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Internal Affairs To Review Arrest Of Channel 13 Anchor

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 20, 2009

Updated: 01/20/2009 01:51 pm

Russell Rhodes

Internal Affairs for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office will conduct a review following an incident involving the arrest of WTVT, Channel 13, morning anchor Russell Rhodes, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said today.

Carter said such a review is standard procedure "anytime an arrest is made receiving a lot of public scrutiny."

Rhodes was arrested Friday night and charged with obstructing or opposing an officer without violence after trying to run from an off-duty deputy in the Channelside Parking Garage, Hillsborough County deputies say.

At 10:15 p.m., an off-duty deputy at the parking garage, 810 Channelside Drive, saw Rhodes in his 2006 BMW 325i in the garage driving recklessly, according to Hillsborough County sheriff's 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," Callaway said. "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.

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

WTVT is owned by the Fox Broadcasting Corp., a division of News Corp. A Fox spokeswoman referred questions today to WTVT's Web site, which states that "Fox 13 management is aware of the matter and is reviewing it."

Information from Tribune archives was used in this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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