Lithia Man Accused Of Trying To Ram Deputy's Car

PLANT CITY, FL — A man was arrested in Plant City Wednesday after being accused of trying to run over a deputy and causing a crash with two children in his car.

Around noon on Wednesday, District II deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office were responding to a call about a possible shooting, which turned out to be unfounded, when a deputy noticed a Ford Fusion parked in the middle of Smith Ryals Road.

As the deputy approached the car, the driver accelerated and tried to hit the deputy head on. The deputy swerved and was able to avoid a collision.

The driver continued south on Smith Ryals Road and the deputy turned on his emergency lights and made a U-turn in an attempt to follow the Ford. At the intersection of Smith Ryals Road and State Road 60, the Ford ran a stop sign, traveling across all four lanes of traffic and striking another vehicle.

The man in the other vehicle and the driver of the Ford, Troy Milton Tatum, 27, of Lithia, were not injured. A woman in Tatum's car was medevaced to a local hospital. Two children, ages 3 and 6, who were also in the Ford, were taken to Tampa General Hospital. All had non-life-threatening injuries.

The sheriff's office discovered that Tatum had an outstanding warrant out of Polk County for resisting an officer without violence and possession of cannabis.

He was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle and fleeing to elude.