Lake County deputy shoots woman acting 'aggressively' during stolen vehicle stop

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A 51-year-old woman was shot by a Lake County deputy early Tuesday after she started acting “aggressively” during a traffic stop, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.

While responding to a noise complaint in the Lake Kathryn area of Paisley at about 12:20 p.m., the deputy reported seeing a car run a stop sign in the neighborhood.

When he ran the license plate, the vehicle came up as stolen, the sheriff's office said.

The driver, later identified as Robin Pearson, briefly tried to flee the deputy before pulling over in the yard of a home in the 2700 block of Nancy Avenue, investigators said.

"The girl was screaming. She got shot and he asked her why did she do what she did, and said what did you expect?” resident Randy Redman said.

Pearson is accused of ignoring orders from the deputy to stay in her car, and when she reached into her pocket to grab an unknown item, the deputy fired, the sheriff’s office said.

"At that point, she got out of the car, he gave commands to get back in the car, she reached for something in her pocket at which time the deputy shot out of fear for his life," said Fred Jones of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Pearson was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford where she was listed in stable condition.

After the shooting, investigators said they believe Pearson was trying to take a cellphone out of her pocket.

The woman, who has a lengthy criminal history involving drugs, was charged with grand theft auto and fleeing and attempting to elude.

Pearson’s friend Jeff Krenn said he saw her minutes before she was shot.

"She came by to see her niece last night and when she left here is when all that happened," said Krenn.

Krenn said he knew her license was suspended.

"I told her before, don't be driving," Krenn said. "She might have been drinking."

"Most of the time when a cop pulls a gun and starts shooting, he unloads it. She's lucky he didn't. He just shot once,” said Redman.

Methamphetamine was found nearby, authorities said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

Cox Media Group