Delray Beach Police Officer Arrested After Interfering With Fire Crews Extinguishing A House Fire On His Street

Officer Peter Sosa Arrested For Incident Following Running Over Fire Hose

Officer Peter Sosa Arrested For Incident Following Running Over Fire Hose

DELRAY BEACH, FL (Boca Post) — Officer Peter Sosa, a veteran Delray Beach police officer, was arrested for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer in addition to 6 other charges following an incident where he drove over a fire hose and disobeyed first responders’ orders.

According to an arrest affidavit submitted by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Sosa created a hazard for law enforcement and firefighters who were working to extinguish a fire on the street of his Lake Worth home on Sunday, October 2nd, 202, refusing to obey their orders.

According to PBSO, while Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Engine companies were actively extinguishing the fully involved fire, Peter L Sosa was driving a 2010 Mazda out of his driveway, two houses north of the fire scene. Deputies say that a 5-inch bright yellow fire hose stretched in front of his residence which was providing water from the hydrant to the Engine Companies.

The roadway at that time was not drivable, or able to be navigated safely due to the equipment. Sosa drove his vehicle along the grassy swale areas, crossing driveways, and attempting to circumvent the hoses and equipment. Sosa drove his vehicle south, to where he met a PBSO deputy. Sosa, with his family in the vehicle, started revving the engine as he got close to the deputy. Numerous deputies and fire personnel! commanded Sosa to stop there were even tire marks in the grass where he spun the tires attempting to antagonize the deputies.

Sosa backed his vehicle up and was told by deputies to stop his vehicle and not proceed. He continued to back into his driveway, and all occupants exited the vehicle. They then entered a 2011 Ford Expedition, with Peter Sosa in the driver’s seat, and drive towards the end of his driveway. Sosa aimed his vehicle to the north and began driving through the yards and grass area, until such time he entered the roadway.

Upon entering the roadway, now in a larger vehicle, with larger aftermarket off-road tires, he drove over a length of 5-inch mainline, causing a puncture in it. PBCFR had to quickly address the situation, interrupting the fire suppression of his crew, and assess the damage to the hose. The Engine company was able to complete the extinguishment, but the hose and Engine were placed out of service until 2 replacements can be placed on the engine. A firefighter stepped out in an attempt to stop Sosa from driving over the main line, which he ignored.

Sosa then drove his vehicle north on Barberton Road, where a deputy was assisting in preventing ingress and egress to and from the street. Her vehicle is a marked Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office vehicle, and her emergency red and blue lights were activated to alert oncoming vehicles of the nearby incident. With the same calls over the radio to attempt to stop Sosa, she, while out of her vehicle (which was blocking the roadway) stepped out to attempt to stop Sosa and his vehicle.

The deputy stated that she could hear Sosa “rev” his engine to accelerate toward her, and she stated she had to move out of his way to avoid being struck by his vehicle. Sosa drove around the deputy’s vehicle, driving in the grass and off the roadway to flee the area. A broadcast was put out over the radio, and the deputy got into her marked patrol car and followed Sosa’s Ford Expedition. She located the vehicle westbound on Lake Worth Road, and both vehicles were stopped at the red traffic light at the entrance to Florida’s Turnpike. Still westbound, at a fresh green light, the deputy reactivated her overhead emergency red and blue lights to attempt a traffic stop.

Approximately 150-200 feet west of the intersection, with Sosa’s vehicle directly in front of her, Sosa (the driver) slammed on his brakes, causing his vehicle to go from approximately 40-50 mph to an abrupt stop, causing the deputy to lock up her breaks and swerve around him. There was 2 right turn lane to his right that he could’ve moved into to affect a traffic stop, but rather slammed on his brakes in an attempt to get D/S Casteel to hit his vehicle. Sosa ultimately stopped and was detained.

Delray Beach Police Department, who once honored Sosa as an officer of the month in 2015, has not returned our request for comment.

Boca Post has learned that Sosa was released on an $11,000 bond while facing the following charges:

• 4 counts of PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES – FAIL TO OBEY POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT
• DAMAGE PROP-CRIM MISCH – 1000 DOLS OR MORE
• ASSAULT – AGG ASSAULT ON OFFICER FIREFIGHTER EMT ETC
• DAMAGE PROP – INJURE DESTROY REMOVE INTERFERE W FIREFIGHTER EQUIP