A 21-year-old Brandon man with five prior felony convictions is facing a stack of new charges after deputies say he pointed a firearm at a domestic violence victim, then led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that ended with his car in a ditch and him running on foot. Tyrome Huff Jr. was arrested Thursday near the 1500 block of West Brandon Boulevard following the pursuit.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, deputies located Huff near West Brandon Boulevard while investigating domestic violence offenses that included threatening a victim and pointing a firearm directly at her. When deputies attempted to stop his vehicle, Huff instead fled at high speed, according to the sheriff's office.
The chase ended after Huff's vehicle went into a ditch, at which point he abandoned the car and fled on foot, the sheriff's office said. Deputies were ultimately able to arrest him and recover a firearm at the scene.
Aviation Unit and Stop Sticks Joined the Chase
Bringing Huff into custody required more than a single patrol car. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office regularly deploys its Aviation Unit alongside ground deputies using tire-deflation devices, known as stop sticks, to disable fleeing vehicles during dangerous pursuits before suspects can escape on foot. In this case, the sheriff's office's Aviation Unit tracked Huff during the incident, while ground units deployed stop sticks as part of the response.
The agency used similar containment tactics in June, when Hillsborough deputies arrested a 17-year-old in Brandon on charges including domestic battery by strangulation and armed false imprisonment following a gunpoint assault on an intimate partner, a case Hoodline previously covered. That June incident also involved strangulation, firearm threats, and non-life-threatening injuries to the victim, per the sheriff's office.
A Lengthy List of Felony Charges
Huff now faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, domestic battery by strangulation, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing to elude at high speed, and two counts of violating a domestic violence injunction, the sheriff's office said. All charges remain allegations at this stage, and none have been adjudicated in court.
The stakes are steep given Huff's record. Under Section 790.23 of the Florida Statutes, felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition is a second-degree felony carrying up to 15 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine per count, according to Goldman Wetzel. Fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement at high speed is likewise a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and carries a mandatory one-to-five-year driver's license revocation, per Demmery Law, PLLC, which also notes that Florida law forbids judges from withholding adjudication on that charge.
Domestic battery by strangulation is defined under Florida Statute Section 784.041 as knowingly impeding a family or intimate partner's normal breathing or blood circulation, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and mandatory completion of a batterers' intervention program, according to the Florida Legislature. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill is a separate third-degree felony carrying up to five years in prison per count under Section 784.021, according to the Sammis Law Firm. Violating a domestic violence injunction is generally charged as a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to a year in county jail per count, per Hillsclerk.
Details of Prior Convictions Remain Unclear
The sheriff's office has not detailed the nature of Huff's five prior felony convictions, and it remains unknown whether mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines will apply to the new charges. The victim's immediate physical condition following the alleged strangulation and gunpoint threat has also not been disclosed.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office serves an unincorporated county population of more than 960,000 residents, including Brandon, and maintains a specialized Domestic Violence Section dedicated to investigating high-risk cases involving strangulation, firearm threats, and injunction violations, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In March, Florida lawmakers passed a domestic violence reform bill expanding perpetrator accountability, enhancing penalties for repeat offenders, and allowing victims to cite animal abuse or threats against pets in protective order petitions, according to 10 Tampa Bay.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200. Domestic violence victims in Hillsborough County can also reach The Spring of Tampa Bay, the county's certified domestic violence center, through its 24/7 crisis hotline at (813) 247-7233 for emergency shelter and legal advocacy.
