Suspect flees traffic stop, deputies launch K-9 search near Riverdale

Deputies were still searching late Saturday after a traffic stop near Riverdale escalated into a neighborhood-wide K-9 operation, prompting residents along Cercelia Road and McKethan Road to stay indoors while officers tracked a suspect on foot.

The search centered on the area near the Riverdale community after the man fled from a traffic stop and was last seen running northbound on McKethan Road. By 9 p.m., multiple K-9 units were working the scene, and authorities asked nearby residents to report any suspicious activity while the search continued.

Deputies described the suspect as a black male wearing a black shirt, red shorts and a bandana on his head. That description, along with the direction of flight, gave residents a narrow but urgent picture of what to watch for as law enforcement moved through the area.

The response drew deputies from both Hernando County and Pasco County, showing how quickly a roadside stop can expand into a broader public-safety operation. In a county of about 218,150 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s July 1, 2024 estimate, even a localized manhunt can ripple through a residential area where homes sit close to the road network.

For neighbors near Riverdale, the most immediate concern was not just the stop itself but how long the search would last and whether the suspect still posed a threat. The request to remain inside signaled that deputies were treating the case as an active safety issue, not a routine traffic matter.

No arrest had been announced by late Saturday night, and officials had not released additional details about what led to the stop or why the suspect ran. The search remained focused on the roads around Cercelia and McKethan, where deputies continued working to locate the man before he could slip farther from the area.