Man shot at by Eustis officer, accused of groping woman may be behind 2 other attacks, police say

EUSTIS, Fla. — A Eustis police officer shot at a man who was accused of groping a woman and then driving at a different officer responding to the scene, Eustis police said.

Police said a woman reported Tuesday that an unknown man came up behind her while she was walking near Morningview Drive and groped her, threw her to the ground and then ran away. Police said Wednesday that they believe the suspect, who they are still searching for, may be behind two other similar attacks.

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“I’d like to stand in front of you and tell you that there is no danger to the public,” Cpt. Jon Fahning said. “However, this individual could have done this several times.”

When police arrived on Tuesday’s scene, they said they saw a man matching the suspect’s description in an early 2000s model Cadillac Escalade. Officers said they saw the man trying to hide behind the dashboard of the SUV, and they ordered him to get out.

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At the same time, officers said a backup officer was arriving on the scene and became trapped between his patrol car and the suspect’s SUV as the SUV accelerated directly toward him. That’s when police said the original officer on the scene fired into the Escalade.

Officers said the suspect drove away after hitting another car. They said it’s unknown whether the suspect was injured.

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You can see a flyer describing the suspect they are searching for below.

Stay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates.

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