Polk Deputies Shoot, Injure Man After Pursuit

AUBURNDALE, FL – Polk County Sheriff’s deputies shot a man who led deputies on a rainy pursuit he tried to run over a deputy with his car.

During a press conference Monday, Sheriff Grady Judd said a deputy pulled over Shannon Baxley, 40, around 7:45 p.m. Sunday, July 22, for a routine seat belt check on Daughtery Road near Pearce Road in north Lakeland.

During the stop, the deputy could smell marijuana coming from the car and Baxley refused to roll his window down or get out of the car.

He finally gave the deputy his driver’s license and when the deputy started to go to his cruiser to check the license, Baxley reportedly took off, hitting the deputy and causing his to roll over the car's hood.

Deputies chased Baxley who fled east on Interstate 4 and then the Polk Parkway.

They finally forced him off the road near the intersection of Berkely Road and Pace Road in unincorporated Auburndale.

Baxley then jumped out of the car and reached into the waist band of his pants. Fearing he was reaching for a weapon, deputies fired four shots, three of which hit Baxley in the arm and chest.

"When you've tried to run over a deputy and you reach for your waist band, it's game on," said Judd.

Baxley was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery. He is expected to recover.

The item Baxley was reaching for turned out to be a bag of marijuana. Deputies found a knife on the car seat and another on the floor board.

Judd said Baxley has a history of run-ins with the sheriff’s office. Last year he was arrested on drug charges and in May he was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation after he threatened to kill himself when his girlfriend broke up with him.

“The civil citation for possession of marijuana is 114 bucks but he chose to turn this into a felonious event," said Judd.

Among the charges Baxley will face is assaulting a deputy with a deadly weapon (his car). The deputy was not injured.

Images via Polk Sheriff

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