WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Delray Beach police officer for 12 years has been arrested on seven charges, including aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, stemming from a residential fire near his home in Lake Worth Beach.
Peter Sosa, 42, was arrested Sunday by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and posted a surety bond at the jail later Sunday night. He made a first appearance Monday and his bond conditions were modified Friday by Judge Howard Coates with no contact with the victim or family members, no contact with witnesses or family members and surrender of any firearms to PBSO within 24 hours. An arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 21.
Ted White, a spokesman for Delray Beach police, said Sosa is an officer, including previously serving as a detective, but is on administrative leave after the arrest.
Besides the charge of aggravated assault on an officer, paramedic, EMT etc., his other charges are felony criminal mischief of $1,000 or more, felony prevention or obstructing extinguishment of a fire and four misdemeanor counts of failure to obey a law enforcement officer.
On Sunday, deputies and Palm Beach Fire Rescue responded to a residential fire at 50 Barberton. First responders reported that there was an active fire in the back of the residence in the shed's roof.
Besides fire rescue equipment, there were six to eight deputies parked along the street, according to the arrest report.
While attempting to extinguish the fire, a man later identified as Sosa was seen driving a 2010 Mazda with family members out of his driveway, which was near the house fire. The arrest report said the roadway was not drivable, including a water line from a hydrant. Sosa drove his vehicle along a grassy swale, crossing driveways and attempting to circumvent the hoses and equipment, according to the report.
Numerous deputies and fire personnel attempted to stop Sosa, with “tire marks in the grass where he spun revving the tires attempting to antagonize the deputies," according to the report.
Despite orders from a deputy, Sosa attempted to back into his driveway, where the occupants exited.
Then, according to the report, Sosa entered a 2011 Ford Expedition and drove toward the end of the driveway. With the main fire hose still extended throughout the roadway, Sosa began driving his vehicle through yards and grass areas until he entered the roadway.
He drove over a fire hose, puncturing it, and with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue engineer Thomas Galloway needing to interrupt the fire suppression to his crew. Galloway unsuccessfully attempted to stop the vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, the fire was extinguished.
Sosa then drove his vehicle north on Barberton, and a PBSO deputy attempted to stop him. But Sosa drove on the grass and "off the roadway to flee the area," according to the report.
A deputy, who was assisting on the street, got out of her vehicle and attempted to stop Sosa in his vehicle. She stated "she could hear Sosa 'rev' his engine to accelerate towards her, and she stated she had to remove out of his way to avoid beind struck by his vehicle," according to the report.
The suspect drove around the crsuier, going on the grass and off the road.
The deputy then got into her patrol car and followed Sosa on Lake Worth Road. Both vehicles were stopped at a red light at the entrance of Florida's Turnpike. The vehicles proceeded, but about 150-200 feet west of the intersection, Sosa "slammed his brakes, causing the vehicle to go from 40 mph to an abrupt stop," causing the deputy's vehicle to lock up and swerve around him.
Sosa ultimately was stopped and detained.