Tammy Saucier, 51, is still recovering at HCA Orange Park Hospital Wednesday morning after suffering injuries in the shooting at a Clay County cemetery Tuesday.
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The woman hospitalized after being accused of shooting at Clay County deputies in a cemetery Tuesday morning following a police chase, is facing murder charges Wednesday, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Tammy Saucier, 51, is charged with five counts of felony second-degree attempted murder on a law enforcement officer, according to jail records. Saucier did not appear in court Wednesday morning, as she is still in the hospital, recovering from injuries suffered in the deputy-involved shooting.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Michelle Cook said around 10:40 a.m., deputies were notified of Saucier, believed to be suffering from a “mental health crisis.” Deputies found Saucier’s vehicle information via the Clay County license plate reader system, and discovered that she was traveling from the Oakleaf area toward Middleburg.
Cook said a sergeant located Saucier’s vehicle and reported that she started to drive recklessly, veering into oncoming traffic and ran a red light.
After a pursuit, Saucier pulled over inside a cemetery located at 3601 Old Jennings Rd. in Middleburg.
Cook said the sergeant attempted to de-escalate the situation by talking with Saucier.
At least two other deputies in the area also responded to assist the sergeant, according to the sheriff. Cook said Saucier is a family friend of one of the deputies who responded.
At some point, Saucier told deputies she had a gun, Cook told First Coast News. The sheriff said she also drunk from a bottle of alcohol she had in her vehicle.
Saucier fired one shot inside her vehicle and then another shot in the direction of the responding deputies, according to Cook.
At least three deputies returned gunfire, Cook said, and believe Saucier was hit. It is unclear how many shots were fired by deputies.
Cook noted that investigators are working to learn if Saucier’s apparent gunshot wound derived from the initial shot fired inside her vehicle, or if it was from the deputies who returned fire. Saucier’s injuries are non-life-threatening, according to police. Cook said no deputies were injured.
The deputies called for more assistance from negotiators and SWAT while continuing efforts to de-escalate the situation. The deputy who knew Saucier, asked her what could get her to surrender, Cook told First Coast News. Saucier responded saying she wanted a pack of cigarettes, Cook said.
“Using a shield, a ballistic shield, they approached her vehicle and dropped off a pack of cigarettes,” Cook said in Tuesday’s news conference following the shooting.
Cook said as Saucier got out of the vehicle to get the cigarettes, deputies used a non-lethal bean bag round to immobilize her. Saucier was then tackled and taken into custody. Clay County Fire Rescue was already at the scene and took her to HCA Orange Park Hospital.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office were called as a result of the shooting.
At the time of this incident, Tynes Elementary School went on lockdown out of “an abundance of caution.” The cemetery is a half mile away from the school.
