By Hannah Collins
HANNAH COLLINS | The News
After months of searching, authorities have apprehended 39 year old Brian Patrick Rich, a fugitive wanted in connection with a December 2022 shooting in Washington County. Rich was originally arrested shortly after the incident on charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He later bonded out on a $200,000 bond but failed to appear for a scheduled court date, prompting a renewed search effort.
On Tuesday, April 8, members of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), along with the U.S. Marshal Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force and Bay County Sheriff’s Office SWAT, successfully arrested Rich on a failure to appear warrant for attempted homicide. He was taken into custody in Jackson County and is now awaiting extradition back to Washington County.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the original incident occurred on December 11, 2022, when a domestic dispute off N. Silver Lake Road escalated into gunfire. Rich allegedly shot a family member in the neck during the altercation, leaving the victim with a non life threatening injury. He allegedly fled the scene, prompting investigators to issue active warrants for his arrest.
For several months, U.S. Marshals had been tracking Rich, following leads that he might be hiding in the Jackson County area. On April 8, JCSO’s K9 Tracking Unit responded to a tip and was deployed to a home on McKinney Lane at approximately 10:30 a.m. A quick track led authorities to Rich’s location, and he was taken into custody without incident.
Staff Report