Repo Attempt Leads to Violent Encounter in Florida Town

On August 15, 2025, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Port St. Joe Police responded to a call involving a repo driver attempting to repossess a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Tikila Walker. After a crash, Walker fled in her white Ford Fusion, which had an expired temporary tag. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but Walker refused to stop, driving slowly through north Port St. Joe. Near Avenue A and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Sergeant Morrison tried to block her path, but Walker drove onto the sidewalk and continued at a slow pace. The pursuit was terminated, and officers cleared the area.

At around 4:20 p.m., officers responded to a hit-and-run with property damage caused by Walker on Avenue C, though the reporting party declined to press charges. Sergeant Morrison spoke with Walker and the repo driver for about 15 minutes to de-escalate, but Walker refused to exit her vehicle or surrender it, eventually driving away. Just after 5:50 p.m., officers received reports of another hit-and-run at a Highland View convenience store involving Walker’s vehicle, which was blocked by the repo truck, and a separate reckless driving complaint.

By 6:00 p.m., Sergeant Morrison and Officer Lee located Walker’s vehicle in the 200 block of Avenue C. Walker was holding a 16-inch filet-style knife. Officers attempted to de-escalate for several minutes, but Walker did not drop the weapon. A Gulf County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived, broke the passenger-side window, and deployed a taser seven times without effect.

Walker swung the knife at the deputy from inside the vehicle. She then exited, advancing toward Sergeant Morrison with the knife. Sergeant Morrison and Officer Lee discharged their service weapons, striking Walker twice. Officers provided medical aid until Gulf County EMS arrived. Walker was treated at a hospital and discharged.

The knife was recovered, and Walker faces charges from the Port St. Joe Police Department for Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting an Officer with Violence, and from the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office for Resisting an Officer with Violence.