Man Arrested After Violent Assault and Chase in Mulberry, Deputies Say

Vidal Jimenez / PCSO

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published March 25th, 2026

Man Arrested After Violent Assault and Chase in Mulberry, Deputies Say

MULBERRY, Fla. — A 23-year-old man is facing multiple felony charges after Polk County deputies say he assaulted a teenager, chased him with a weapon, and attempted to flee from law enforcement during a violent incident Tuesday evening.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Bailey Place in Mulberry on March 24, 2026, following reports of a possible armed disturbance.

Investigators say the 18-year-old victim told deputies he had been at a nearby park when two suspects approached him and asked if he was selling marijuana. When the victim said he was not, the situation quickly escalated.

Authorities say Vidal Jimenez, who deputies confirmed is in the United States illegally from Mexico, allegedly became aggressive and began striking the victim. The victim attempted to run away, but Jimenez reportedly chased him down.

Fearing for his safety, the victim contacted his brother and asked him to call law enforcement. While hiding from the suspects, the victim was eventually located again — this time, deputies say Jimenez was armed with a knife, while the second suspect carried a bottle.

Both suspects allegedly pursued the victim as he ran toward his brother, intensifying the dangerous situation.

A short time later, deputies spotted a man matching the suspect’s description walking out of the Willow Oak Mobile Home Park. When deputies attempted to detain him, he pulled away and fled on foot, ignoring multiple commands to stop.

Deputies then deployed a Taser, successfully taking Jimenez into custody.

The second suspect remains unidentified and at large, as deputies continue their investigation.

Vidal Jimenez / PCSO

Jimenez is now facing multiple charges, including:

Two counts of aggravated assault without intent to kill (F2)
Simple battery (F3)
Resisting without violence (F3)

Due to his immigration status, each charge has been enhanced by one degree, according to authorities.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd did not hold back in his response to the incident.

“This suspect assaulted a young man, armed himself, and then tried to outrun deputies. He’s also in this country illegally. That didn’t work out for him, and it won’t work out for anyone else who tries it,” Judd said.

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