PLANT CITY, Fla. — Nobody is above the law: That's the message Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister had after one of his deputies was accused of having an altercation with a Plant City police officer.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the Plant City police officer was shining a flashlight behind some homes to look for a girl who ran away from home. According to the office, Hillsborough County Deputy Ivan Moreno was sitting in his backyard in the same area and yelled at the officer to turn the light off.
The sheriff's office said the officer kept searching with the light on, and Moreno kept yelling at him to turn off the light.
Then, authorities say the officer used the flashlight to show Moreno his badge and uniform. He also told Moreno he was a Plant City police officer, the sheriff's office said.
Moreno allegedly made his way toward the officer and bumped into his shoulder, trying to start a fight, according to the sheriff's office. The Plant City police officer said Moreno looked like he was drunk, the sheriff's office reported.
The Plant City police officer arrested Moreno for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence.
“No one is above the law. Battery on an officer, even if it’s coming from another law enforcement officer, is completely unacceptable,” Sheriff Chronister said. “This is an incident that should never have escalated to the level of physical violence. We do not condone the actions of this deputy, and he has been placed on administrative leave as we work through the details of this investigation.”
Moreno has been employed as a deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office since 2016. The sheriff's office said he has no prior internal affairs investigations.
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