A hit-and-run incident in Winter Haven ended in an arrest after the Polk County Sheriff’s Office pursued the suspect, who was allegedly in the country illegally from Mexico. According to the Sheriff’s Office news release, the collision occurred on Tuesday, in the late afternoon when a victim was rear-ended by a burgundy Nissan Frontier truck. The accident was followed by a brief encounter between the victim and the occupants of the truck, who urged the victim not to involve authorities before fleeing the scene.
The victim, having already called 911, also provided deputies, who she flagged down on Rifle Range Road, with the vehicle’s tag number. Quickly located by the deputies at the address registered to the truck, a tarp-covered Nissan Frontier sat in the backyard in plain sight as if it were trying to avoid detection. After approaching 39-year-old Jose Obregon Salgado at the residence, deputies were met with resistance as he attempted to retreat back into his home but was soon apprehended and positively identified by the victim.
Salgado now faces several charges including tampering with evidence, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of a crash, and driving without a valid license. As noted in the sheriff’s report, each charge against Salgado is upgraded due to his illegal status. Furthermore, an ICE detainer has been issued, ensuring that Salgado remains in the Polk County Jail for the time being…