FROSTPROOF, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) charged a Frostproof man with second-degree murder after his brother was shot and killed on June 13 when he attacked a deputy with a block of wood, authorities said.
Primitivo Garcia, 43, of 123 W. Frostproof Baptist Church Road in Frostproof, was additionally charged with resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence, escape, and petit theft, for his role in the death of his brother, Francisco Garcia-Vega, 52, of the same address.
Primitivo had a warrant for his arrest for failure to pay child support. He resisted deputies who attempted to arrest him at about 9:40 p.m. on June 13, according to a PCSO report.
As he fought deputies, his brother, Francisco, approached and struck a deputy in the head with a 3.5-foot-long, 2-by-4 piece of lumber, injuring him, officials said.
Francisco was then preparing to hit the deputies again when he was shot by the deputies, according to Sheriff Grady Judd. He died at a local hospital.
Primitivo escaped from the deputies before they were able to catch him and use their Taser guns to take him into custody again.
Primitivo's criminal history includes five felonies and 25 misdemeanors, including several battery charges, resisting arrest, drug possession, and disorderly conduct, according to a PCSO report.
Francisco's criminal history includes four felonies and 10 misdemeanors, including aggravated battery, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, DUI, and failure to appear.
The injured deputy was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with a wound to the back of his head. He was released early this morning. He has been a deputy sheriff for 3.5 years.
"Francisco feloniously attacked our deputies with a deadly weapon, significantly injuring one, forcing them to shoot him," said Judd.
Per standard protocol, there are four investigations currently underway: an independent investigation by the 10th Judicial Circuit's Officer Involved Deadly Incident (OIDI) Task Force; an internal investigation by the PCSO Administrative Investigations Unit; the Polk County Medical Examiner conducts the autopsy to determine the manner and cause of death; and all investigative findings are forwarded to the 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office for their investigation and review.
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