LAKELAND, Fla. — A routine early morning traffic stop in Lakeland took an unexpected turn Wednesday when a driver accidentally rolled backward into a deputy’s patrol cruiser.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy pulled over a 2003 Honda around 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Dille Street.
As the deputy stepped out of the cruiser and began walking toward the driver’s side window, the Honda began rolling in reverse, colliding with the front of the patrol vehicle.
Authorities identified the driver as 46-year-old Catarina Andres of Guatemala. Andres told the deputy she had accidentally shifted the car into neutral rather than park, causing it to roll backward into the cruiser.
Deputies reported minimal damage to both vehicles, and no injuries were reported.
During the investigation, the deputy discovered that Andres did not possess a valid driver’s license. Officials also determined she was in the United States illegally.
Andres was arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center, where she was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, a first-degree misdemeanor. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since placed an immigration detainer on her.
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