POLK COUNTY, FL. – Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigating after one of its deputies shot a man after a traffic stop led to an altercation.
At 11:50 a.m. on Friday, December 10, 2021, Lt. Rhodes, with Polk County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a traffic stop in the area of 1st Avenue NW and 7th Street NW, in Mulberry, regarding a stolen trailer and Caterpillar skid steer.
The theft was reported to the Lakeland Police Department on the same day.
While Lt. Rhodes was talking to the driver of the Ford F350 super duty truck that was pulling the stolen trailer, later identified as 47-year-old Michael Jeremy Hatfield of Bradenton, an altercation occurred, during which Hatfield attempted to overpower Lt. Rhodes and accelerate the truck.
Lt. Rhodes shot Hatfield one time, in the left hip.
He continued to accelerate and fled the scene. He was found sitting in his truck approximately two blocks away near 3rd Street NW and Phosphate Blvd and taken into custody.
He was transported to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.
Hatfield’s criminal history includes arrests in California for felony drug sales, use/under the influence of a controlled substance, felony marijuana possession, and felony possession of a controlled substance; and an arrest by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in November 2021 for felony burglary, felony grand theft, and felony abuse of an elderly or disabled adult.
Hatfield, remains in the hospital Saturday but will be booked into the Polk County Jail once he is released, according to Polk County Sheriff.
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