A suspected arsonist is hospitalized after he was shot by Polk County deputies along I-4 following a two-county chase on Sunday. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says deputies began the chase after they spotted 30-year-old Luke Neely throwing Molotov Cocktails on the roof of a home in Lakeland. "Two of them exploded on the house," Judd said. "The others apparently rolled down and were ignited in the yard."
After Neely was spotted, deputies pursued along I-4, and finally forced Neely off the road. He tried to run away on foot, armed with an AR-15 and a handgun. When he refused to drop the weapons, deputies opened fire near Dinosaur World. "We hit Luke several times," Judd said. "Twice in the right leg, once in the leg, and once in the groin."
Neely is also suspected of setting several fires in Ybor City before going to the Lakeland house.
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