LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) – A deadly deputy-involved shooting investigation is underway in Polk County after a woman attempted to hit two deputies with a stolen truck.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting took place Monday afternoon just before 12:30 p.m.
According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy had noticed a stolen Ford F-250 in the woods off Lakeland Acres Road.
As two deputies began to approach the truck, they called out to Sidney Renew, 20, to get out of the truck and talk with them.
Renew proceeded to accelerate directly towards the two deputies, according to investigators. Fearing for their safety, both deputies fired at Renew, killing her.
Renew’s criminal history includes 14 felony charges including at least 4 arrests.
Neither deputy was struck by the truck or injured in the incident. Both deputies are on paid leave pending an internal investigation.
Blaine Tolley lives across from where it all happened and was outside with his kids at the time. He heard the chaos, calling it his cue to get back in the house.
“A bunch of screaming and screaming and I heard the gunshots,” he described. “Pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop then everything stopped.
Tolley says he knew the suspect, Renew, as someone who hung out with some of his neighbors. He was not aware of her criminal history and didn’t expect she’d be accused of doing such a thing.
“She seemed cool as a cat,” he said. “Didn’t hurt nobody, didn’t mess with nobody.”
Another neighbor, Melissa Nichols, claims she saw Renew on her home surveillance driving around erratically.
“Both in her personal vehicle, and in the truck that she stole,” Nichols said.
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