Carjacking victim ‘courageously’ thwarts armed suspect’s escape, Florida deputies say

A Florida driver is being called courageous for refusing to cooperate with a “very dangerous” armed man on the run from deputies and police in two counties, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver survived the ordeal, officials said. But the suspect is in critical condition after being shot multiple times by law enforcement, officials said in a July 28 news release.

The suspect has been identified as John Coker, 36, and he has a record of “eight felony convictions,” officials said.

Investigators say the chase began around 6:38 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, when someone reported a car equipped with GPS had been stolen from the AdventHealth Tampa hospital. The car was tracked to neighboring Pasco County to the north, officials said.

“The suspect eventually abandoned the vehicle at Publix in Dade City on US-301. He fled to a nearby neighborhood and hid in a shed before carjacking an innocent victim and forcing the victim to drive in a final attempt to escape,” the sheriff’s office said.

The driver cooperated at first, but then took a chance by stopping the car after seeing deputies along the road, officials said.

“The suspect, armed with a firearm, got out of the vehicle, and pointed the firearm at the ... victim in the driver’s seat. The victim courageously at the time sped away in the vehicle,” officials said.

Video released by the sheriff’s office shows Coker was hiding in the back seat when they drove past the deputies, and he got out to get in the driver’s seat when the victim escaped. Coker is seen falling to the ground as the van speeds away.

That left the suspect on foot near a parking lot where he was confronted by police and deputies.

Shots were fired when the man pointed his gun at a Dade City police officer, officials said.

The suspect is in critical but stable condition and investigators say they have not been able to identify him.

Four Hillsborough County deputies are on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, which is standard procedure, officials said.

Coker was armed with two guns, officials said. He is to be charged with:

• Armed burglary, vehicle

• Grand theft of a motor vehicle

• Felon in possession of a firearm (two counts)

• Grand theft of a firearm (two counts)

• Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (two counts)

• Armed carjacking

• Armed burglary, residence

• Armed kidnapping

This story was originally published July 28, 2023 at 8:43 AM with the headline "Carjacking victim ‘courageously’ thwarts armed suspect’s escape, Florida deputies say."