Former Cranston police officer stops to help FL State Trooper being attacked

By: News Staff

news@abc6.com

COLLIER COUNTY, F.L. – A former Cranston police officer is being hailed as a hero for helping a Florida State Trooper being attacked on I-75 just east of Naples, F.L..

Authorities say Jeffrey Duclos, a veteran and former Cranston officer saw the Florida State Trooper wrestling on the ground with a man alone on the side of the highway on Tuesday.

The state trooper had pulled a car over for speeding over 100 mph, but the two men in the car, identified as Richard Lazo Torres and Isaac Ruiz Wilson, switched places to try and hide the fact that Ruiz Wilson was driving a rental car with a suspended license.

The situation soon became hostile, and both men teamed up against the trooper.

That’s when Duclos’ thirty years in law enforcement kicked in; he pulled over, and ran over to assist the officer.  

Duclos said that once Lazo Torres and Ruiz Wilson saw him coming that they surrendered.

They were both arrested for switching drivers and resisting hand cuffs.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2016