New Charges Filed Against Man Accused Of Hitting Bradenton Police Officers

One officer remains in the ICU with a brain injury as the suspect faces two additional firearm-related charges, Bradenton police said.

By Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

Nov 9, 2026 10:46 AM EST

One officer remains in the ICU with a brain injury as the suspect faces two additional firearm-related charges, Bradenton police said. (Courtesy of Bradenton Police Department)

BRADENTON, FL — Additional charges have been filed against a man accused of hitting two Bradenton police officers with his vehicle while fleeing a disturbance call Sunday morning. One of the injured officers remains hospitalized in intensive care on Monday morning, Bradenton police said in a news release.

Dejerrian D. Murray faces two new charges: possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony and improper exhibition of dangerous weapons or firearms, police said.

He was previously charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, hit-and-run with serious bodily injury, hit-and-run with injury, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, violation of probation, and resisting arrest without violence.

Murray was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday at 1 p.m.

Lt. Perry Merrill remains in the intensive care unit with a traumatic brain injury, but his condition is stable. He is alert and has had visitors, police said.

Officer John Bembry, who was released from the hospital Sunday, is continuing to recover at home.

The incident began around 3:22 a.m. on Sunday when Bradenton police officers responded to a report of a possible disturbance involving a man with a firearm at the Wawa at 701 1st St. E.

The first officers on scene approached Murray as he was getting into his vehicle. With the driver's side door open, the suspect reversed at a high rate of speed, striking the officers, according to police.

Two additional officers witnessed the incident and shot at Murray's vehicle as he fled.

Bradenton police, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Highway Patrol pursued Murray as he drove toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and then back into Bradenton.

The pursuit ended when he crashed at the intersection of 1st Street and 10th Avenue West, just blocks from the Wawa, police said.

The suspect sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital before being taken to the Manatee County Jail.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded to investigate the officer-involved shooting. Additional information about that investigation hasn't been released.