News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Jul 23, 2018

Lakeland felon who assaulted deputies & fled after traffic stop shot during deputy-involved shooting

Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, PIO

On Sunday, July 22, 2018, at about 8:00 p.m., a Polk County Sheriff's Office Deputy was forced to shoot a Lakeland man after he refused to comply with lawful orders, assaulted deputies with his car, and fled from a traffic stop. The suspect is 40-year-old Shannon Keith Baxley (DOB 1/6/78) of 315 West Oak Drive in Lakeland. He is a convicted felon.

According to the preliminary investigation so far, PCSO Traffic Deputies were conducting traffic enforcement in the area of Daughtery Road and Pearce Road in north Lakeland on Sunday evening when they observed the suspect's vehicle with extremely dark tinted windows. The deputies in the area were focusing on seat belt violations and illegal window tint, and flagged down the suspect to pull into a business parking lot. When the driver rolled down his window slightly, they asked him for his license and registration, and smelled the odor marijuana emanating from within the car, a Ford Fusion.

The driver was uncooperative and refused the deputies' commands to turn the car off and step out of the vehicle. Deputy Sheriff Clint Wofford drove his patrol car around to face the suspect's vehicle, to deter him from fleeing, at which time the suspect put the car into reverse and tried to flee. He grabbed Deputy Sheriff Clifford Christello's arm, and dragged the deputy along with him as he drove away, also striking him with his car. Deputy Christello attempted to utilize his Taser on the suspect at that time.

Baxley then fled the scene, and both deputies returned to their patrol cars and pursued.

The vehicle pursuit went eastbound on I-4, and then onto the Polk Parkway (CR 570). Deputy Christello attempted to engage the fleeing vehicle in a PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver in an attempt to stop it, at which time the suspect intentionally swerved and hit his patrol car. Baxley continued off of the Parkway and onto Pace Road. Christello attempted another PIT maneuver, and again the suspect tried to hit him with his car. As Baxley turned onto Berkley Road from Pace, Wofford conducted a PIT maneuver, resulting in both cars leaving the roadway, with Wofford's car ending up in a ditch. Christello positioned his patrol car on the roadway in front of Baxley's, in an attempt to keep Baxley from continuing to flee.

Baxley exited his vehicle and aggressively approached Christello, yelling and putting his hands into the waistband of his pants.

Fearing for Deputy Christello's life and his own, Deputy Wofford shot at the suspect four times. The suspect was struck by three bullets.

Both deputies administered first aid and summoned Polk County Fire Rescue to the scene. PCFR transported the suspect to a local hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries. Felony charges against the suspect are pending completion of the investigation.

Neither of the deputies were injured during the shooting.

"Law enforcement officers deserve to go home at the end of their shifts. This suspect was totally out of control, hitting deputies' cars and driving aggressively and erratically, and putting the public at risk. When he was ordered to stop, he made furtive movements, resulting in him being shot. Fortunately nobody else was seriously injured." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

The following is a history of law enforcement interactions with Baxley:

April 3, 2010 - arrested by Lakeland P.D. for battery;

November 10, 2011 - arrested by PCSO for possession of controlled substance without prescription, possession of paraphernalia, keeping a house or vehicle for drug use;

February 26, 2012 - arrested by PCSO for battery, possession of controlled substance without prescription, possession of paraphernalia;

November 16, 2016 - arrested by PCSO for possession of a concealed electric device (Taser), possession of a weapon by a convicted felon;

August 24, 2017 - arrested by PCSO for possession of meth, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia;

May 8, 2018 - arrested by PCSO for resisting arrest, possession of heroin, possession of paraphernalia, 3 counts failure to appear (August 2017 charges).

June 19, 2018 - Baker Acted by PCSO after his ex-girlfriend called to report he was driving around and texting her saying he wanted to kill himself.

There are three ongoing investigations: An investigation into the aggravated assault on a LEO and fleeing to elude charges, by the PCSO Bureau of Criminal Investigations; an internal investigation of the shooting, by the PCSO Administrative Investigations Unit; and a review by the State Attorney's Office, who was on-scene and will review the PCSO investigations once they are completed.

Both deputies who interacted with Baxley are on paid administrative leave per standard protocol: 28-year-old Deputy Sheriff Clint Wofford, who was hired as a detention deputy in January 2015, and is assigned to the PCSO Traffic Unit; and 40-year-old Deputy Sheriff Clifford Christello, who was hired in November 2015 and is assigned to the PCSO Traffic Unit.

This is an ongoing investigation.