'Scariest moment of my life': Hillsborough County deputy released from hospital after being run over by car
TAMPA, Fla. - One of the HCSO deputies who was critically injured when responding to a mental health call was released from the hospital on Saturday.
Deputy Manuel Santos suffered a broken leg which officials say required surgery. He was wheeled outside of Tampa General Hospital after his release.
"But I'm so grateful that tonight he gets to walk out of here, or even get wheeled out of here, on his own accord and that he's alive," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Santos said he was having a normal day before responding to the call that resulted in his hospitalization.
FULL CONFERENCE: HCSO deputy speaks after hospital release
Deputy Manuel Santos spoke in front of Tampa General Hospital along with other deputies and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. Santos was intentionally run over by a car while responding to a mental health call, according to officials.
Santos described the incident as the "scariest moment of my life."
RELATED: Man who intentionally hit 2 Hillsborough deputies faces attempted murder charges: Officials
According to officials, Santos and Corporal Carlos Brito were nearly killed in Brandon on Thursday morning by a driver who intentionally hit them with his car.
"My hope is that he keeps his body the way it is, and he comes out walking, and we get back to the next shift," shared Santos when asked about Corporal Brito.
Corporal Brito faces a much more difficult road, according to Sheriff Chronister. He's still in the hospital.
Deputy Manuel Santos was released from TGH on Saturday.
According to Santos, on the day of the incident, both deputies thought the suspect had fled the scene, but he came back and hit them in what Santos says felt like seconds.
Officials say Ralph Bouzy deliberately ran them over, leaving both critically hurt.
Santos said he called for EMS while he was injured on the ground.
Bouzy has been charged with three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. Bouzy has a lengthy criminal past and records show he had 18 mental health cases, according to authorities.
Ralph Bouzy has a length criminal past, according to officials.
In 2015, he tried to ram his car into a deputy's vehicle during a hit-and-run incident. And in 2017, during another hit-and-run crash, he attacked a police officer during his arrest.
Later that same year, Bouzy's family called police after he attacked two family members.
According to records, family told officers they tried to get him help for his mental health issues. However, Bouzy refused to take his medication.
"He [Bouzy] was released from the hospital yesterday as they tried a lot of efforts to try to sedate him and calm him down," shared Chronister.
According to the sheriff's office, Bouzy was still violent after being taken into custody.
"We had to restrain him and use four deputies to transport him to our detention facility," said Sheriff Chronister.
He was formally charged with multiple felonies by a Tampa judge on Friday morning.