Hillsborough County Sheriff's detectives have arrested a man for shooting at a deputy in a road rage incident.
On Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at 6:03 p.m. Deputy Daniel Henry was leaving the HCSO Practical Training Site at the end of a day of training, and driving northbound on Balm Riverview Road when he encountered a dark green 2007 Saturn sedan. The Saturn was driving slow on the dark, two-lane road, and began "brake checking" the deputy aggressively. The deputy, in an attempt to not engage with the driver, legally began to pass up the vehicle once he could do so safely in a passing lane. The driver of the Saturn then pulled a firearm out his window and shot at the deputy's vehicle, striking it once between the back passenger door and the wheel. Deputy Henry was not hurt. As he pulled over to the side of the road, he was able to get a look at the driver, and description of the vehicle.
A short time later, another deputy responding to the area was able to locate the green Saturn, follow from a distance, and stop the driver at a residence on the 10,000 block of McMullen Road. Inside the vehicle, deputies found the driver, 49-year-old Tracy Swint of Riverview, along with his wife in the passenger seat. After interviews with TeamHCSO detectives, Swint confessed to shooting at the deputy in a fit of road rage, but denies knowing that the vehicle was a marked Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office SUV when he shot at it.
“Deputies are placed in harms way every day, and to be shot at while driving is simply inexplicable," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "I am thankful our deputy, nor any other motorists, were injured. I commend the quick work of our deputies and aviation pilots, who worked diligently to apprehend this shooter, and did so without further incident.”
Deputy Henry has been with HCSO since October 23, 2016, and works in District III.
The passenger in the vehicle is not facing charges at this time. Tracy Swint is facing charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and shooting into an occupied vehicle, both felonies.
