Karma: Registered sex offender shoots deputy, goes on the run, dies in home invasion
On Tuesday, February 22, during a routine traffic stop on Florida’s U.S. Highway 19 South approximately six miles south of Salem and just north of Tennille around 10 p.m., registered sex offender Gregory Ryan Miedema, 33, shot a Taylor County Sheriff’s Office Deputy multiple times and immediately went on the lam. The Deputy was air lifted to a nearby hospital and was pronounced to be in stable condition.
Deputy Troy Anderson was shot three times during a traffic stop Tuesday night, Feb 22. Anderson was flown by helicopter to a Gainesville area hospital, where he was being treated for gunshot wounds to his jaw, neck and hand, according to a family member. ~ Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office
Throughout the night, nearby Dixie County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Deputies along with other assisting agencies searched extensively for the suspect, to no avail. Miedema had addresses listed for Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers.
Officials issued a “Florida Blue Alert” during their search for Miedema, who was last seen in the town of Perry, which about 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee. Police described him as armed and dangerous, 5’8″ and 165 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes and perhaps driving a 2000 gold Chrysler Sebring with a Florida License plate tag Y78TKU.
On the following morning, Wednesday, February 23, at 7:19 a.m., DCSO deputies responded to a residence near Tennille, Florida, after a homeowner reported shooting an intruder.
Deputies went to the scene and interviewed the homeowner, who told them that an armed man broke into his home. Gunfire was exchanged between the home-invader and the homeowner. The homeowner was wounded in the exchange. The home-invader was shot and killed – and was dead on the scene when deputies arrived.
Located at the scene was the suspect’s [Miedema’s] vehicle and several firearms strategically placed in what appeared to be an ambush setup. The deceased was identified as Gregory Miedema, who was the suspect in the shooting of the Taylor County deputy on Tuesday night. ~ DCSO
Early yesterday morning, Sheriff Mike Chitwood of Volusia’s Sheriff’s Office, stated the following:
“As you may have heard, Gregory Miedema, who shot a Taylor County deputy during a traffic stop last night, was reportedly shot and killed after breaking into a home in Dixie County. Unfortunately for Gregory, he picked the wrong home and, in my opinion, met the swift consequence he deserved. We are praying for speedy recoveries for Deputy Troy Anderson and for the Dixie County resident who was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. We salute you both!”
(Sources: Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
