A Florida suspect sped away from a traffic stop with a female officer pinned between him and the steering wheel — while a second cop was dragged 15 feet across the pavement and sent tumbling multiple times.
The incident unfolded early Saturday morning in Eustis, about 40 miles northwest of Orlando, when police pulled over Shakoi Donovan, 28, after spotting his silver Infiniti weaving over a yellow line.
Eustis, a small city in Lake County with a population of approximately 22,000 residents, typically sees low levels of violent crime. The community has been shaken by the severity of the alleged assault on the two patrol officers who were conducting what appeared to be a routine traffic enforcement stop in the early morning hours.
Officers suspected Donovan was driving under the influence. When they asked him to step out of the car, he allegedly refused repeated requests.
Traffic stops involving suspected impaired drivers are among the most common yet potentially dangerous interactions law enforcement officers face. Standard police protocol in such situations calls for officers to remove uncooperative suspects from vehicles to ensure both officer safety and proper field sobriety testing. However, the procedure becomes significantly more hazardous when a vehicle’s engine remains running and the driver maintains control of the gear shift.
Two patrol officers opened his car door and reached toward Donovan to physically remove him. His vehicle was still running.
“HE’S TAKING OFF EUSTIS 77 IS IN THE CAR!”
That’s when Donovan took off — speeding away with a female officer trapped inside the car, pinned between Donovan and the steering wheel, according to the police report reviewed by Breitbart News.
The second officer, who was also trying to remove Donovan, was dragged by the vehicle for 15 feet.
The police report said the dragging sent him “tumbling across the S. Eustis Street asphalt, barrel rolling multiple times.”
Such violent resistance during traffic stops has become an increasing concern for law enforcement agencies nationwide. The unpredictable nature of these encounters underscores the split-second decisions officers must make and the inherent risks they face even during seemingly routine patrol duties.
Both officers were treated for injuries. The female officer ejected herself from the speeding vehicle after traveling with Donovan about the length of a football field. She was found lying in a nearby intersection by another officer called to the scene.
The fact that the female officer was able to extricate herself from the moving vehicle while pinned against the steering wheel speaks to both her training and determination in an extraordinarily dangerous situation. Officers traveling approximately 100 yards inside or alongside a vehicle driven by a fleeing suspect face life-threatening risks with every passing second.
Cops searched for Donovan for two hours before apprehending him.
The two-hour manhunt involved multiple law enforcement units canvassing the area. Flight from the scene after allegedly injuring officers typically triggers extensive multi-agency search efforts, as suspects who flee are considered an immediate danger to both law enforcement and the public.
Donovan faces charges including attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest with violence.
The attempted murder charge reflects the severity of the alleged conduct. Under Florida law, intentionally creating circumstances that could result in the death of a law enforcement officer during the performance of their duties can support such charges, particularly when officers are dragged by vehicles or trapped inside them during flight.
This wasn’t Donovan’s first encounter with law enforcement. Court records show he was previously taken into custody on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in May. He was also facing burglary and battery charges in 2022, among other incidents within Lake County, Florida.
The pattern of prior arrests and pending charges raises questions about bail decisions and repeat offender protocols within the criminal justice system. When suspects with violent criminal histories and pending cases allegedly commit new violent acts, it often prompts review of pretrial release conditions and supervision.
Donovan remained in jail as of Friday and is due in court on Aug. 24.
Body cam footage captured one officer yelling the patrol car’s unit number as the suspect fled: “He’s taking off Eustis 77 is in the car!”
The charges remain allegations. The case has not been proven in court.
WATCH: Body camera video captures a Florida traffic stop turning violent in seconds as a suspect takes off with two police officers hanging onto his car.
Police say 28-year-old Shakoi Troy Donovan accelerated as officers tried to pull him from the vehicle, dragging one officer… pic.twitter.com/ft7yqHBfaZ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 4, 2026
