POLK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE - Lake Wales Daily News

Lake Wales Man Arrested After Shed Burglary, Stolen Weed-Whacker Recovered

Allison — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:27:08 +0000

On Monday, April 27th, at around 9:30 pm, 33-year-old John Southerland of Lake Wales was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

PCSO deputies responded to the area of Sally Street in Lake Wales Monday evening after a report of a suspicious man entering a shed without permission.

Upon the arrival of deputies in the area, they located a suspect who matched the given description. That suspect was John Southerland.

At the time, John had no stolen property on him, but as the investigation continued, deputies discovered that he had stolen a weed-whacker and ditched it on another property.

Deputies recovered the weed-whacker and returned it to the victim.

John Southerland has a prior criminal history which includes: trespassing, criminal mischief, and false report to LEO.

John was taken to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and charged with: Burglary (F3) and Petit Theft (M2).

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Lake Wales Man Accused Of Drunk Driving Caused Two Hit and Runs Then Parked Behind Elementary School

carl — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:24:19 +0000

On March 10, 2026, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 43‑year‑old Juan Medina of Lake Wales after he caused two hit‑and‑run crashes while driving under the influence around 7:10 p.m.

The first crash occurred at the intersection of US Highway 27 and Cypress Gardens Boulevard, where a tan Toyota Camry rear‑ended a silver Hyundai sedan in the right‑turn lane. The Hyundai sustained significant rear‑end damage, and the driver reported minor injuries. The Camry driver fled the scene before the victim could make contact.

Approximately five minutes later, the same Camry struck a white Chevrolet sedan traveling westbound on Cypress Gardens Boulevard near Mahaffey Road. The driver and two passengers reported back and neck pain. Again, the Camry fled without stopping.

A witness from the second crash reported seeing an older tan sedan leaving the area with a male driver who had visible facial injuries. Shortly afterward, another witness located the Camry parked on the grounds of Garden Grove Elementary School.

Deputies arrived and found the vehicle behind the school in a closed parking lot near the dumpsters. The Camry had heavy front‑end damage consistent with both crashes. The driver, identified as Juan Medina, was still seated in the running vehicle. Deputies made contact and observed multiple signs of impairment, including bloodshot watery eyes, the odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and difficulty maintaining balance. Medina also had a large laceration on his forehead.

On top of a nearby dumpster, deputies located a brown paper bag containing a nearly empty bottle of bourbon. Glass fragments on the bag were consistent with the damaged windshield. Additional glass shards were found inside the vehicle and on Medina’s clothing.

Medina refused to answer questions regarding the crashes, his injuries, or alcohol consumption. He also refused field sobriety exercises and later refused a breath test. EMS evaluated him for injuries and cleared him at the scene.

Deputies learned that Medina is currently on felony probation for trafficking in heroin, active from 2021 through 2031.

Medina was arrested and charged with two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with injury (F3), two counts of DUI with property damage/personal injury (M1), DUI (M2), refusal to submit to breath/urine/blood test (M2), trespassing on school grounds (M2), and violation of probation (M2).

“This suspect made a series of dangerous choices that could have easily ended in tragedy. He put innocent people in danger and then drove onto school property while impaired. Thankfully this happened after hours, but his actions were reckless and completely unacceptable.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The post Lake Wales Man Accused Of Drunk Driving Caused Two Hit and Runs Then Parked Behind Elementary School first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Borrowed Phone Leads to Felony Charges Against Lake Wales Man

Allison — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:13:38 +0000

On January 6th, a Lake Wales woman reported that her cell phone was stolen by a known person.

The crime occurred on December 29th. She said that 37-year old Andrew Joseph McHaffie had asked to borrow her phone to call for an Uber ride, but when he left, he took the phone with him.

The victim made numerous unsuccessful attempts to get her phone back from McHaffie.

Then the victim began noticing unauthorized financial transactions totaling $275.

An arrest warrant was obtained for McHaffie, and on the morning of January 26th, deputies found him walking along State Road 60, near Story Road in Lake Wales.

Andrew Joseph McHaffie was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and taken to the Sheriff’s Processing Center to be booked-in.

Due to four prior guilty convictions for theft, McHaffie’s charges were enhanced to felonies. He was charged with: Felony Petit Theft (F3) and Criminal Use of Person Identification (F3).

McHaffie’s prior criminal history consists of 33 arrests in Polk County, including arrests for burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, retail theft, and drug offenses.

The post Borrowed Phone Leads to Felony Charges Against Lake Wales Man first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Death Investigation Underway in Golf View Park Area of Unincorporated Lake Wales

carl — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:13:42 +0000

Law enforcement officials are conducting a death investigation at a home in the Golf View Park area of unincorporated Lake Wales on Sunday afternoon (we inadvertently said Tuesday originally).

