Orlando Woman Charged With DUI With Serious Bodily Injury After Crash Critically Injuring 2 Young Children In Frostproof Crash

Frostproof

Staff Reporter

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May 22, 2023

32-year-old Ashauntie Cox (DOB 2/15/1991) of Orlando, who caused serious bodily harm to two children in her vehicle while fleeing from two crashes and driving under the influence, was arrested in Polk County on Friday, May 19, 2023, and charged with several felonies.

According to witnesses and information developed during the investigation, the first crash occurred around 8:00 p.m. on US Hwy 27 at the intersection with US Hwy 98 near Frostproof. Cox was driving a blue Kia southbound on Hwy 27 when she struck a grey Chevy Silverado pickup truck and then fled at a high rate of speed. As she continued to recklessly speed south down Hwy 27, weaving in and out of slower moving traffic, she rear-ended a 2016 Honda CRV while trying to pass between that SUV and the vehicle next to it which were both also going southbound. The victim driving the CRV was taken to Sebring Hospital, where he was treated and released with minor injuries.

The collision caused Cox’s vehicle to flip several times, ejecting two Orlando children, ages 5 and 8 years old. Both sustained significant injuries, and they were taken to Tampa General Hospital where they are both in critical condition. A 27-year-old female passenger was also seriously injured along her spinal cord, hip, and back. She remains at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center in stable condition.

When deputies arrived at the scene of the crash, they detected the odor of marijuana and located a bottle of tequila in Cox’s vehicle. Cox was transported to the hospital and interview by deputies. Cox told deputies they were driving from Orlando to Avon Park to celebrate the 5-year-old’s kindergarten graduation. She admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day, and to having four shots of tequila. Her blood was drawn for further analysis, and she displayed several signs of impairment.

She was booked into the Polk County Jail and is being charged with:

· Three counts DUI with serious bodily injury (F3)

· Two counts negligent child abuse with great bodily harm (F2)

· Reckless driving (F3)

· One count DUI with property damage (M1)

· One count DUI (M2)

Further charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.

“This woman had no regard for anyone’s life when she got behind the wheel intoxicated and then drove recklessly down a major highway, but what’s worse is the blatant disregard she had for the lives of the innocent children in her car. I expect a successful prosecution to hold her accountable—and let’s hope she loses her driving privileges if she’s released from jail or prison. Please keep these babies and their families in your prayers.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

J.C. Reviews: Go Watch “The Day The Earth Blew Up!” It’s Good!

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March 21, 2025

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J.C. Reviews: Go Watch “The Day The Earth Blew Up!” It’s Good!

by James Coulter

Warner Bros. has been doing the Looney Tunes dirty lately. Last year, they shelved the movie Coyote Vs Acme as a tax write-off, even though the movie had been completed. And as of this month, Max has removed all the classic Looney Tunes cartoons from its streaming service.

The Day The Earth Blew Up nearly suffered a similar fate as Coyote vs Acme. Originally, this animated Looney Tunes movie was going to be released on Max and Cartoon Network. However, in 2022, the movie was shelved.

The film, now picked up and distributed through Ketchup Entertainment, has since premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival last year, and had received a limited theatrical release before expanding wide as of this month.

But was this animated Looney Tunes movie worth retrieving from the ACME vault? Or does it deserve to be thrown into the Warner Water Tower along with the Animaniacs?

The Day The Earth Blew Up stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. After a meteor crashes through their roof, the cartoon duo need to get jobs to pay for the repairs or else risk losing their home. However, the meteor contains a mysterious green goop that’s being infused in chewing gum and turning people into mindless zombies. Can the duck and pig work together to stop this bad sci-fi movie premise?

Do you love the Looney Tunes? Do you love retro sci-fi B-movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still or The Blob? Do you just love animated movies in general and wish not every single one was computer animated? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you will love this movie.

The Day The Earth Blew Up is pure Looney Tunes goodness. The movie was animated by the same team that created the New Looney Tunes shorts for Max. The art style and animation perfectly emulates the classic Bob Clampett-style Looney Tunes shorts with all of their squash-and-stretch goodness.

Though, to be honest, sometimes the near-perfect emulation of classic Looney Tunes animation can be a bit of a fault to a tee. It’s rather uncanny to watch a movie with 1940s-style cel animation with references to Starbucks, smart phones, and influencer culture.

The plot is a loving (and biting) homage to sci-fi B movies from the 50s and 60s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing. It’s your typical alien invasion/zombie storyline with a very unique and hilarious plot twist at the very end.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the movie is how surprisingly heartwarming it can be. For a movie filled with squash-and-stretch slapstick, there’s plenty of moments that are truly touching. No spoilers, but the movie is about Porky and Daffy learning to support each other in the absence of a father figure. And those moments can tug at your heart.

