Winter Haven, FL – Sunday, September 28 — A 49-year-old Winter Haven man, identified as Robert Gray, a retired Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy and chief pilot, was arrested Sunday evening, after fleeing from deputies with an unrestrained child in his vehicle.
The incident began around 5:18 p.m. when the Polk County Emergency Communications Center received a call from the McDonald’s at 6890 Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Employees reported a suspicious man in a black Chevy Tahoe who had gone through the drive-thru twice, appeared impaired, made rude comments, and had several open beer cans in his vehicle. A young child was also observed unrestrained in the front seat.
A deputy, who was nearby at a 7-11, responded to the scene. As the deputy approached on foot, Gray allegedly drove off, running a stop sign and a red light while speeding away. The deputy lost sight of the Tahoe, which was later found abandoned at a business located at 6930 Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
Deputies identified Gray, who lives within a mile of where the vehicle was found, and responded to his residence. Initially, Gray refused to exit his home but eventually surrendered peacefully and was arrested without incident.
Sheriff Grady Judd praised the McDonald’s staff for their vigilance, stating, “The staff at McDonald’s did the right thing by reporting the suspect’s unusual behavior. He was not only making inappropriate comments to employees, but they feared the child might be endangered; they saw several empty beer cans in the vehicle, and they were worried the suspect could be intoxicated.”
Gray was booked into the Sheriff’s Processing Center and faces charges of Fleeing to Elude (third-degree felony), Negligent Child Abuse (third-degree felony), and Reckless Driving (second-degree misdemeanor). The child was unharmed, and the Florida Department of Children and Families was notified.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident. Nothing further at this time.
Editor’s Note: According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, no sobriety test was performed due to the time elapsed between the suspect fleeing from McDonald’s and when he emerged from his residence.
Source: Polk County Sheriff’s Office PIO
