ORLANDO, Fla.
--
An Orange County sheriff's deputy was strangled until he nearly lost consciousness by one of several men who robbed a group of teens.
Investigators said three men in a black Chrysler Sebring rolled up on a 17-year-old and his friends in Pine Hills Sunday and attacked.
"Somebody came out of the back seat and said, 'You already know what it is,'" the victim said. "Then he ran up on me and he hit me. I was knocked out for a couple of seconds then he started going through my pockets."
The teen was robbed of less than $50, police said.
A short time after the robbery, deputies spotted a black car with three men inside that matched the description in the attack.
The occupants of the car jumped from the car and tried to flee on foot.
During the pursuit, one of the men fought with Deputy Chris Miller.
"At some point, the suspect is able to get his hands around the deputy's neck and choke the deputy," Orange County sheriff's representative Jeff Williamson said.
Miller came close to passing out before the suspect fled the scene.
The victim said he was lucky to only receive stitches during the violent attack.
"It's a good thing I didn't do anything because I probably would've been shot if they would assault a deputy," the victim said.
"Someone who is brazen enough to attack a law enforcement officer and try to subdue a law enforcement officer by choking him, we consider that person a very dangerous person," Williams said. "So, it's extremely important that we catch him."
One of three suspects was captured by police.
Anyone with information concerning the incident is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.
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