27-Year-Old Man Accused Of Killing Driver During Carjacking

PLANT CITY, FL — A 27-year-old man has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said he fatally shot a man during a carjacking in Plant City Tuesday.

Deputies were called to the intersection of Colson Road and Tower Ridge Lane just before 1 p.m. when a family member of the shooting victim called 911 to report that his relative had been shot while driving his vehicle along Colton Road.

Just prior to the shooting, 911 dispatchers received multiple calls from drivers in the same area reporting that a black man armed with a handgun was attempting to flag down vehicles. There were also reports that the armed man was shooting his gun at motorists in the area.

Jeffrey Darnell Thomas was located and shot by a Plant City Police officer. He was transported to the hospital where he remains to be treated for his injuries.

The man who was initially shot was flown to Tampa General Hospital where he died. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.

In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Thomas was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied vehicle and two counts of armed carjacking.