Some recent proactive police work on the part of the Lake Wales Police Department resulted in the arrest of two individuals on a myriad of charges and warrants.
On November 2, 2025 at around 11am, a Lake Wales police officer was patrolling the Lake Wales Housing Authority on Sessoms Ave. W when they “observed a blue Hyundai Sonata driving away…at a high rate of speed.”
The officer was proactively attempting to locate one Rahim Anderson, DOB 11/5/94, who was known to have multiple warrants.
Upon observing the vehicle, the officer noted that the car did not stop at a stop sign located at 1st Street and Seminole Avenue. The vehicle continued on toward Scenic Hwy., making a left and headed north.
The arrest affidavit notes that the officer caught up to the vehicle and activated their emergency lights and sirens, initiating a traffic stop.
The vehicle initially pulled over, but as the officer exited their vehicle to approach, the suspect began to travel north again at a slow rate of speed.
The suspect turned east onto Burns Avenue and again pulled over into the parking lot of 730 Scenic Highway North, known as Grace Health Care.
According to the report, the officer proceeded to approach the car, noting that they recognized Rahim Anderson as the driver. Anderson was ordered to exit the vehicle and was taken into custody by the arresting officer.
A systems check of Anderson’s name “showed Anderson’s license was revoked on January 2, 2015 for violation of a controlled substance.”
Officers confirmed that Anderson had six warrants for his arrest, including for domestic battery, burglary unoccupied dwelling / criminal mischief, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and resisting an officer without violence.
The affidavit further denotes that the officer approached the vehicle and made contact with the passenger, Kahdijah Sherell Gadson, DOB 5/23/94. The officer stated that he detected a “strong odor of marijuana…”
“As Gadson stepped out, I asked her if she had anything illegal in her purse and she stated there wasn’t and handed me her purse to search it. Inside the purse, I located an orange pill bottle with a total of 31 small green pills inside.
The pills were later identified as Zoloft, a prescription medication often indicated for depression. The bottle had no markings, name, or drug label.
Gadson allegedly could not provide any documentation stating the pills were hers.
Neither adult had a valid driver’s license and both were arrested.
As the officer took inventory of items in the vehicle, a clear “plastic baggie with small white pieces of an unknown substance” was observed, suspected to be, and later verified through testing, cocaine. recognized the substance to be cocaine.
Due to Gadson not being able to prove the prescription pills were hers, she has been charged with possession of a prescription pill without a prescription.
Three minors in the vehicle were placed in the care of a family member.
Both were transported to the Polk County Jail without incident.
