Crime & Public Safety
Wildwood man accused of hitting Sumter County deputy with vehicle during traffic stop
A man was arrested in Wildwood after Sumter County deputies say he struck a deputy with his vehicle while fleeing a traffic stop. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest Thursday and said the incident began when a deputy stopped the man for a headlight out.
According to the sheriff’s office, body-worn camera video recorded Wednesday shows the suspect struggling with a deputy and then using his vehicle to hit both the deputy and the deputy’s vehicle before fleeing the scene. Deputies later tracked the suspect to Wildwood RV Village, about a mile from where the original stop occurred, and took him into custody without incident.
The sheriff’s office said the man had active warrants at the time, including one for burglary with an allegation involving explosives or a weapon. The agency described the actions as resistance and flight; those characterizations are attributed to the sheriff’s office and have not been adjudicated in court. The office also reported the deputy was OK following the encounter.
As of the sheriff’s office statement, the suspect remains in custody and is facing the allegations documented by the agency. The sheriff’s office provided the body-worn camera footage as part of its account of the sequence and arrest.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.