September 5, 2023
Polk County, Florida – In a shocking turn of events, 22-year-old Jakob Kite, a Polk County Deputy Sheriff, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, September 4, after leading authorities on a high-speed pursuit that reached speeds of over 130 miles per hour. Kite, who had been with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office since February 2020, promptly resigned following his arrest.
The incident began at approximately 12:06 a.m. when Polk County Sheriff’s Office traffic deputies were conducting routine traffic enforcement on US Hwy 98 South in the vicinity of Smith Lane near Lakeland. A deputy radar clocked a Subaru Impreza, driven by Kite, traveling south on Hwy 98 towards Bartow at an alarming 105 mph in a 60 mph zone. Subsequent measurements from another deputy’s laser speed enforcement device revealed the vehicle’s speed to be between 114 mph and 117 mph.
Deputies swiftly attempted to initiate a traffic stop as Kite’s vehicle continued onto Lyle Pkwy in Bartow and then onto EF Griffin Rd, heading north towards Hwy 540A. During this time, one of the traffic deputies recorded Kite’s vehicle at an astonishing 130 mph in a 45 mph zone using moving radar.
Despite the deputies’ efforts to pull him over, Kite refused to comply and continued evading authorities. The pursuit took a dangerous turn as Kite’s vehicle ran a stop sign at the intersection of EF Griffin Rd and Hwy 540A, narrowly avoiding a collision with a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
Kite’s reckless attempt to flee continued westbound on Hwy 540A, and the deputies were forced to initiate a pursuit. After several attempts to evade capture, one of the deputies successfully executed a PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique), disabling Kite’s fleeing vehicle.
Upon apprehension, Kite initially refused to exit his car and displayed signs of impairment or intoxication. He was subsequently transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center, where breath samples were taken, revealing a breath alcohol level of .035 G/210L and .034 G/210L. A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluated Kite, and a urine sample was collected.
Kite now faces a litany of charges, including 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. He was also issued citations for multiple driving infractions, including four speeding tickets for various excessive speeds and running a stop sign.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd expressed his disappointment and anger towards Kite’s actions, stating, “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. We will absolutely hold him accountable for his criminal conduct. I appreciate and applaud our traffic deputies for doing the right thing and taking Kite into custody.”
