Polk sheriff says Winter Haven man shot by sergeant after stealing car, robbing store

UPDATE: The Polk County Sheriff's Office has identified the woman who was with suspect Matthew Correa. Her name is Eileen Brackin, 43, and she was arrested separately Saturday by Winter Haven police on a violation of probation charge.

A 27-year-old man was shot by a Polk County sheriff's sergeant Saturday morning in Winter Haven after the Sheriff's Office said he stole a car and tried to rob a tire store with a rifle.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, speaking at a Saturday afternoon news conference at the site of the shooting on Winter Lake Road, said Matthew Correa of Winter Haven stole a red Toyota pickup truck from Sunrise Supermarket on Thornhill Road shortly after 8 a.m. along with an unidentified woman. The Sheriff's Office would later identify the woman as Eileen Brackin, 43, of Auburndale.

Judd said the couple then drove to Ramirez Tires on Spirit Lake Road and robbed the store with a firearm around 8:45 a.m.

Judd said Correa and Brackin went into the tire shop and asked the person working there for money multiple times, but he told them he didn't have any money. The couple then went into the office with the man, Judd said, and Correa pulled a rifle out of his bag, pointed it at the victim, then closed the office door. The robbery was captured on surveillance video.

"He continues to ask for money," Judd said. "And you can see him rummaging around in the office."

Judd said Correa and Brackin left the tire store when another customer came.

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About two hours later, Polk County deputies spotted the stolen pickup truck heading south at Cypress Gardens Boulevard and U.S. 17, Judd said. Only Correa was in the vehicle.

He said Correa turned down Winter Lake Road, also known as State Road 540, and headed west. Deputies followed, calling for air support and K9 units.

"We have not initiated a pursuit in the beginning," Judd said at the conference. " We wait for our resources to get in place. However, he forced a pursuit."

Judd said deputies tried to use stop sticks to disable the vehicle twice and Correa drove around them.

"On one occasion, he drove directly at one of our deputies," Judd said. "In an attempt to run over him, to hit him, to kill him."

He said deputies surrounded the car and Correa pointed a rifle under his chin while screaming at the deputies to kill him.

"Our deputies try to de-escalate the event," Judd said. He said Correa stood up through the sunroof and continued to scream at the deputies.

According to Judd, Correa dropped down into the truck before popping back out of the sunroof with the rifle.

"And he's got a beer bottle that he smashes into his forehead," Judd said.

Judd said a sergeant positioned directly behind Correa couldn't see Correa smash the bottle against his head.

"But he hears the 'pop', thinks that the suspect shot at the deputies and he shoots our suspect one time," Judd said at the conference. "The bullet strikes our suspect in the neck, he falls back down into the vehicle and the firearm falls outside the vehicle."

He said deputies took Correa out the car and treated him until EMS arrived. Correa was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where he was in stable condition, Judd said.

Judd said no deputies were injured.

"At the end of the day, he made a choice," Judd said. "And when he made another bad choice, we made a choice to protect ourselves. Our sergeant did exactly what he should have under those circumstances."

At the time of Saturday's news conference, the Sheriff's Office did not know Brackin's identity and asked residents for help. Later that day, detectives learned who she was through an anonymous tip and discovered she had been arrested earlier Saturday by Winter Haven police for violation of probation and was already in the Polk County Jail. The Sheriff's Office said she admitted to being with Correa during the theft and robbery attempt Saturday morning.

The Sheriff's Office said Sunday morning that Brackin is expected to be charged with grand threft of a motor vehicle, armed robbery with assault and armed burglary of a conveyance.

Upon his release from the hospital, Correa is expected to be charged with attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, armed robbery, armed burglary with assault, armed burglary of a conveyance, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing to elude, false imprisonment, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, resisting with violence and reckless driving.

The Sheriff's Office did not immediately release the name of the sergeant and did not provide a reason. It's the third time this year Polk sheriff's deputies have shot suspects.

Standard protocol for all deputy-involved shootings involves three independent investigations: PCSO will conduct a criminal investigation, PCSO Administrative Investigations will conduct an administrative inquiry, and the State Attorney's Office will conduct a separate investigation.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County Sheriff: Deputy shot suspect in car theft, store robbery