woods near the Indian River County line. Seven occupants jumped out and ran, authorities said. One man was caught, and six others slipped away, briefly tangling traffic along that busy Space Coast corridor.
What the Florida Highway Patrol says
According to an FHP report, the trooper pulled over a white 2007 Ford Transit that was weaving in the southbound center lane and nearly clipped a semi. As soon as the vehicle stopped, all seven occupants bailed out the passenger side and sprinted west into nearby woods.
The trooper focused on one man, later identified as 18-year-old Luis Angel Gomez Lopez of Orlando, who ignored repeated commands to stop, ClickOrlando reported. Investigators say the trooper deployed a department-issued Taser twice as the two struggled and tumbled down an embankment. During that fight, Gomez Lopez is accused of punching the trooper in the face before he was handcuffed.
Gomez Lopez was evaluated at the scene, then taken for medical clearance and booked into the Brevard County Jail, according to the report.
Charges and legal context
The state report shows Gomez Lopez faces a felony charge of battery on a law enforcement officer and a misdemeanor charge of resisting without violence. Under Florida law, battery against an on-duty officer is reclassified as a felony under section 784.07 of the Florida Statutes, which allows prosecutors to seek tougher penalties than they could for a standard battery case. The statute is one of several that give extra protection to first responders who are performing their duties.
Search operations
Within minutes, multiple agencies descended on the area to comb the thick brush along I-95. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission K-9 unit, the BCSO aviation unit known as “STAR,” and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office drone team all joined the effort, according to the state report.
Despite the heavy response, six occupants of the van were not found and remained on the run as the search continued. Investigators urged anyone who might have seen the group or noticed the white van before or after the stop to contact law enforcement, noting that even small tips could help fill in the gaps.
Trooper safety along I-95
Attacks on troopers during routine stops are still uncommon, but they are not unheard of along Florida’s busiest interstate. In recent months, a handful of roadside confrontations on I-95 have escalated to the point that multi-agency responses were needed.
In a similar incident in April in Martin County, a suspect attacked a trooper and then triggered a search that ended with his arrest, as reported by WFLX. Troopers and deputies say the playbook in these situations typically includes quickly setting up perimeters, deploying K-9 teams, and bringing in aviation units and drones in order to track suspects in thick brush while reducing risk to officers and passing motorists.
How to report tips
Anyone with information about Monday’s I-95 stop, or with dash-cam or cellphone video that captured the white van, is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol. Tips and regional contact numbers are listed on the agency’s contact page, and the FHP site notes that drivers can dial *FHP (347) from a mobile phone for urgent reports. Investigators emphasized that even minor observations could help them identify the six people who are still at large.
