Grady Judd: Suspect in stolen vehicle with meth pipe floors truck at Haines City officer who shot, killed him

Grady Judd officer-involved shooting presser

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd gives an update on an officer-involved shooting in Haines City.

HAINES CITY, Fla - A suspect is dead and two Haines City police officers are on administrative leave following a deadly shooting early Sunday morning.

What we know:

According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Joseph Elam, an 11-year veteran with the Haines City Police Department officer pulled over a dark-colored vehicle shortly before 2:30 a.m. in the area of Avenue I and 12th St N in Haines City because it did not have a tag on it.

The truck, according to Judd, was being driven by Louivens Ceus, a 24-year-old who was born in Haiti.

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

Another officer, Ryan Hamilton, showed up and pulled in front of the vehicle, so there was an officer in front and one in back.

According to Judd, when Hamilton got out of his vehicle, Ceus floored the engine, backed up and drove directly at the officer who opened fire.

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"In order for there to be gunshots in the front of the vehicle, the officer had to be standing in front of the vehicle and that’s what our research has shown us and our investigation up to this point," the sheriff explained.

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

When Ceus drove past the officer, Judd said he drove off the road because he had been struck by a bullet.

"It is apparent to us that Officer Hamilton did not make the determination to shoot Ceus," Judd explained. "Ceus made the determination for Hamilton to shoot him when he drove his truck, his stolen truck, directly at the officer."

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Judd said there was a meth pipe in the truck and the suspect had marijuana in his pocket and there was a medical marijuana card in the vehicle that appeared to have been stolen.

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

Unbeknownst to the officers, Judd said the suspect’s vehicle was likely stolen. He said that it used to be white, but had been spray-painted black.

Judd said the person who investigators believed owned the vehicle told them that the vehicle was sold about a year ago. That person told investigators he sold it about a year ago.

What they're saying:

"Apparently, the transfer of information didn’t occur," Judd shared. "We contacted that person and he said, ‘I left that vehicle while I’m working out of the county with my friend.’ We called that friend and he said the vehicle’s been stolen. So, we’re chasing that information."

Dig deeper:

According to Judd, Ceus was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Davenport in 2021. He was not driving with a license, and he was charged with domestic battery strangulation of his child’s mother. He was on probation and violated that probation.

"He’s been running from the law," Judd stated. "He was a fugitive. He’s an absconder. The police officers that night had no knowledge of how violent and dangerous this guy is, but he had no interest, obviously, in going to jail."