INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Moments after shouting “shots fired” over his radio, sheriff’s Detective Chris Lester said the suspect was Andrew Coffee. “He was trying to kill me.”
Lester was shot during the early morning shootout December 2015 when a routine traffic stop turned violent.
The audio recording was played for a jury in an Indian River County courtroom Tuesday afternoon. The defendant — Andrew Coffee Jr. — sat in a gray pinstripe suit and tie between his public defenders as witnesses testified to the early morning event.
Coffee Jr. has been charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a felon. His trial is expected to last at least two days.
The victim deputy sat in the courtroom gallery surrounded by friends and family. Several officers in uniform lined up behind him for the high-profile case.
Lester was shot during the early morning shootout December 2015 when a routine traffic stop turned violent.
The audio recording was played for a jury in an Indian River County courtroom Tuesday afternoon. The defendant — Andrew Coffee Jr. — sat in a gray pinstripe suit and tie between his public defenders as witnesses testified to the early morning event.
Coffee Jr. has been charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a felon. His trial is expected to last at least two days.
The victim deputy sat in the courtroom gallery surrounded by friends and family. Several officers in uniform lined up behind him for the high-profile case.
Robert Lombardi, a former homeless man, testified to watching the scene unfold. He said he feared for his life that morning.
Lombardi was sleeping on the sidewalk 10 to 15 feet away when he heard Detective Lester ask Coffee Jr. to put his hands on the vehicle. Coffee Jr. acted like he was going to comply, but then hit him in face, Lombardi said.
The punch knocked the detective’s glasses off and caused him to drop his flashlight and fall to the ground, the witness recalled. Lombardi said he saw Coffee Jr. reach back and pull out a gun. He said he then heard gunshots and that Coffee Jr. had his gun drawn even as Lester ran, limping away. The detective, he maintained, was acting in self-defense.
Both Lester and Coffee Jr. sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the shootout.
Coffee Jr. was originally pulled over for driving a scooter without having the proper tags. He became agitated when Lester said he was going to search him, Lombardi said.
A host of law enforcement officers also were called to testify Tuesday. They discussed Lester’s injuries and how a K-9 unit located Coffee Jr. hiding in a wood pallet not far from the traffic stop. They showed a photo of a revolver they found in a nearby pile of brush. A crime scene analyst also spoke at length about the bullet markings left at the scene.
During cross examination, the defense pointed out that stories and records varied as to who shot first. Prosecutor Thomas Bakkedahl fired back.
Speaking to the deputy who first arrived at the scene after the call for help went out over the radio, he raised his voice as if to make a point.
Lombardi was sleeping on the sidewalk 10 to 15 feet away when he heard Detective Lester ask Coffee Jr. to put his hands on the vehicle. Coffee Jr. acted like he was going to comply, but then hit him in face, Lombardi said.
The punch knocked the detective’s glasses off and caused him to drop his flashlight and fall to the ground, the witness recalled. Lombardi said he saw Coffee Jr. reach back and pull out a gun. He said he then heard gunshots and that Coffee Jr. had his gun drawn even as Lester ran, limping away. The detective, he maintained, was acting in self-defense.
Both Lester and Coffee Jr. sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the shootout.
Coffee Jr. was originally pulled over for driving a scooter without having the proper tags. He became agitated when Lester said he was going to search him, Lombardi said.
A host of law enforcement officers also were called to testify Tuesday. They discussed Lester’s injuries and how a K-9 unit located Coffee Jr. hiding in a wood pallet not far from the traffic stop. They showed a photo of a revolver they found in a nearby pile of brush. A crime scene analyst also spoke at length about the bullet markings left at the scene.
During cross examination, the defense pointed out that stories and records varied as to who shot first. Prosecutor Thomas Bakkedahl fired back.
Speaking to the deputy who first arrived at the scene after the call for help went out over the radio, he raised his voice as if to make a point.
“If you are in the in the middle of the traffic stop, and during that traffic stop an individual pulls a firearm on you, are you justified in shooting at him?” he asked. The deputy replied, “Yes, sir.”
Coffee Jr. is the grandfather of Andrew Coffee IV, who faces formal second-degree and attempted first-degree murder charges after a fatal March drug raid where his girlfriend, Alteria Woods, was shot and killed. Coffee IV’s trial date has not yet been set.
Coffee Jr. is the grandfather of Andrew Coffee IV, who faces formal second-degree and attempted first-degree murder charges after a fatal March drug raid where his girlfriend, Alteria Woods, was shot and killed. Coffee IV’s trial date has not yet been set.
