Woman safe after shouting for help near Lee County Jail in Fort Myers

Reporter: Gail Levy Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News

A deputy was crossing the street to head into work at the Lee County Jail along Martin Luther King Boulevard on Sunday when he heard a woman yell for help in a car.

She yelled at the deputy multiple times. She said was being held against her will and the driver of the car she was in had a gun.

The deputy asked the driver to stop the car and get out, but deputies said the driver went looking for something in the car.

That’s when the deputy fired one shot and the car sped off.

It only takes one shot for someone to know something’s wrong. Charles Bradley heard that deputy’s one shot. “I heard the gun down the street but I was like down the street.”

The bullet was fired toward Gustavo Reyes, the man behind the wheel. A woman in his car yelled at the deputy for help. She said Reyes threatened to beat her unconscious with his gun.

She asked him to let her out of the car multiple times. It’s something that Megan Dalabes, the director of community education at Abuse, Counseling and Treatment incorporated says is hard to do. “She clearly showed great bravery and trying to reach out and ask for help. But it’s also a reminder that even asking for help and reaching out, can put someone at risk.”

Once the deputy fired at Reyes he sped off down Martin Luther King Junior Blvd. He ended up at the corner of Victoria and Central Avenue.

Deputies say he threw his gun, but not far enough, so he got out of the car and threw it further into the bushes. He dropped his phone in the process, which law enforcement later found.

Not too far away deputies found the woman.

Later they found Reyes at Health Park Medical Center where he drove himself to get treatment for his gunshot wound.

Bradley, who heard that one gunshot said, “I’m glad they caught him, I couldn’t believe it but why would you do that right in front of a jail?”

Reyes was booked into Lee County Jail on Monday night. A judge has set his bail to $65,000. He faces charges of kidnapping-false imprisonment, aggravated assault, resisting an officers and fleeing and eluding police.

If you or anyone you know needs help, you can reach out to ACT. ACT stands for Abuse, Counseling and Treatment incorporated and they’ll help you come up with a safety plan.

You can reach ACT by clicking here or visiting actabuse.com/contact-act.

Additional resources for those who may be a victim of domestic violence can be found below.


Resources

Charlotte County
Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies
Phone: 941-639-5499
Hotline: 941-627-6000
SMS Text: 941-449-8534
TDD: 941-627-6000
Website: carefl.org
Chat: resourceconnect.com

Collier County
The Shelter for Abused Women & Children
Phone: 239-775-3862
Hotline: 239-775-1101
TDD: 239-775-4265
Website: naplesshelter.org

DeSoto County
Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center
Phone: 941-365-0208
Hotline: 941-365-1976
TDD: 941-365-1976
Website: sparcc.net

Glades County
Abuse Counseling and Treatment
Phone: 239-939-2553
Hotline: 239-939-3112
TDD: 239-939-3112
Website: actabuse.com

Hendry County
Abuse Counseling and Treatment
Phone: 239-939-2553
Hotline: 239-939-3112
TDD: 239-939-3112
Website: actabuse.com

Lee County
Abuse Counseling and Treatment
Phone: 239-939-2553
Hotline: 239-939-3112
TDD: 239-939-3112
Website: actabuse.com

Below are mental health resources available to Southwest Floridians at the national and local levels.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-8255
suicidepreventionlifeline.org

David Lawrence Center  (Collier County)
(239)455-8500
davidlawrencecenter.org

SalusCare (Lee County)
(239)275-4242
saluscareflorida.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Collier County
namicollier.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry Counties
namilee.org

The National Alliance for Caregiving offers a free handbook
Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers

Collier County Mental Health Court
ca.cjis20.org/home/collier

Lee County Mental Health Court
ca.cjis20.org/home/lee

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
convio.net

Local Support Groups: Anxiety and Depression Association of America
adaa.org

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help)
hhs.gov/programs/topic-sites/mental-health-parity

Local veterans resource: Home Base SWFL
https://homebase.org/home-base-southwest-florida/

 

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