POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A 27-year-old Winter Haven man was shot in the neck late Saturday morning after he led deputies on a chase which ended in a confrontation, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explains.
Matthew Correa, no stranger to the system, is expected to recover from his gunshot wound and later be booked into the county jail, Judd said during a news conference.
But what exactly happened? It all started early Saturday morning.
Correa and an unidentified woman were reportedly driving in an older white model of a Chevrolet Tahoe when they eventually made their way to the Sunrise Supermarket.
Once they arrived at the market, they decided to steal a red Toyota pickup truck, Judd explains.
But the crime doesn't stop there.
Around 8:44 a.m., the duo reportedly shows up at Ramirez Tires and tries to rob the shop with a gun. They continue to ask for money even after the employee explains they don't have money, the sheriff says.
Eventually, they end up in the office where Correa pulls out a rifle from his duffle bag and points it at the man, Judd explains. With the gun still pointed, Correa slides the outside door shut while continuing to pressure the man for money.
The tension was cut when another customer arrived at the store, according to the sheriff. The duo, Correa and the woman, fled the business.
Two hours later, deputies found the stolen red pickup truck on Cypress Gardens Boulevard, where it had apparently broken down.
Shortly after finding the truck, deputies spotted Correa driving the Chevy Tahoe south on Highway 17 Judd explains. He eventually turned west onto State Road 540.
"We're behind him. We've called for air support and canine," he recalls. "...He forced a pursuit."
Deputies twice threw out stop sticks to try and end the chase, but Correa was able to swerve around them.
"On one occasion, he drove directly at one of our deputies in an attempt to run over him, to hit him, to kill him," Judd explains.
Eventually, the chase comes to an end with the Tahoe in the eastbound lanes of SR-540 with deputies surrounding the car.
Instead of surrendering, the sheriff explains Correa points the rifle under his chin and started to scream at law enforcement, demanding they kill him.
"Our deputies tried to deescalate the event," Judd says.
No matter the efforts, the 27-year-old reportedly stood up through the sunroof and continued to scream while pointing the rifle at himself.
During this confrontation, a sergeant with the sheriff's office was standing behind the car, facing the back of Correa.
With not being able to see the front of Correa, the sergeant ended up shooting him once in the neck after he heard a "pop" thinking it was a gunshot pointed at the deputies.
The "pop" sound came from Correa bringing a beer bottle to his forehead and smashing it with the rifle still in his hand, Judd explains.
"The sergeant can't see [the beer bottle], but he hears the pop, thinks that the suspect shot at the deputies and he shoots our suspect one time," he says.
After Correa falls back from the gunshot and the rifle falls outside the car, deputies reportedly rush in, remove him from inside and attempt life-saving measures until EMS arrives.
He's now recovering from the gunshot wound at Lakeland Regional Hospital and is expected to be released soon, the sheriff's office explains. He will then be booked into the county jail.
No deputies were injured during this incident.
"He's a menace, he's dangerous and somebody will be hurt as long as he's at large," Judd says.
Correa has three previous felonies, which include a home invasion burglary, Judd explains. He's been to state prison before for five years, which is where Judd says he hopes Correa ends up again.
"He doesn't care about people, he doesn't care whether or not he threatens them," the sheriff says. "At the end of the day, he made a choice. And when he made another bad choice, we made a choice to protect ourselves. Our sergeant did exactly what he should've done under those circumstances."
Correa will be charged with attempted first-degree murder of law enforcement officer, armed robbery, armed burglary with assault, armed burglary of conveyance, grand theft of motor vehicle, fleeing to elude, false imprisonment, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, resisting with violence and reckless driving.
The sheriff's office was searching for the woman who was with Correa at the time of the attempted robbery. Surveillance video was released to help the sheriff's office identify her.
She has since been identified by an anonymous tip as 43-year-old Eileen Brackin of Auburndale, deputies report. She had already been arrested by Winter Haven Police Saturday morning on a warrant for violating probation.
Brackin is currently in the Polk County Jail and reportedly admitted to detectives she was with Correa during the crime spree.
She is expected to be charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, armed robbery, armed burglary with assault and armed burglary of conveyance.