Deputy Injured When Suspects Ram Cruiser: Sheriff

CLEARWATER, FL — A 34-year-old Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy was hospitalized with minor injuries after a Friday morning fraud investigation took a dangerous turn. According to the agency, suspects in the case rammed the deputy’s cruiser and attempted to get away.

The incident that sent Deputy Jeffrey Nelson to the hospital began to unfold around 8:15 a.m. Aug. 11 when deputies were called out to the McDonald’s at 3470 Ulmerton Road in unincorporated Clearwater. Employees wanted to report a woman who had allegedly passed them a counterfeit $10 bill. Employees at the restaurant told deputies the woman involved left the restaurant with a man and went to the Rally’s gas station at 3400 Ulmerton Road.

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When deputies went to the gas station, they caught up with Suzanne Hyland, 30, and Albert D. Lowe, 37, behind the establishment. The two were putting air into the tires of a 2016 Hyundai Elantra at the time. Since Hyland matched the description given by McDonald’s employees, the deputies began speaking to her and Lowe about the allegations, an email from the agency said.

Lowe and Hyland, however, are accused of jumping back into the car with Lowe behind the wheel. The sheriff’s office said Lowe almost struck a deputy standing near their car when he slammed the Hyundai into reverse. He is then accused of continuing backwards and crashing into the driver’s door of a patrol cruiser.

Nelson was seated in the driver’s seat when the impact occurred. “The crash pinned Deputy Nelson’s leg between the cruiser door and the door frame,” the email said.

After striking the cruiser, Lowe continued the attempt to flee, the sheriff’s office said. Cpl. Bill Hartigan, however, saw what was happening and used the “push bumper” on his cruiser to disable the Hyundai.

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Even with the flight attempt thwarted, deputies say Lowe continued to be uncooperative and tried to resist being handcuffed. They ended up having to use an electronic control device to bring him into custody, the email noted.

After Lowe and Hyland were in custody, Nelson was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries that are described as minor.

Once detectives from the economic crimes unit arrived and conducted a search of the Elantra, they say they found counterfeit cash and materials used to create them.

Lowe was charged with fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, possession of counterfeit bills, possession of an instrument for forging bills and violation of probation. Hyland was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer without violence, possession of counterfeit bills, possession of an instrument for forging bills and uttering a forged bill, among other charges.

Deputies say both Lowe and Hyland are Orlando residents.

Booking photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office