JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (The video above is from a previous report)
A man arrested in 2019 on charges related to not doing the contract work he was paid for has died in a deputy-involved shooting in Alachua County this week, according to law enforcement.
Barry P. Heckard, 39, died Thursday, deputies say. He was the owner of Heckard’s Door, a company accused of defrauding at least a dozen customers for custom door orders.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office says Thursday around 8:30 p.m., deputies observed a white van traveling North on State Road 45 headed towards Newberry.
Deputies say the vehicle was being operated in a dangerous and erratic driving manner consistent with an impaired driver. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled.
During the incident, the suspect reportedly shot at deputies, who returned fire. The incident ended at the intersection of State Road 45 and Newberry Road, according to law enforcement.
Deputies say Heckard was pronounced dead at the scene.
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He was initially arrested in August of 2019 after a family claimed they paid him more than $9,000 for a project that had not been completed.
This case isn’t the only time customers lodged such complaints Heckard, owner of Heckard’s Door.
Norman Sassner, a Vietnam veteran, signed a $24 thousand contract for three sets of doors—all that accommodate his wheelchair. He gave Heckard an $11 thousand down payment.
Emails between Sassner and Heckard show the bedroom doors were supposed to be installed within 2-4 weeks, the whole project would take 12 weeks.
“We waited and waited and waited—never came,” Sassner said.
Eleven people have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau, 7 from this year. The complaints had a similar refrain of large down payments, sporatic communication and unfinished jobs.
Since his grand theft charge, which he pleaded guilty to, a warrant was also issued for his arrest for violation of probation.