Man steals police car with K9 inside, crashes it after burglarizing Amscot in Winter Haven: officials
Pictured: Menylek Jarrett (Photo via Winter Haven Police Department)
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities have arrested a man they said stole a police car with a K-9 inside and crashed it into multiple vehicles after burglarizing a cash advance business in Winter Haven.
Menylek Jarrett, 20, was arrested on multiple charges including burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash with injury, the Winter Haven Police Department said in a news release.
Shortly before 9:30 p.m. Saturday, officers received a 911 call from employees at an Amscot located on 8th St. NW after Jarrett reportedly threw a rock through a front glass door and walked inside the business.
Police said Jarrett threw another rock at the teller's glass and tried to enter the door of the teller area, but when he couldn't get in, he left the business.
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When responding officers entered the business, unaware that the suspect h, authorities said Jarrett broke a driver's side window of a patrol car where a K9 was secured inside and drove off.
Police said he crashed the car into multiple vehicles near the intersection of 8th St. (Hwy 17) and Havendale Blvd., which left the car disabled. He then got out of the car and ran off but was later taken into custody after police used a Taser.
One person in a crashed vehicle was taken to a hospital with head pain, police said. No one else, including the K9, was hurt.
Jarrett was taken to a hospital for treatment and later booked into the Polk County Jail.