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Polk County deputy arrested, accused of DUI, sheriff’s office says

Jakob Kite, 22, resigned after arrest

Jakob Kite, 22 (Polk County Sheriff's Office)

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Polk County deputy was arrested after speeding and fleeing deputies while driving under the influence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Jakob Kite, 22, was arrested Sunday.

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According to the sheriff’s office, Kite was speeding over 100 mph just after midnight and two deputies attempted to stop the vehicle. At one point, the vehicle was clocked at 130 mph in a 45 mph zone.

While deputies were pursuing the vehicle, it struck a concrete median on Highway 540A and later on the deputies rammed the car to stop it.

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Sheriff’s officials said Kite appeared to be driving impaired and his blood alcohol level was 0.035 G/210L.

The sheriff’s office said Kite resigned after he was arrested.

“This kind of driving and reckless behavior is unacceptable for any responsible citizen, let alone a deputy sheriff. It is hard to describe how disappointed and angry I am towards Kite’s dangerously stupid behavior. Had he not resigned, he would have been fired,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a release.

The sheriff’s office said Kite was hired in February 2020 as a detention deputy trainee and then became a deputy sheriff in April of this year.

Kite faces charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting without violence, resisting with violence, fleeing to elude, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, reckless driving and DUI.


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