LAKELAND, Fla. – A 53-year-old Lakeland man’s attempt to evade arrest took an unexpected turn Monday. Thomas Michael Huff was stopped by a Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy while riding his bicycle on Kathleen Road near Deeson Road around 11:50 PM.
Huff initially provided a false identity to the deputy, claiming to be a man who had been deceased for seven years.
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However, his ruse was quickly uncovered. In a further attempt to avoid trouble, Huff intentionally fell from his bicycle, hoping to conceal a container of methamphetamine.
Despite his efforts, Huff’s true identity was revealed, and he was found to have an active warrant out of Marion County.
He was arrested on the warrant and faces additional charges in Polk County for possession of meth, drug paraphernalia, and providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
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Huff admitted to lying about his identity to avoid jail, stating that every encounter with law enforcement had resulted in incarceration. Ironically, his actions led to the very outcome he was trying to avoid.
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