Deputies in Polk County say a tense confrontation in the Waverly area turned into a bleach-fueled attack early Sunday, resulting in the arrest of 30-year-old Deltona resident Amber Setiva Pittman.
What deputies say happened
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According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, deputies were called to a home on Avenue C in Waverly for a reported battery in progress. According to investigators, Pittman arrived at the home unannounced, resulting in a verbal altercation that quickly escalated.
Deputies say Pittman tossed the contents of a water bottle, later identified as bleach, into the victim’s face. They claim she then retrieved a Taurus 9mm handgun from the victim’s vehicle, but a man at the house intervened and got the weapon away from her. Pittman allegedly fled the scene in a black 2018 Chevrolet Malibu.
According to officials, a deputy later attempted to stop her on Hodge Street. Pittman is accused of driving away and striking the deputy with the side of her car as she escaped. Deputies said they stopped her about a mile away and took her into custody. The deputy was not wounded.
Charges and what they mean
Pittman was charged with many offenses, including aggravated battery (F2), aggravated assault (F3), battery (M1), aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer (F1), resistance without violence (M1), and running to evade (F3). She was processed at the county jail and is still in detention pending prosecution.
Legal implications
Under Florida law, aggravated battery is charged when a battery involves a deadly weapon or causes severe bodily harm and is typically a second-degree felony, whereas assaults or batteries on law enforcement officers are reclassified and can carry harsher penalties, as well as minimum mandatory sentences. The statutes covering aggravated battery and officer-related offenses are Florida Statutes 784.07 and 784.045, respectively.
What happens next
Booking information and probable court dates were not immediately available. Members of the public can stay up to speed on press releases from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and jail rosters, or they can contact the agency’s public information office.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has a newsroom and media relations page that explains how it communicates with the public: Polk County Sheriff’s Office News and Investigations.