HAINES CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — A couple is now facing numerous charges after Haines City police say they hit a patrol vehicle, nearly ran over a police K-9, and broke into the mayor’s home.
Haines City Police Officer William Tucker was patrolling at around 2 a.m. Monday when he spotted a car parked at a construction site.
When the driver, 31-year-old Matthew Sweet of Intercession City, noticed officer Tucker, he hopped in the vehicle and rammed Tucker’s patrol vehicle.
K-9 Officer Joseph Elam spotted Swett’s vehicle as it exited onto Old Polk City Road and pursued it until the vehicle ran into a ditch and stopped. After hearing the vehicle’s doors open, Elam deployed his partner Cash while trying to issue commands to the occupants.
According to police, Swett then put his vehicle in reverse and tried to hit Elam and Cash, but Elam managed to pull the dog out of the way and carried Cash in his arms while running away from the vehicle.
Police say afterward, Swett rammed Elam’s vehicle and sped away before crashing at Prado Grande Avenue and Old Polk City Road. Swett and his partner Kaila Elig, 32, of Davenport ran away from the crash shortly before the vehicle caught on fire.
Police searched for the pair with help from the Polk County and Osceola County Sheriff’s Offices. Eventually, authorities found the pair breaking into the home of Haines City Mayor Morris West, spotting them from Osceola County’s Aviation Unit.
According to police, Swett and Elig had climbed the fence and cut a hole into the screened porch.