Woman Intentionally Strikes Deputies With Car, Says Polk Sheriff

LAKELAND, FL — Detectives are investigating a deputy-involved shooting that occurred at a pawn shop in unincorporated Lakeland on Saturday.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a report of a woman trying to use a stolen credit card at Max Pay Pawn Shop, 646 North Combee Road, at 12:49 p.m.

Deputies said they tried to speak to the woman, Carina Holder, 27, of Davenport when they arrived, but she got into a car, a BMW X5, and drove at the two deputies, Deputy Melissa Myers and Deputy Hannah Peche. The sheriff's office said another deputy, Joshua Chaves, began firing at Holder's car. The sheriff's report said Myers fired at the car as well.

The sheriff's office said Myers and Peche were struck by Holder's car, but were not seriously hurt. Holder also was uninjured.

Deputies said Holder was arrested about two miles away from the pawn shop on Cardinal Street in Kossuthville (Auburndale). Holder has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer, armed burglary and resisting arrest with violence.

"The suspect has a criminal history of fraud and violence, and that's exactly what was involved here today," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "Fraudulent activity is how this began, and she elevated it to violence by trying to kill two deputies with her car. Fortunately, she was quickly apprehended, and even more fortunate is that neither one of the deputies were seriously hurt."

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal investigation of the shooting. The 10th Judicial Circuit’s Officer-Involved Deadly Incident Task Force and the State Attorney’s Office will conduct their own independent investigations.

Holder has a criminal history that includes Polk County arrests in 2021 for battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and resisting arrest without violence, according to Judd.

In March, she was arrested for battery (domestic violence), battery on an officer/firefighter and resisting without violence. And in September, she was arrested and charged with forgery, criminal use of personal ID, grand theft, false statements, false impersonation, fraud to obtain property, uttering a false instrument and unlawful use of a communications device.

The sheriff's office said Myers has been with the sheriff's office since October 2007, and has been a patrol deputy since December 2014.

Chaves has been with the sheriff's office since January 2014, and has been a patrol deputy since June 2015.