A former Colorado doctor accused of sexually assaulting a woman on the Western Slope was arrested in Florida on Monday after stating “he would not be taken into custody alive” and opening fire on officers, according to police.
Thomas Steffens, 72, was arrested in Vero Beach, Florida, after he started shooting at U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement during a traffic stop. Vero Beach is approximately 80 miles north of Palm Beach.
Steffens, a former neurosurgeon, is accused of using prescription medication to drug and sexually assault a woman in Grand Junction on Jan. 28, according to Grand Junction police and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
A LinkedIn and WebMD page for Steffens both state he worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A VA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Florida investigators started looking for Steffens after receiving information that he was traveling in the area and had said he would not be arrested alive, according to the Indian River sheriff’s office.
When a task force of local and federal officers pulled over the vehicle, Steffens was in the passenger seat, refused to get out and started shooting at the five officers on scene.
The driver got out of the vehicle before Steffens started shooting.
Officers returned fire, and Steffens was struck multiple times, sheriff’s officials said. A U.S. Marshal was also shot in the leg during the encounter.
Steffens was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. He is now facing attempted murder charges in Florida as well as sexual assault and assault charges in Grand Junction, police officials said.
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