Funeral Services Set For Fallen Deputy Monday Morning

LUTZ, FL — The funeral service for Pinellas County sheriff's Deputy Michael Hartwick will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Idlewild Baptist Church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd. in Lutz.

Members of the public that wish to attend are reminded that parking is limited. Doors will open to the public at 10 a.m.

Immediately following the service, there will be a 21-gun salute, a riderless horse, a last call and a fly-over.

There will be no procession following the service.

On Sept. 23, Hartwick arrived to his traffic detail near Exit 30 on southbound Interstate 275 around 10:40 p.m. to assist the Florida Department of Transportation construction crew during overnight roadwork on the interstate.

He parked his cruiser facing south in the southbound lanes of I-275, with his emergency equipment on. Moments later, Hartwick got out of his cruiser, walked to the shoulder of the road and stood facing north, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives learned that a large front loader with forklifts, used to move concrete barriers, was traveling north. The construction worker front loader, later identified as 32-year-old Juan Ariel Molina-Salles of Tampa, struck Hartwick who was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to detectives, Molina continued to drive north for a quarter of a mile before coming to a stop. Detectives said Molina told another construction worker that he “just killed a deputy,” gave his construction helmet and vest to him, and then fled the scene on foot. The co-worker, later identified as 31-year-old Elieser Aureilio Gomez-Zelaya of Tampa, hid the helmet and vest in a wooded area to the west of the scene.

After a nine-hour manhunt, including K-9 and flight units, Molina was found by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office bloodhound hiding in brush. He was taken into custody and charged with one count of leaving the scene of a crash involving a death.

Gomez-Zelaya was charged with one count of accessory after the fact.

Hartwick, 51, served as a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Deputy for 19 years, assigned to the patrol operations bureau. He is survived by his mother and two adult children.

Family donations are being accepted at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Those who would like to make a financial donation to the family of the deputy can make checks payable to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and send them to:

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
ATTN: Fiscal Affairs Bureau
P.O. Drawer 2500
Largo, FL 33779-2500

A landing page has been created with the processional and memorial video, information for funeral services, a place to leave messages for the family, and information about Hartwick.