Traffic Crash Leads to Assault Charges

                                                                                                              NEWS RELEASE #: 17-050 - FEBRUARY 21, 2017

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested a man after he assaulted another driver and brandished a firearm following a traffic crash in Sarasota.

Deputies were alerted to the incident early Tuesday morning around 6:30 a.m., when the victim called 911 to report that the suspect threatened her with a firearm. According to the victim, the suspect followed her from I-75 to Fruitville Road in Sarasota and then boxed her in at the intersection of Paramount Drive. The suspect, later identified as Christopher Ruiz, DOB 03/09/91, then exited his car and pointed a firearm at the victim. According to Ruiz, his actions were the result on the victim hitting his car on the interstate. Ruiz was stopped in St. Armand's Circle in the city of Sarasota, and taken in for questioning.

Detectives charged Ruiz with Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and False Imprisonment. He remains in custody today without bond. Ruiz lives in Parrish and has no prior arrests in Sarasota County.

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Christopher Ruiz