The investigation is centered near the area of Jasmine Avenue and Piney Avenue, where Polk County Sheriff’s Office units were seen on scene along with Polk County Fire Rescue.

Earlier in the day, reports circulating in the community suggested the incident may have involved a dog attack. However, Polk County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Carrie Horstman confirmed that while a death investigation is underway in the area, it is not related to a dog bite.

Emergency dispatch records show that Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a medical emergency call in the Piney Avenue area. The incident was later closed after approximately an hour and forty minutes on scene.

At this time, officials have not released details regarding the identity of the person involved or the circumstances surrounding the death.

The Daily Ridge will continue to follow this story and provide updates as additional verified information becomes available.

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Lake Wales Man Found Dead In Partially Submerged SUV In Lake Marion

carl — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 17:58:45 +0000

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the death of a driver whose SUV was found halfway submerged in Lake Marion, Haines City last evening. Preliminary information is as follows:

Around 8:50 p.m. on Friday, January 9, 2026, the PCSO received a call from a resident in the area who reported seeing lights and a vehicle partially submerged (with its front end in the lake) at the end of the Lake Marion boat ramp on Lake Marion in Haines City, off of Jim Edwards Road and Edwards Shores. The rear portion of the 2015 burnt orange Honda CRV was sticking up and out of the water.

When PCSO deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue personnel arrived, they located the 64-year-old driver, a Lake Wales man, still seat-belted in the driver’s seat and under the water. They removed him from the vehicle and performed CPR; he was transported to a local hospital, where he was declared deceased a short time later.

A small dog was swimming inside the air pocket in the rear of the vehicle. The dog was rescued and will be turned over to the man’s next of kin. Aerial drones and underwater drones were deployed but no other victims were found.

According to the man’s family, they called him around 6:30 p.m.because they had been in a vehicle crash (unrelated) in Lake Hamilton, and they asked him to respond. He did not show up and they were unaware what had happened to him. I do not have information about that crash.

According to the evidence at the scene, it appears the Honda was northbound on Jim Edwards Road and failed to turn onto West Lake Marion Road, continuing north onto the boat ramp and into the water. The driver’s window was down. The airbags did not deploy and there is no damage to the vehicle indicating that it had struck anything other than the water.

An autopsy will determine the man’s exact cause of death. The investigation is ongoing. There were no witnesses or video evidence of the crash located. A photo from the scene is attached.

The post Lake Wales Man Found Dead In Partially Submerged SUV In Lake Marion first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Lake Wales Woman Is Charged With Grand Theft Arrested in Bartow

carl — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 14:55:15 +0000

According to information provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office PIO, deputies responded early Saturday, November 22nd, after a Winter Haven resident reported their Chevy Malibu had been stolen from the driveway of their home.

The victim told deputies the vehicle was taken without permission by a known suspect, 30-year-old Nikki Nicole Waters of Lake Wales. The victim attempted to call Waters after discovering the theft, but she refused to answer.

Deputies were able to track the stolen Malibu to Lime Street in Bartow. While checking the area, deputies found Waters hiding inside a trailer at that location.

Waters was arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center. She was charged with Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle. She also had an active Polk County warrant for Failure to Appear for Petit Theft.

The post Lake Wales Woman Is Charged With Grand Theft Arrested in Bartow first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Frostproof Man Arrested After Violent Armed Robbery Near Lake Wales

carl — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 17:16:12 +0000

LAKE WALES — A Frostproof man is behind bars after deputies say he assaulted a victim, held them captive inside a vehicle, and stole personal items during a violent armed robbery Friday morning.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the area of County Road 640 and U.S. 27 south of Lake Wales on Friday, October 31, following a report of an armed robbery.

The victim told deputies they were struck with a blunt object and held against their will inside a vehicle. During the ordeal, the suspect allegedly threatened the victim with a wrench and stole personal property.

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The victim was able to escape by climbing out of the passenger window and contacting law enforcement. PCSO reported that the victim suffered visible injuries to the head, neck, arms, and legs.

Deputies located the suspect’s vehicle — a Chevy Equinox — and recovered the victim’s stolen belongings. The suspect was identified as 36-year-old Brock Tyler Sherrill of Frostproof.

Sherrill was arrested and transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center, where he was charged with:

Armed Robbery Aggravated Battery False Imprisonment

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Sherrill has an extensive criminal history, including 8 prior felony convictions, 9 misdemeanor convictions, and two previous stays in Florida state prison.

The case remains under investigation.

