A 72-year-old former Colorado neurosurgeon is now in custody after what authorities describe as an exchange of gunfire with a U.S. Marshals task force in Vero Beach that left both him and a deputy U.S. Marshal wounded. He faces multiple counts of attempted murder of law enforcement officers and pleaded not guilty at an April 8 arraignment in Indian River County.
Shooting on the Treasure Coast
According to a U.S. Marshals Service release, task-force members tried to stop an SUV after receiving a tip that the man was heading to the Treasure Coast. Investigators say the passenger opened fire from inside the vehicle, and officers returned fire, hitting the suspect multiple times.
The release states that a deputy U.S. Marshal was shot in the leg and treated at a local hospital, and that the suspect, identified as Thomas Steffens, was also taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. Local reporting places the stop on 12th Street near Commerce Avenue in Vero Beach and describes law enforcement vehicles boxing in the SUV before shots were fired, as reported by Vero News.
Charges and court records
Country 99.1 WQIK reports that court records from the Indian River County clerk show Steffens was ruled “not indigent” and therefore was denied a public defender. That finding means he must either hire private counsel or ask a judge to review the clerk’s decision. WQIK also notes that he entered a not guilty plea at the April 8 arraignment, citing the clerk’s entries.
Allegations from Colorado
Authorities say Steffens was wanted on Grand Junction warrants that accuse him of drugging a woman with prescribed medication and sexually assaulting her on Jan. 28. A second arrest warrant was issued on Feb. 25 after a local investigation, and deputies say they recovered weapons at his Colorado home.
The U.S. Marshals Service reports that investigators learned he was traveling by bus to the Treasure Coast and coordinated with detectives in Indian River and Martin counties before moving in to stop the SUV. Sheriff’s officials had intelligence that Steffens stated he would not be taken into custody alive, according to WFTV.
What the law says
Under Florida law, a county clerk conducts the first review of an affidavit of indigency and can decide whether a defendant qualifies for a public defender. If the clerk finds the person is not indigent, the statute allows the defendant to ask a judge to review that decision. The law sets income and asset thresholds and outlines the review process, as detailed in the Florida Statutes…