Polk County Deputy allegedly assaulted by illegal Venezuelan national during traffic stop: Officials

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POLK COUNTY, Fla. - A Polk County Deputy was allegedly assaulted following a routine traffic stop early Sunday morning which resulted in the arrest of a suspect in the country illegally from Venezuela and a second suspect for DUI and multiple traffic violations.

What we know:

According to the report, just after midnight, deputies spotted a Pontiac G6 near Rifle Range Road and Eagle Lake Loop with an expired registration tag last valid in June 2023.

According to officials, the deputy conducted a traffic stop, and the vehicle pulled over. The driver, identified as 57-year-old Jose Adorno Pabon of Wahneta, informed the deputy that he did not speak English and did not have a driver’s license.

As the deputy initiated his investigation, the vehicle's passenger, 37-year-old Jhonnys Robles Pereira, also of Wahneta, exited the car despite repeated commands to remain inside. 

According to the sheriff’s office, Pereira continued approaching the deputy, then suddenly charged at him and struck him before fleeing on foot.

What they're saying:

"As Pereira fled, Pabon sped away from the scene in the vehicle and the deputy pursued Pereira on foot, ordering him to stop multiple times before deploying his Taser and taking him into custody," said a Polk County Sheriff's spokesperson.

Upon arrest, the deputy confirmed with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Pereira is in the country illegally from Venezuela. An ICE hold has been placed on him at the Polk County Jail, and due to his immigration status, his charges are being upgraded.

Pereira is facing the following charges:

• Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer (F2)
• Resisting Arrest with Violence (F2)
• Resisting Arrest without Violence (F3)

Shortly after the incident, backup deputies located the fleeing vehicle and conducted a second traffic stop.

According to officials, Pabon was taken into custody and exhibited clear signs of impairment. Although he possessed a valid driver’s license, deputies reported that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

During a field sobriety test, Pabon showed six out of eight indicators of impairment. He reportedly told deputies that he had consumed "five beers" and admitted he had neither registered the recently purchased car nor obtained insurance.

Pabon now faces multiple charges, including:

• Fleeing to Elude Law Enforcement (F3)
• Resisting Arrest (M1)
• Driving Under the Influence (M2)
• Attaching Unassigned Tag (M2)
• Operating a Vehicle Without Registration (M2)
• Failure to Maintain Vehicle Insurance (M2)

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the incident, emphasizing the dangers deputies face during seemingly minor traffic stops:

"They say there's no such thing as a routine traffic stop, and that nothing good happens after midnight. We're grateful that this traffic stop resulted in a drunk driver being taken off the road before killing someone, and that our deputy wasn't more seriously injured when the suspect who is here illegally slammed into him while fleeing."