K-9 tracks down suspects accused of running down, injuring child in Lake County

LAKELAND, Fla. - Two men are behind bars after Lake County deputies say they were involved in a hit-and-run crash in Umatilla that left a child injured. 

Deputies say the incident happened around 7:40 a.m. Tuesday on Thomas Boat Landing Road. The child was struck by a vehicle who was "left to suffer from their injuries as the vehicle fled the scene," the Sheriff's Office said. The child was airlifted to an area hospital for treatment.

A bus driver reportedly witnessed the incident and were able to give a description of the vehicle to deputies.

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The Florida Highway Patrol was contacted and began searching for the vehicle. 

Authorities searched the area by land and air and located the vehicle abandoned off of County Road 42 in Paisley. K-9's were released to try and track down the suspects. 

"Sgt. Yancy Issacs and K-9 Zeus tracked to an RV parked on a neighbor’s property. Once contact was made with the owner, deputies were ensured that the RV should have been unoccupied. Once K-9 Zeus announced his presence, two of the three subjects exited the RV and the third soon thereafter."

A female inside the RV said she was being held against her will and told deputies that the suspect had thrown a bag containing firearms into a nearby lake.

Christian Ames Messick, 19, of Leesburg and Mariano Keano Taclay, 24, of Eustis were arrested and charged with burglary and false imprisonment.

The Sheriff's Office said that the Florida Highway Patrol is going to follow up with charges against Messick for the crash investigation.