High Springs man sentenced to 12 years in prison after assault on HSPD officers

Press release from High Springs Police Department

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – After a prolonged legal battle, John Kyle Culp, DOB 01/07/1988, of High Springs, entered a plea deal with the state on August 27, 2024. This guilty plea secured a prison sentence of twelve years, stemming from an assault on two High Springs Police officers in March of 2022.

During the original ordeal, the High Springs Police Department promptly responded to a suspicious person call, where Culp was offering nearby residents drugs and appeared to be impaired.

As two High Springs Police Officers approached Culp, he sat stagnant in his vehicle and refused to identify himself or cooperate with the officers’ direction. 

Thereafter, the officers attempted to remove Culp from the vehicle with the door ajar, and Culp put his vehicle in reverse, accelerated, and struck and dragged the officers for a short duration. 

Culp subsequently crashed his vehicle a few blocks from the incident and fled on foot, escaping capture. A thorough and meticulous search of Culp’s vehicle was conducted to ensure public safety, which yielded various controlled substances: Fentanyl, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, Alprazolam (Xanax), and assorted pills. 

On March 24, 2022, a New Orleans-based U.S. Marshals Task Force located and arrested Culp in Louisiana, and he was extradited back to Alachua County, Florida to face criminal charges of: 

COUNT I: AGGRAVATED BATTERY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

COUNT II: AGGRAVATED BATTERY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

COUNT III: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION

COUNT IV: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION

COUNT V: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION

COUNT VI: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION

COUNT VII: POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION

COUNT VIII: POSSESSION OF FIREARM, AMMUNITION, OR ELECTRIC WEAPON BY CONVICTED FELON

COUNT IX: AGGRAVATED FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE (INJURY ORDAMAGE)

COUNT X: RESISTING AN OFFICER WITH VIOLENCE

COUNT XI: FAIL STOP/REPORT CRASH INVOLVING INJURY

Chief Antoine Sheppard said, “I am grateful that the officers survived this attack; the actions of Mr. Culp were severe and could have resulted in the death or serious bodily injury to our public servants, underscoring the gravity of the incident. Mr. Culp will have a long time to reflect on his criminal offenses, and I fervently hope that he seeks and obtains the necessary help and reform upon his return to society.”