Former neurosurgeon fleeing sexual assault charges in Colorado is captured in Florida after shoot-out

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) -- A former neurosurgeon is facing attempted murder charges following a shoot-out with deputies and U.S. Marshals.

Police believe 72-year-old Thomas Steffens left Colorado after allegedly drugging a woman with prescription medication and sexually assaulting her, WFLA reports.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KUSA, the victim, whose name has not been released, told police she went to a bar on Jan. 25 and drank a beer while talking to two women. She said she went to the restroom and when she returned, the women were gone. She finished her beer and then had no memory of what happened after that.

She woke up in an unfamiliar bed and said she let a man there drive her home, and she did not know where she was. Before he dropped her off, he asked her call him so he could have her phone number. The number was later linked to Steffens, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance video from the bar showed the victim, who did not appear to be in control of her body, leaving with Steffens, KUSA reports. The affidavit obtained by the outlet said Steffens was reported twice in 2024 for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting someone after writing prescriptions for medications.

CBS News reports he was facing charges in connection with the case on two counts of sexual assault, one count of second-degree assault — strangulation, and one count of third-degree assault. During the course of their investigation, authorities learned Steffens was taking a bus to Florida and had made statements about not being taken into custody alive, according to WFLA.

U.S. Marshals and detectives from the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office assembled a task force to find and arrest Steffens, WFTV reports.

The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Steffens in the passenger seat of a car in Indian River County, Florida, according to WFLA. The driver pulled over for a traffic stop, but Steffens allegedly refused to get out. 

He then allegedly began shooting at law enforcement from inside the car, and detectives returned fire, shooting Steffens multiple times. A U.S. Marshal was shot in the leg during the gunfight. He was treated for his injuries and released. 

Steffens was treated at a hospital and is expected to survive, WFLA reports.

In addition to his pending charges from Colorado, he now faces attempted murder charges. According to KUSA, 21st Judicial District Attorney Dan Rubinstein of Colorado said, “We will ultimately extradite him. However, the way that functions practically is he needs to face his charges in Florida first. So I do not anticipate we will be able to extradite him for quite a while.”

MORE: