LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland Police Department detective was arrested Friday after allegedly filing a false report about damage to his unmarked agency vehicle, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Hayes, 42, was charged with one misdemeanor count of filing a false report of a crime. Deputies say Hayes claimed three unknown juveniles threw an object at his unmarked Chevrolet SUV while he was driving on Yates Road in Lakeland, shattering the rear window.
Hayes also told investigators he ran over a sign while attempting to pursue the youths and later reported the incident after contacting his supervisor.
However, detectives uncovered a photo of the vehicle taken a full day before Hayes filed the report. The image showed the back window already broken. When confronted, Hayes reportedly admitted that he believed his child may have broken the window with a baseball and said he panicked before filing the false report.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail and later released on a $1,000 bond.
Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor confirmed Hayes, a 12-year veteran assigned to the Property Crimes Unit, was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
“The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has our full cooperation as they proceed with their criminal investigation,” Chief Taylor said in a statement.