A 56-year-old man has been released into custody from the hospital just a few weeks after he allegedly fled from police, barricaded himself in his car, fired shots at deputies, and burned his home down all after stealing a pack of cigarettes from a local Wawa.
Dempsey Hadley has been released from a hospital in Orlando and was transported back to Volusia County, according to a statement issued by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.
The release comes just a few weeks after a multi-hour standoff between Hadley and law enforcement authorities that started from an alleged theft.
On December 20, VCSO deputies responded to the Wawa located at 3400 Howland Boulevard at around 4:30 a.m. in reference to a theft. An employee accused Hadley allegedly of reaching over the counter and stealing a pack of cigarettes.
As deputies were approaching the gas station, they spotted Hadley and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his vehicle. Hadley allegedly attempted to run one of the deputies over before fleeing the stop. Another deputy deployed stop sticks on the vehicle, which deflated the driver’s side tires.
According to authorities, Hadley was still able to drive at a slow speed to his home on 3230 Whiteshorse Court.
Deputies found Hadley at his home and attempted to conduct a felony stop on the vehicle while it was parked in the driveway.
Hadley ignored commands from deputies and refused to come out of his vehicle.
As the deputies approached, Hadley allegedly fired multiple shots from a firearm. The deputies retreated while Hadley remained in the truck, allegedly setting fires inside the cab of the truck.
Additional units were called to the scene, including the SWAT team, K-9s, drones, and Air One, as well as various Volusia County emergency medical personnel. Hadley’s son and dog were removed from the home safely and the SWAT team used a Bearcat vehicle to reposition Hadley’s truck into the garage to prevent him from fleeing.
After the vehicle was pushed into the garage, Hadley allegedly exited the truck and entered the attic of the home.
A short time later, smoke became visible from the house and large, billowing flames consumed the top floors of the home.
Despite continuous efforts by police, Hadley continued refusing to surrender before emerging onto a second-floor balcony. While he was on the balcony, SWAT approached with their Bearcat vehicle and dismantled the balcony, bringing Hadley to the ground.
Hadley was immediately treated for his injuries at the scene and taken into custody.
Hadley is currently in custody at Volusia County Jail with no bond. He is facing three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, in addition to fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement.