Martin County Sheriff's Deputy Shot

A Martin County Sheriff's deputy thought he was just making a routine traffic stop, he ends up dodging bullets but he wasn't able to get out of the way of all of them.

One bullet struck the deputy in the arm.

News 12 is told this a new one for the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

First and update on Deputy Dale Howard. He is in good condition expecting to make a full recovery at St. Mary's medical center but it must have been a scary morning for him.

Around 1:15 AM, he tried to make a traffic stop after he saw a driver swerving.

Durrell Simms was driving a grey Chevy but he never stopped until he pulled behind his house on 45th Avenue in Port Salerno.

That's when deputies say Simms got out of the car with an AK-47 and started shooting.

Investigators think a total of 12 shots were fired. None of them coming from the sheriff's deputy.

Deputy Howard was hit once in the arm.

The suspect, Simms took off on foot after the shooting, and walked for about a mile carrying his riffle and an extra magazine.

Simms finally ditched the gun and ammo and waived down a passing car.

The driver of that car was a Stuart Police officer who was helping Martin County Deputies with the manhunt.

This is the frist time ever a Martin County Sheriff's Deputy has been shot while on duty.

The shooting caught deputies and neighbors by surprise.

Deputies say Simms has confessed to shooting Deputy Howard.

He's in jail with no bond facing charges of attempted murder, assault on law enforcement officer, and more charges are likely to follow.