Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
On Friday, June 14th a little after 3 am, a PCSO deputy got behind a stolen blue 2007 Honda Pilot on Duff Road, in the area of Kathleen Road in Lakeland.
The deputy continued following the Pilot whilst other deputies joined the party in order to safely stop the car without a pursuit.
When the Pilot stopped for a traffic light at US 98 and Marcum Road, the deputies attempted to box in the vehicle.
The pilot of the Pilot was 41-year old Matthew Middleton, and he wasn’t going to let a few deputies surrounding him end his night.
Middleton put the Pilot in reverse and intentionally slammed into a patrol car behind him. He then drove away.
When the Pilot got a little bit down the road, Middleton bailed out of the movie Pilot and ran away. A deputy used his patrol car to safely bring the unoccupied Pilot to a stop.
Meanwhile, a foot pursuit was underway with Middleton, but it didn’t last long. When he got to Extra Space Storage at 6405 US 98 North, a deputy told Middleton to stop or a Taser would bring Middleton to a stop. Middleton chose the former and surrendered without incident.
Matthew Middleton is classified as a career offender. He is on probation, inmate release status, and a prison release reoffender for burglary. His probation was scheduled to expire in one month and five days. D’oh!
Middleton was arrested and taken to the Polk Pokey where he was charged with: Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Battery on LEO, Resisting With Violence, Aggravated Fleeing to Elude, Resisting Without Violence, DWLSR, and Violation of Probation.
