INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An Indian River County jury took just over one hour Wednesday to convict a Gifford man of first-degree attempted murder of a law-enforcement officer.
The trial came two years after sheriff’s deputy Chris Lester was shot in the leg during a routine, early morning traffic stop. Events turned violent after Andrew Coffee Jr. refused the officer’s command to keep his hands on the patrol car.
The incident was recorded on the officer’s dashboard camera, which was repeatedly played for the jury. During one viewing, someone in the courtroom gasped in shock at the scene.
Coffee Jr. punches the deputy in the face so hard he knocks him to the ground. He then reaches into his waistband and pulls out a revolver.
The two men engage in a gun battle, both suffering non-life threatening injuries.
The video below was provided by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
***WARNING*** Graphic Video AttachedIndian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar released the attached dash cam video to the media this afternoon. Last night, Deputy Christopher Lester stopped Andrew Coffee driving a scooter for having no tag on the vehicle. As Deputy Lester attempted to place Coffee under arrest, he punched Deputy Lester, drew a revolver from his waistband and fired. Deputy Lester was struck once in the leg and returned fire striking Coffee twice. Deputy Lester is at the Indian River Medical Center in good condition, while Coffee is undergoing surgery at Lawnwood Medical Center.
Posted by Indian River County Sheriff's Office on Friday, December 18, 2015
Prosecutors argued Coffee Jr. continued to shoot at Lester, even as the injured deputy limped away. Coffee Jr. was later apprehended hiding in a pile of wood pallets. A gun was found nearby.
The trial consisted of two days of emotional testimony as a host of law enforcement officers recalled the harrowing evening. Prosecutors argued Coffee Jr. intended to kill Lester to avoid arrest.
Coffee Jr. is a convicted felon. He was in illegal possession of a handgun at the time of the traffic stop. He also did not have a valid driver’s license as required by law to operate a scooter on a roadway.
The defense argued that while Coffee Jr. was shooting a gun during the incident, his intent was not to kill the deputy. No bullets were found near the patrol car and Coffee Jr.’s fingerprints weren’t on the gun, the defense argued.
Coffee declined to testify at the trial and defense counsel called no witnesses on his behalf.
Lester, now a detective with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, said on the stand that he was in fear for his life. All he could think about as he fled the scene and tried to reload his gun was his training, his family and getting home safely to his wife.
The detective was joined by friends and family in the courtroom. Several uniformed officers sat in the pew behind him to show support.
Lester testified that he frantically tried to keep Coffee Jr. in view as he radioed for help. He wanted to make sure his colleagues knew where the defendant was in case he died, he said.
“Shots fired, shots fired,” Lester screamed into the radio that evening. Authorities on the other end wanted to know what way Coffee Jr. ran. “I don’t know,” the deputy cried out. “He was trying to kill me.”
Coffee Jr. also was convicted Wednesday for crimes of battery against a law enforcement officer and illegally possessing and discharging a firearm. He further plead guilty to an additional charge of being in possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
A sentencing hearing is set for next week. Coffee Jr. faces a potential life sentence.
