Deputy shot after traffic stop

The deputy had initially stopped Coffee for not having a tag on his vehicle. The deputy engaged him in a gunfight.

Coffee was released from prison previous year after serving time for charges in 1993 of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, according to NBC affiliate WPTV. The deputy was able to get up and fired multiple shots at Coffee.

Deputy Lester was struck once in the leg and was listed in good condition at Indian River Medical Center.

Deputies later found Coffee hiding in a stack of crates at a fruit packing company.

As Lester tried to place Coffee under arrest, Coffee punched the deputy then pulled a revolver from his waistband and opened fire, officials said.

A hardened criminal in the USA was left requiring surgery after he viciously punched a cop at a traffic stop before drawing a gun and shooting it out with the stricken officer.

Both men will survive, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

An Indian River County deputy was injured during a shootout with a suspect on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. “He’s a bad guy and we’re glad he’s off the streets today”, Sheriff Deryl Loar said.

A search of the Florida Department of Corrections database shows that this was not Coffee’s first run-in with the law.

Coffee was arrested earlier this month on drug charges, and is due to appear in court on January 3, according to jail records.

This article will be updated.