Honestly, there’s not much else I can say about this movie that isn’t, “if you love classic Looney Tunes, you’ll love this movie.” In a time when 2D animation is sidelined in favor of 3D animation, when the Looney Tunes are threatened with being give the dip by Warner Bros. over tax breaks, we need to support movies like The Day The Earth Blew Up now more than ever.

From Barber Shop to BBQ Shop: Smokin’ DJ’s Ribbon Cutting Saturday, March 22

Maria Iannucci

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March 21, 2025

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From Barber Shop to BBQ Shop: Smokin’ DJ’s Ribbon Cutting Saturday, March 22

If you’ve ever wondered if anything is possible, ask Jennifer Leeks tomorrow morning at the ribbon cutting of her new restaurant in Downtown Lake Wales tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. sharp.

Smokin’ DJ’s, a new barbecue restaurant with an extensive menu and owners driven to succeed, opens for business right after the ribbon is cut.

Demetrius (Dee) and Jennifer Leeks have been married for 25 years. Dee is originally from Babson Park but has lived in Lake Wales for the majority of his adult life. A Lake Wales High School graduate, he was a high school football star, and would mature into a man who loved his Lake Wales community. Dee has been a barber here for over 25 years.

Jennifer has worked with Polk County Schools for over 25 years and counting. The couple have four children.

“Cooking and grilling became a second job for D, which has become a passion of his,” Jennifer says. “It’s lead us to a full trailer food truck, and now to opening the first barbecue burgers and wings restaurant downtown.”

For those that recognize the name, the couple have had a food truck established in our community for many years, and most recently of Mardi Gras in downtown Lake Wales. Other than events and catering, and due to work schedules, Sunday will be a regular food truck day.

‘Through a food incentive program offered through the City of Lake Wales,” Jennifer says, they were able to secure the location for Smokin’ DJ’s at 122 N. 1st St.

According to the City of Lake Wales website, “The Food-Related Services Incentive Program offers up to $50,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds to assist in establishing food-related businesses in Downtown Main Street District and the NW Redevelopment Area.”

“We are from (Lake Wales) we love our community, Jennifer says. “We love our city. We are excited to grow with and in our community, provide jobs and help others along the way as others have helped us thus far. We have a dedicated and true customer base from our food truck that have also helped us in creating Smokin DJ’s with ideas, reviews, and critiques.

“It has a taken a lot of dedication, downhill and uphills; however, with prayer, faith and hard work, we have made it here.

Their menu offers a variety of lunch specials with a wide range of proteins. Other items include BBQ salad, Smokin’ DJ’s Stackers, as well as several for meals and homemade sides.

Stackers can be made from brisket, bacon, ground turkey, pulled pork, chicken; the list goes on and on. Are you a fan of ribs by the slab? Need to cater for a backyard party or formal event? What about a barbecue charcuterie board? Maybe a handcrafted lemonade, or some banana pudding? This menu is worth looking at, and ordering from. There’s even a kids menu.

The ribbon-cutting will be held at the restaurant at 10 AM on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The restaurant will open for business at 11 AM. Smokin’ DJ’s is across 1st St. from the post office.

Regular hours will be Thursdays from 11 AM to 9 PM, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 AM to 10 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM. To place a phone order, please call 863–799–2551.

City of Lake Wales Complies with FDEP Wastewater Use Permit by Updating Code of Ordinances

City of Lake Wales

Maria Iannucci

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March 21, 2025

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City of Lake Wales Complies with FDEP Wastewater Use Permit by Updating Code of Ordinances

by James Coulter

To better comply with the requirements for wastewater treatment permitting through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the City of Lake Wales has updated its code of ordinances accordingly.

At their meeting on Tues. Mar. 18, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance to allow its wastewater treatment facility to better comply with FDEP permitting requirements.

“Any wastewater facility proposing to discharge wastewater to surface or ground waters or into the distribution system for irrigation, must demonstrate to the FDEP that all required minimum levels of treatment will be provided and that all water quality standards will be met,” Sarah B. Kirkland, Public Works Director, wrote in the agenda memo.

On Aug. 2022, FEDP had initially approved the permit renewal for the city’s wastewater treatment plant; however, as Kirkland explained, “further conditions were required” for the city to meet these requirements. One of these conditions was to establish and implement a Code of Ordinance for Industrial Pretreatment.

The updated ordinance will “add additional stipulations and will satisfy additional requirements pertaining to the wastewater operating permit.” Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the ordinance. The second reading will be held at a future commission meeting.

Lake Wales Business Vandalized, Molotov Cocktails Used

Maria Iannucci

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March 21, 2025

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Lake Wales Business Vandalized, Molotov Cocktails Used

The vandalized storefront at UniVista Insurance Photo: Lake Wales Daily

UPDATED 3:27 p.m. 3/21/25:

The owners and employees of a Lake Wales business experienced something yesterday that no one should.

