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Fox Morning Anchor Arrested After Scuffle With Deputy

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By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 17, 2009

Russell Rhodes

Fox 13 morning anchor Russell Rhodes was arrested last night and charged with obstructing or opposing an officer without violence after trying to run from an off-duty deputy in the Channelside garage , according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

At 10:15 p.m., an off-duty deputy at the Channelside parking garage, 810 Channelside Dr., saw Rhodes in his 2006 BMW 325i in the garage driving recklessly, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesman J. D. Callaway.

Rhodes "was attempting to reverse his vehicle into other traffic after passing the exit token machine," according to a criminal report affidavit.

The deputy then stopped the car. Rhodes got out and his pants and belt were undone, Callaway said.

"Rhodes appeared to be intoxicated when he got out of the vehicle," said Callaway. "Twice, Rhodes walked away from the deputy after being ordered not to leave. The third time he tried to run out of the garage. The deputy escorted Rhodes back to the patrol car and requested Rhodes give him the key to the vehicle, which Rhodes had in his right hand."

Rhodes refused to surrender the key, said Callaway and began to jerk his hand away from the deputy in an attempt to prevent him from grabbing the key, "requiring the deputy to take Rhodes to the ground to be handcuffed."

After being handcuffed, Rhodes apologized, according to the affidavit.

Rhodes told the deputy he panicked "because he works for Fox 13 news," according to the affidavit.

He was taken by ambulance to Tampa General Hospital's emergency room to be treated for a laceration to his lip and a contusion to his left cheek, according to Callaway.

"We have a DUI investigation under way," Callaway said. "We took a blood draw at the hospital and are awaiting results from the analysis."

Rhodes will not be on the air Monday morning, said Fox 13 spokeswoman Jessica Moss.

She referred all other questions to the station's website, which states that "Fox 13 management is aware of the matter and is reviewing it."

Rhodes does not have a listed phone number and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rhodes, a native of Paris, Texas, has been with Fox 13, since 1994, according to the station's website.

He was released from the Orient Road Jail at 8:23 a.m. on a $500 bond.

Stay with TBO.com for updates.

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