POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A 21-year-old Avon Park woman is in custody following a series of encounters with Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies early Monday morning. The incident began around 1:45 a.m., when a deputy stopped to assist a disabled black Chrysler 300 in the northbound lanes of US 17, directly in front of the Bartow Executive Airport.
The driver, identified as Cheyenne Melody Williams, was standing outside the vehicle when the deputy arrived. According to officials, Williams quickly got back into her car and sped away from the scene. The deputy did not pursue the vehicle but alerted nearby units over the radio.
A short time later, a second deputy attempted a traffic stop on the Chrysler in Eagle Lake. Williams allegedly accelerated again to flee the scene. Following department policy, the deputy also declined to engage in a high-speed pursuit and instead relayed the car’s location to other units.
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Deputies eventually spotted the Chrysler pulled over on the side of US 17. In an attempt to prevent further flight, one deputy pulled in behind the car while another pulled directly in front to box it in. Williams reportedly turned her wheels and accelerated, striking the patrol vehicle in front of her before driving away for a third time.
The car was later found abandoned in the Ranches at McLeod neighborhood. Deputies searching the vehicle discovered two cans of Four Loko inside.
Williams was located shortly after at a residence on Trotters Drive and taken into custody.
During questioning, Williams told investigators she did not know why she fled. She stated she was trying to drive home to Avon Park from Orlando, though she could not explain why she was traveling in the opposite direction.
Williams was transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and faces multiple charges, including first-degree felony aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. Other charges include fleeing to elude, criminal mischief over $1,000, resisting without violence, and possession of alcohol by a person under 21.
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