In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 20, 2025, UniVista Insurance, located at 674 SR 60 in Lake Wales, was severely vandalized.

According to their website, UniVista Insurance works with multiple companies to provide auto insurance options to its customers.

Business owner German Portillo received a call from the property manager while heading to the office yesterday morning, who asked about damage to his door.

“I was still on my way to work and didn’t know what he was talking about,” says Portillo.

One of the two Molotov cocktails found on the floor of UniVista Insurance Photo: Lake Wales Daily

When he arrived at the office, which is located in the same plaza as the Polk County Tax Collector’s Office, he found his glass entrance door smashed, his windows vandalized with paint, and two Molotov cocktails thrown into the building. Both bottles burned the floor, caused smoke damage, and caught an artificial plant on fire, but eventually burned out.

Decals on the storefront, which covered the majority of the glass on the building, were spray painted; the word “WAR” was clearly marked over one of the decals.

On Thursday, despite the damage, customers were observed entering the business, and employees were working to remove decals from the storefront glass and board up the shattered door.

Portillo says that while his company has been established for about 8 years, UniVista Insurance only opened at this location about three weeks ago.

Lake Wales Police Department Public Information Officer Dale Hampton has confirmed the matter is being investigated.

“At this time the Lake Wales Police Department is actively working the investigation,” says Hampton. “Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to please call the Lake Wales Police Department.”

In Loving Memory of Julia Geraldine Stewart, 92, of Waverly

Obituaries

Maria Iannucci

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March 20, 2025

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Julia Geraldine Stewart, 92

Julia Geraldine Stewart of Waverly passed away Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Lakeland Hospice House.

She was born November 1, 1932 in Pavo, Georgia to the late George and Annie Mae Daniel; she was a resident of the area for most of her life. Julia was a retired planter and was of the Church of God faith. She loved to sew, play music, and could often be found visiting nursing homes playing Christian music.

Julia was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn Euell Stewart in 2011; son, Larry Clyde White in 2022; grandchild, Crystal Charlon White; brothers-in-law, Dewey Stewart and Dwan Warren. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Delores; brothers-in-law, Billie (Ivey) Stewart and Charles (Dophine) Stewart; sister-in-law, Alice Warren; grandchildren, Christopher G. White and Jennifer Candace White Davi; and two great-grandchildren, Kendall Grace Davi and Palmer Joseph Davi.

No services are scheduled at this time.

Structure Fire in West Lake Wales Saw Flames Fanned by Brisk Winds, No Injuries

Lake Wales

Maria Iannucci

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March 20, 2025

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Structure Fire in West Lake Wales Saw Flames Fanned by Brisk Winds, No Injuries

Polk County Fire Rescue was dispatched at 3:16 to a residential structure fire located at 3431 David Street in Lake Wales, off of Old Bartow Rd.

Nathaniel Gale, public information officer for Polk County Fire Rescue, says that, “Upon arrival, crews noted it (the structure) was fully involved and worked quickly getting water on the fire.”

Video by Maria Iannucci

Firefighters were observed breaking windows and putting water on the fire from both inside and outside the structure.

Crews had it under control at 3:51 p.m.

No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.

March 20 Is the First Day of Spring; Here’s a Few Facts You May Not Know:

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Maria Iannucci

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March 20, 2025

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March 20 Is the First Day of Spring; Here’s a Few Facts You May Not Know:

After a winter on the cooler side (something many of us welcome), it’s time to celebrate the first day of spring! The spring equinox occurred this morning, March 20, 2025, at 5:01 a.m. At that precise moment, the sun crossed the celestial equator (an imaginary line above Earth’s equator), causing both the Northern and Southern hemispheres to receive equal amounts of sunlight.

The spring season traditionally brings forth the sentiment of rejuvenation and renewal; new beginnings lie directly ahead.

While preparing for the warmer days ahead, here are a few interesting facts about the first day of spring:

There are other names for the spring equinox

In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox is also referred to as both the March equinox and the vernal equinox. Vernal means “spring” in Latin.

The word equinox is derived from Latin

Equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal” and “night.” As the sun crosses over the equator, the hours of daylight and nighttime are almost equal. The equinoxes, of which there are two every calendar year, are the only times when the sun rises directly due east and sets directly due west for everyone on Earth.

March is time for the “worm moon”

The first day of spring invokes a season of renewal and new growth, both literally and figuratively. March showers may bring April and May flowers, but they also bring earthworms up and out of the soil. When the spring rains begin, it drives earthworms close to the surface. Thus, the full moon in March is referred to as the ‘worm moon”.

