POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A 43-year-old Davenport man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after nearly colliding with a Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy early Saturday morning.
Jeffrey Duke Tyler was arrested on June 6, 2026, at approximately 1:45 a.m., according to investigators. A PCSO deputy was patrolling Power Line Road in Haines City when a red Hyundai Veloster traveling in the wrong lane forced the deputy to swerve out of the way to avoid a collision.
The deputy initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as Tyler. When asked for his driver’s license, Tyler spoke with slurred speech, apologized, and stated he was trying to get home. A records check revealed Tyler has not possessed a valid driver’s license since 2011.
During the stop, the deputy spotted a red plastic cup containing an alcoholic beverage and a vape pen containing cannabis resin inside the vehicle. Tyler refused a request to participate in standard Field Sobriety Exercises.
Law enforcement officials stated that Tyler began to resist during the arrest and pushed the deputy backward. After being placed in the back of the patrol vehicle, Tyler shouted at the deputy, “You p****-a n****, don’t worry, money talks, bull**** walks.” He further claimed that his financial resources would get the case dismissed and stated that he still has “white privilege.”
Upon arrival at the jail, Tyler allegedly pushed the deputy a second time. He also refused to provide a breath sample for the driving under the influence investigation.
Tyler has been charged with two counts of felony battery on a law enforcement officer, felony resisting with violence, felony possession of cannabis resin, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor resisting without violence, misdemeanor driving while license suspended or revoked, misdemeanor driving under the influence, and misdemeanor refusal to submit to a DUI test. He was also issued a traffic citation for failure to stay in a single lane of travel.
READ: Devastating I-4 Morning Crash In Polk County Kills Apopka Driver Standing On Shoulder
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