The post Frostproof Man Arrested After Violent Armed Robbery Near Lake Wales first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Pasco Firefighter Arrested After Alleged Road Rage Incident in Lakeland – It’s Not His First Time

carl — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:19:57 +0000

POLK COUNTY — A Pasco County firefighter is facing multiple felony charges after deputies say he stalked a vehicle for more than seven miles during a late night road rage incident and pointed a handgun at the male passenger.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, around 1:45 a.m. on October 25, 2025, a female driver and her male passenger were traveling northbound on Highway 98 South. The two noticed an orange Dodge Charger rapidly closing in behind them. The driver attempted to switch lanes several times to allow the Charger to pass, but each time she changed lanes the Charger followed her into the same lane and stayed close behind.

Investigators say the Charger continued to tailgate them aggressively as the vehicles approached the intersection of Highway 98 South and Combee Road. At that point the male passenger briefly got out of the vehicle to see why they were being followed. According to the arrest report, the driver of the Charger stared at him, then raised a handgun and pointed it directly at him. The passenger immediately got back into the vehicle and told the female driver to drive away.

The victims called 911 as they attempted to get away, traveling down Edgewood Drive and into Lakeland. Despite multiple opportunities to break away, the Charger continued following them, even making the same lane changes as they did. Investigators later measured the distance between the initial contact and where officers stopped the suspect. Deputies estimate the victims were followed for approximately 7.4 miles before law enforcement intervened.

Lakeland Police located the Charger near South State Bank on Florida Avenue South and initiated a traffic stop. Deputies identified the driver as Dy’Sean Broome, 32. Inside the vehicle was an empty holster on the floorboard. During an inventory search prior to towing the car deputies located a black and gray Zigana PX9 9mm handgun.

Broome told deputies he believed the victims were upset with him and that he was the one being followed. Detectives reviewed video footage the area and determined that Broome was the one following the victims and not the other way around.

After reviewing evidence and statements deputies arrested Broome on the following charges:

• Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

• Aggravated Stalking causing fear of injury or death

• Improper Exhibition of a Firearm

The Daily Ridge contacted Pasco County Fire Rescue to confirm Broome’s employment status. A public information officer with Pasco County Fire Rescue confirmed that Broome is currently employed by the department.

This is not the first time Broome has been involved in a road rage related case. Court records from a previous Polk County Sheriff’s Office incident in 2017 show Broome was arrested after deputies say he threw a water bottle into another vehicle during a traffic dispute. The bottle struck a passenger leaving injuries. At that time Broome was employed as a firefighter with the City of Lake Wales. Prosecutors originally charged him with a felony before the case was reduced. Broome later entered a no contest plea to disorderly conduct and was required to complete anger management.

The current case involving a firearm remains active and the charges are pending judicial proceedings. Pasco County Fire Rescue has not released information regarding whether disciplinary action will occur following Broome’s arrest.

The post Pasco Firefighter Arrested After Alleged Road Rage Incident in Lakeland – It’s Not His First Time first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Deputies Arrest Lake Wales Man Accused of Breaking Into Auburndale Woman’s Apartment

carl — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 14:29:59 +0000

Press Release Polk County Sheriffs Office

On Friday, October 24th, at about 10:30 pm, a woman returned to her Auburndale apartment to find that her front door was damaged with signs indicating that someone had broken in.

A short time later, she saw the burglar fleeing from her residence, and she recognized the man as someone she used to associate with.

When deputies arrived and entry was made into the apartment, it was discovered that the suspect had rummaged through personal items. A glass pipe containing methamphetamine was also recovered.

The suspect was identified as 31-year old Dustin Gene Kelton of Lake Wales, and he was out on bond with pre-trial release conditions that prohibited him from having any contact with the victim.

Deputies followed-up on some information regarding Kelton’s possible whereabouts, and that information led to his capture on Greenwood Street in Lakeland.

Dustin Kelton was taken to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and charged with Burglary, Violation of Pre-Trial Release, and Criminal Mischief.

Additional charges are pending the results of fingerprint analysis on the glass pipe.

The post Deputies Arrest Lake Wales Man Accused of Breaking Into Auburndale Woman’s Apartment first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Lake Wales Man Found Hiding in Swamp After Fleeing from Police

Allison — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:03:11 +0000

Polk County Sheriff’s Office-

Last night (Oct 21/22) while you were sleeping (or trying to sleep in the Timberlane Road area of Lake Wales with the chopper making all that ruckus overhead), we were searching for John Riff, who fled on foot from a traffic stop in the area of Shellcracker Drive and Catfish Road. He buried himself deep in a muddy swamp, and a Lake Wales PD K9 flushed him out. Good boy!

Riff had a baggie of marijuana in the vehicle he stole, and he does not have a valid DL. He’s on felony probation for possession of meth. He was arrested and charged with: grand theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, driving without a license, and violation of probation.

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