The Spring Equinox Tradition involving eggs

The spring equinox is not only the first day of spring; folklore claims that certain magnetic and energetic changes on the day of the vernal equinox make it possible to stand a raw egg on its end. Magical, right? As cool as this sounds, it is a myth. You may be able to balance some raw eggs on their end, but this can be possible at any time of the year.

Other planets also have equinoxes

Earth is special on many ways, but not when it comes to equinoxes. In fact, every planet in the solar system has an equinox, which occurs when the planet’s orbit and tilt, with respect to the sun, result in both hemispheres receiving about the same amount of light.

We use the spring equinox to determine the date of Easter

Unlike many of the holidays we celebrate, the exact date of Easter changes from year to year. Because Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christian churches give great importance to the manner in which Easter Day is determined. It’s so important, according to Panos Antsaklis, PhD, a professor at Notre Dame University, that in the fourth century A.D., a group of Christian leaders came together to officially decide how to calculate Easter’s date. Their decision: Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox.

Sources: The Washington Post, Bustle, Britannia, National Geographic, Panos Antsaklis, PhD.

$223K+ in Additional FDOT Funding Approved for Lake Wales Airport Renovations

City of Lake Wales

Maria Iannucci

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March 19, 2025

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$223K+ in Additional FDOT Funding Approved for Lake Wales Airport Renovations

by James Coulter

Renovations to the airport’s hangars, signage, lighting, and airstrip markings will soon be underway once the City of Lake Wales secures more than $223,00 in funding from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

At their meeting on Tues. Mar. 18, 2025, Lake Wales City Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the three resolutions authorizing amendments to agreements with FDOT to provide additional funding for airport renovations.

The first resolution authorizes $49,665 in additional funding to rehabilitate the apron connected to the t-hangar taxilane on the north side of the airfield. This additional funding brings the total revised cost of the project to $74,665. It is fully funded by FDOT.

The second resolution authorizes $12,224 in additional funding for the rehabilitation of T-hangar taxilane and taxilane bravo. This additional funding will increase the total cost of the project to $96,710. It is a 10 percent match by FDOT with the other 90 percent funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The third and final resolution authorizes $162,000 in additional funding to update signage to LED lighting, rehabilitate lighting with new base cans, LED light fixtures, and transformers, and facilitate the remarking of the runway. It is a 10 percent match by FDOT with the other 90 percent funded by the FAA.

Former LWPD Captain and Vietnam Veteran, Wayne Helm, to be Honored for His Service To City and Country

City of Lake Wales

Maria Iannucci

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March 19, 2025

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Former LWPD Captain and Vietnam Veteran, Wayne Helm, to be Honored for His Service To City and Country

Final inurnment will take place for former Lake Wales Police Department Captain Wayne Helm on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL where he will receive Military Honors.

Representatives from Lake Wales Police Department will be travelling to the service; anyone in the community that wishes to be a part of the escort is welcome to meet at the station on Tillman Ave. The procession will leave for Bushnell at 10:00 a.m.

Due to the lengthy distance to the cemetery, the group will not proceed with flashing lights. Those joining the caravan may stop and travel at their own pace.

The service will begin promptly at 1:30p.m.

Thank you to Chief Chris Valasquez and all of the officers for their roles in honoring Captain Helm.

For those who may have missed it, below is Captain Wayne Helm’s obituary:

Wayne Helm, 76

Wayne Helm of Lake Wales passed away Saturday, February 22, 2025 at his residence.
He was born October 20, 1948 in Lake Wales to the late Elmer and Lola Helm; he has been a lifelong resident of Lake Wales.

Wayne was a retired Captain for the Lake Wales Police Department and served with the United States Army in Vietnam. He and his wife, Laura, were fans of the band Alabama and the University of Florida Gators. Before becoming ill, Wayne loved his cigars, going fishing, and playing golf.
Wayne was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Helm; and brother, Gary Helm.

He is survived by friends, Don Williams and Hurley “Sonny” Jones; brother-in-law, Kenneth Waski; many special nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews; and his cats, Peabody and Sherman.

Starbucks Confirms New Details on Lake Wales Location

Maria Iannucci

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March 19, 2025

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Starbucks Confirms New Details on Lake Wales Location

BlackBerry Sage Refreshers, currently on the Starbucks menu

Looks like Lake Wales is a step closer to Blackberry Sage Refreshers and Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matchas.

Progress on the new Starbucks location at 23270 US Hwy. 27 in Lake Wales includes the block walls under construction as of March 18. The store is located just north of Slim Chickens on Hwy. 27.

“Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers, and we are happy to confirm that we are pursuing a new location,” states an email received from a Starbucks spokesperson.

“While we don’t have an opening timeframe to share just yet, we are excited to serve the community in the future.”

This store will employ between 20-25 partners (employees), according to the spokesperson.

Lake Wales Daily has requested a rendering of the storefront, but Starbucks has not yet provided one.

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