HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. — One person is dead after an attempted traffic stop escalated into a deputy-involved shooting Tuesday morning.
Highlands County Sherriff's Office said around 4:57 a.m., deputies attempted the traffic stop on a blue Dodge pickup truck being driven by Matthew Dillon Owens, 31.
Officials said Owens refused to stop, which led to a chase between Owens and law enforcement across county lines into Hardee and then back again into Highlands.
Owens then crashed the truck into a citrus grove south of Old Bombing Range Road in Avon Park before fleeing on foot. When K-9 teams were deployed, they found Owens hiding in a tree a quarter mile away from the truck.
Deputies said they gave Owens verbal commands to come down and, after spotting something in his hand, asked him to drop what he was holding. Owens allegedly refused to follow both commands, pointing the object at the deputies, which caused them to fire and strike Owens.
After he was removed from the tree, Owens was given medical attention immediately but was pronounced dead around 8:30 a.m.
Officials said Owens fled from law enforcement in both Highlands and Hardee on Sunday, June 18, and fled again in the St. Lucie County area on Monday, June 19.
They added that he had several active warrants for his arrest, including two counts of capital sexual battery, one count of lewd molestation of a child under 13 years of age and felony domestic violence battery.
No deputies were injured. This is an ongoing investigation.
