HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A wanted felon is in custody after Hillsborough County deputies used a grappler device to bring a brief pursuit to an end on Interstate 75 near East Fowler Avenue. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said deputies located 28-year-old Darius Ford on Monday while he was driving north on I-75.
After repeated efforts to get him to slow down, deputies deployed the device, which wrapped around the rear tire of Ford’s vehicle and stopped it on the side of the road. Ford was arrested without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies spotted Ford driving north on Interstate 75
The sheriff’s office said deputies found Ford on I-75 North near East Fowler Avenue. At the time, he was wanted on several felony charges. Authorities have not said what prompted the original search for him, but they did identify the driver as Ford and said he was the focus of the Monday operation.
The encounter unfolded on a major highway corridor in Hillsborough County, where deputies attempted to slow the vehicle before using the grappler. The device is designed to immobilize a fleeing car by securing one of its wheels, allowing officers to stop a pursuit more quickly than by continuing a chase at speed.
How the grappler device ended the chase
According to HCSO, deputies made many attempts to get Ford to slow down before using the grappler. Once the device was deployed, it caught the rear tire and forced the vehicle to stop along the roadside. The sheriff’s office described the arrest as ending without further incident.
The brief pursuit did not end in a crash, and deputies were able to take Ford into custody on the scene. In situations like this, the grappler can help reduce the risk to drivers, deputies, and nearby traffic by stopping a suspect vehicle without the need for a longer chase.
Ford now faces 16 felony charges in Hillsborough County
Ford is now facing 16 felony charges, according to the sheriff’s office. Those charges include possession of a controlled substance and 10 counts of sexual offender providing false information after registration. The agency did not list the remaining charges in the information provided.
The number of counts points to a significant felony case, and the sheriff’s office said Ford was already wanted before deputies found him Monday. No injuries were reported in connection with the stop and arrest.
Sheriff’s office details remain limited after the arrest
Hillsborough County deputies have not released additional information about why Ford was initially wanted or how long he had been under investigation. The sheriff’s office has also not said whether any other agencies were involved in the operation.
What is clear from the arrest account is that deputies located him on a busy stretch of interstate, used the grappler to end the pursuit, and took him into custody without a struggle. The case now moves forward on the felony charges listed by HCSO.
What the arrest means for the broader case
The arrest closed one chapter of the case, but the felony allegations still remain active. Possession of a controlled substance and the repeated registration-related counts suggest the case may involve both drug and offender-registration issues. The sheriff’s office has not said when Ford will next appear in court.
For now, the key facts are limited to the Monday stop on I-75, the grappler deployment, and the arrest that followed. Hillsborough County deputies say the encounter ended safely, with Ford taken into custody and no further incident reported.
