DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested two people after a series of car burglaries ended in a violent crash early Monday morning in Davenport.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies first responded around 3:28 a.m. to the Preservation Pointe neighborhood off County Road 547 on reports of a car burglary.
Two people, a man and a woman, were reportedly seen trying to get into multiple cars in the neighborhood. The white 2006 Cadillac CTS they were driving in was last seen heading toward the only exit out of the neighborhood.
After the white sedan was spotted, a deputy tried to pull it over but the car sped off into the neighborhood, the agency explains. The deputy didn't chase after the car because there was only one way in and out of the neighborhood.
Eventually while trying to find a way out, the white sedan reportedly sped past deputies before turning around and abruptly slamming into a park and unoccupied car.
After the crash, deputies pulled the two people, identified as 37-year-old Timothy Hogue of Apopka and 31-year-old Rebecca Kozub of Ocoee, from out of the car. They were detained, and emergency medical services were called to treat injuries.
Both were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
“Fleeing from a law enforcement traffic stop demonstrates very poor decision making, but to do it in a small, residential neighborhood at a high rate of speed is a terrible idea, and dangerous," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "It’s amazing and fortunate that nobody innocent was hurt or killed. They could have very easily crashed into a house.
"It should not come as a surprise that the driver has a tattoo on his neck that says, ‘All gas, no brakes’."
After being released, Hogue was arrested and charged with:
- Burglary of an unoccupied conveyance (F2, 4-counts) with enhancement of crossing county lines
- Felony petit theft (F3, 3-counts)
- Fleeing to elude (F3)
- Conspiracy to commit burglary (F3)
- Possession of methamphetamine (F3)
- Possession of marijuana less than 20g (M1)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1)
- Resisting without violence (M1)
Kozub is still in the hospital after suffering from a fractured leg in the crash. Charges are pending at this time.
According to the sheriff's office, Hogue has a previous criminal history that consists of 31 felonies and 18 misdemeanors. Similarly, Kozub has racked up 19 felonies and 20 misdemeanors.