POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A routine traffic stop on I-4 near Polk City Thursday afternoon escalated into a fiery roadside confrontation, culminating in the arrest of a Virginia man who was allegedly in possession of stolen street signs.
At approximately 5:39 p.m. on Thursday, June 5th, Deputy Fontanez of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was conducting traffic enforcement while parked in the “Authorized Vehicles Only” area in the median of I-4. His attention was drawn to a blue Nissan with a Virginia license plate as it executed an illegal turn directly in front of his patrol vehicle.
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Deputy Fontanez initiated a traffic stop, approaching the Nissan. The driver was identified as 30-year-old Michael Thomas Albritton.
“Michael was mad. Like, really, really mad. He began throwing items around in his car while having a good old-fashioned hissy fit,” said the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Fontanez attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Albritton reportedly became even more enraged. When asked if he had any weapons in the vehicle, Albritton confirmed he did. The deputy then instructed Albritton to exit the vehicle, a command Albritton repeatedly refused before finally complying.
A search of Albritton’s vehicle uncovered two distinct signs: a street sign marked “Golfview Cutoff Rd” and another sign stating “30 Minutes Only Parking.” When questioned about the signs, Albritton claimed he had obtained them from a “buddy in Virginia.”
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However, authorities noted the suspicious nature of the “Golfview Cutoff Rd” sign, as a road sign by that exact name in Babson Park, Florida, has recently been reported missing.
Michael Albritton was subsequently arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Polk County Jail. He faces charges of Resisting without Violence and Removing a Traffic Control Device.
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