An early morning traffic stop led to a shooting that injured both a woman and a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy, according to the sheriff’s office. The incident happened about 2:30 a.m. June 23 on South Pine Avenue.
According to the sheriff’s office, a male deputy made a traffic stop at Southeast 95th Court and 161st Street in Summerfield. Officials said the stop was due to an improper stop at a stop sign.
At the conclusion of the traffic stop, the defendant, 22-year-old Rheanna Harden, was taken into custody on charges of driving with a suspended license, providing false identification to a law enforcement official, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Harden was placed in the back of a sheriff’s vehicle. The sheriff’s office said she was searched and handcuffed behind her back. While being driven to the jail, the sheriff’s office said, Harden managed to get her hands in front, retrieve a gun hidden in her crotch, and fire at the deputy, injuring him.
This happened a few blocks south of the 2900 block of South Pine Avenue (U.S. 441.) Authorities said the gunshot grazed the deputy’s face. The deputy crashed his vehicle into a wooden utility pole in the 2900 block.
He got out of the vehicle and shot at Harden, the sheriff’s office said. She suffered wounds to her shoulder and hip.
Sheriff’s office officials said the deputy suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Harden also was taken to a local hospital and initially was listed in stable condition. Both were released by mid-morning June 23.
No information about the deputy has been released. Officials said he has been with the agency for less than five years. He’s presently on paid administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing, as is standard. He has not been involved in any other officer-involved shootings.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents and sheriff’s office officials were on scene and investigating on June 23. It is standard practice for the FDLE to investigate law enforcement-involved shootings. The agency eventually will present its findings to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
Records show Harden was released from prison in July 2024 on multiple charges that included grand theft of a motor vehicle, drug possession such as methamphetamine and cocaine, carrying a concealed firearm, and fleeing and eluding.
Her charges are from Bay County, according to the documents. Locally, she doesn’t have a criminal record.
Local defense lawyer Jimmie Sparrow, of Sparrow and Fairchild, is representing the deputy. Sparrow is a former police officer, detective and assistant state attorney.
Sparrow said his client has not been interviewed by FDLE. At this point, Sparrow said, it’s unknown when the deputy will be interviewed. Asked how his client is doing, Sparrow said as well as can be expected, given the circumstances.
The sheriff’s office will conduct its own review of the deputy-involved shooting, as is standard practice.
Sam Bryan told the Star-Banner he was asleep in his room at the Budget Inn, 2901 S. Pine Ave., when he heard gunshots in fast succession early June 23.
He looked outside into the parking lot and saw a few Ocala Police vehicles and other law enforcement vehicles on Pine Avenue. Some of those law officers were holding ballistic shields and giving loud commands ordering someone to get out of a car.
Bryan said the person emerged from the car. He said it was a woman with dark hair wearing a dark shirt. He said the law officers used zip ties to secure her hands, and that the officers handled themselves well.
The last time a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy was shot and injured was Dec. 10, 2023, outside the Club Time nightclub in Silver Springs Shores. Before that, the most recent case was in May 2011 in Hog Valley, when Deputy Owen Confessore was shot and injured.
Jim Ross contributed. Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County Sheriff’s Office: Woman hid gun in crotch, shot deputy inside patrol vehicle
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
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