Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
LAKELAND, Fla. - A 24-year-old Lakeland man is facing a long list of felony charges after Polk County deputies say he stole a backpack, rammed a patrol car, and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase while under the influence of methamphetamine.
What we know:
According to Polk County deputies, witnesses saw a vehicle pull up to the victim's driveway.
They said, a man hopped out of his car, then took a backpack with contents valued over $1200.
Deputies were able to locate the vehicle on Kathleen Road in Lakeland.
At the intersection of Duff Road and Green Road, deputies activated their emergency lights in attempt to stop the suspect, Gavin Ledbetter.
After ramming a deputy's vehicle, Ledbetter fled the scene at a high rate of speed, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies performed a PIT maneuver to disable Ledbetter's vehicle in a ditch.
Dig deeper:
Despite multiple verbal commands, deputies said, Ledbetter had to be physically removed from the vehicle.
While searching the vehicle, deputies recovered the backpack along with methamphetamine, cannabis, and drug paraphernalia.
Deputies said Ledbetter later admitted he stole the backpack and was driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
One deputy sustained a minor laceration exiting his vehicle when it was struck by Ledbetter.
Ledbetter was arrested and charged with grand theft, resistance without violence, resistance with violence, aggravated assault on law enforcement, aggravated battery on law enforcement, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of meth, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and keeping a motor vehicle for narcotics use, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
The Source: Information in this article was gathered from a Polk County Sheriff's Office press release.