Deputies arrest two suspects after they rammed a patrol cruiser and injured a deputy during a fraud investigation in unincorporated Clearwater, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

CLEARWATER – Two people are in custody after they rammed a sheriff’s patrol car and injured a deputy, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputy Jeffrey Nelson, 34, a four-year department veteran, was taken to Northside Hospital for minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

Albert D. Lowe, 37, of Winter Haven, was charged with one count each of fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, possession of counterfeit bills, possession of instrument for forging bills, and violation of probation on a charge of fraud involving rental property.

Suzanne Hyland, 30, of Orlando, was charged with one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer without violence, possession of counterfeit bills, possession of  instrument for forging bills, uttering a forged bill, and failure to appear on charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license and resisting arrest without violence.

The fraud incident happened about 8:15 a.m. Friday (Aug. 11) at the McDonald’s, 3470 Ulmerton Road, and the crash happened at the Rally’s gas station, 3400 Ulmerton Road. Both are in unincorporated Clearwater.

Deputies were called to the McDonald’s for a report of a woman passing a counterfeit $10 bill. The restaurant’s employees told deputies she had left with a man and gone to the Rally station.

When deputies arrived at the Rally’s, they found Hyland and Lowe behind the gas station putting air in the tires of a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. Deputies said Hyland matched the description of the
fraud suspect.

As deputies were conducting their investigation, Lowe and Hyland got into the Hyundai and tried to flee the scene in the Hyundai. Deputies said Lowe put the Hyundai in reverse and almost struck a deputy standing nearby. Lowe continued driving backwards until the Hyundai crashed into the driver door of a patrol cruiser where Nelson was seated. The crash pinned Nelson’s leg between the cruiser door and the door frame.

After the crash, Lowe tried to leave in the Hyundai by heading northbound through the Rally parking lot.

Sheriff’s Cpl. Bill Hartigan was on scene in his marked cruiser when he saw Lowe attempting to flee. Hartigan used the push bumper on his patrol cruiser to disable the Hyundai in the Rally parking lot.

Deputies said Lowe remained uncooperative and continued to resist their attempts to handcuff him. Deputies used an electronic control device to take Lowe into custody.

Detectives from the economic crimes unit searched the Elantra and said they found counterfeit currency and an instrument used to create counterfeit bills.

Deputie said Hyland admitted passing a counterfeit bill to McDonalds employees. Lowe admitted he tried fleeing because his girlfriend had warrants for her arrest.

For information about the Pinellas sheriff, go to pcsoweb.com.

Pinellas Sheriff | Deputy Injured | Crime | Arrests | Counterfeit Money | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

#PinellasSheriff #DeputyInjured #Crime #Arrests #CounterfeitMoney #TampaBayNews #TBReporter