Tremaine Furman Cowan, of Clewiston, has been found guilty of Fleeing to Elude Law Enforcement with Lights and Sirens, Possession of a Firearm, Ammunition, or
Concealed Weapon by a Convicted Felon, and Driving While License Suspended (2nd or more). The guilty verdict followed a one-day bench trial in Hendry County.
Assistant State Attorney Trevor Selph prosecuted the case.
The defendant was arrested on December 25, 2020, after refusing to stop when a Hendry County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to pull him over on Georgia Avenue in Clewiston. Instead of stopping, Cowan drove his car faster, driving erratically and through stop signs. Other deputies utilized stop sticks in the roadway to deflate his tires. As he drove over them, the front passenger tire went flat but he kept going, dropping to about 30 miles per hour from an estimated 50 mph.
He then drove his car off the road over terrain and then got back on the roadway, turning onto Kings Dairy Road, a dead-end street.
As deputies approached, he put the car in reverse, towards them. The driver was ordered to stop by the four members of law enforcement now on scene. The defendant stopped the car. As he stepped out of the vehicle, he threw an object far away, into a ditch. Deputies searched and were able to recover the object; it was a 9mm handgun.
The defendant was not allowed to be in possession of a firearm because he is a convicted felon. He was also driving on a suspended license.
The defendant was sentenced immediately after being convicted, to 3 years in prison as a minimum/mandatory, followed by two years of probation.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office