The Florida Department Agriculture and Consumer Services reported two cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in horses in Polk County. The first case (the third overall in the state) was a 10-year-old Pony Cross gelding who exhibited symptoms on April 7 of depression, muscle witching, incoordination and inability to stand.Continue Reading

Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested 30 suspects during a two week long investigation that focused on sexual predators who target children and convicted sexual predators and offenders who are required to comply with Florida’s registration laws, including current restrictions in place based on their status. During the initiative, undercover detectivesContinue Reading

Polk County Sheriff’s deputies shot an arsonist his privates after a high speed chase ended near Dinosaur World with a fire fight. Luke Neely, 30, is facing several charges after throwing molotov cocktails at a house, damaging the roof and then led police on a high speed chase. When deputiesContinue Reading

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) announced the arrest of the Deputy Chief of Police Administration for Cartersville Police Department in Cartersville, Georgia last week. On Thursday, September 1, 2022, at approximately 11:00 p.m., PCSO detectives arrested Jason DiPrima of Kingston, Georgia for Soliciting a Prostitute. DiPrima was in OrlandoContinue Reading

A brand-new, swashbuckling quest awaits families visiting LEGOLAND® Florida when the Pirate River Quest opens on November 2, 2022. This November, board a family-friendly boat ride to search for Captain Redbeard’s lost treasure through an all-new hilarious adventure. The quest to uncover the lost treasure unfolds brick by brick as familiesContinue Reading

Enter an undiscovered world where LEGO® creatures come to life with an all-new 4D movie, LEGO® MYTHICA – JOURNEY TO MYTHICA, and an augmented reality (AR) experience opening May 27 at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort’s Fun Town Theater. Full of adventures and mysterious creatures all waiting to be discovered, LEGO MYTHICA is an incredible parallel universe to ours. A universe that, unbeknown to us, hasContinue Reading

A Haines City man was arrested on Tuesday over online threats online linked to Washington D.C. and President Trump declaring martial law. Identified as Shannon Badgett, the man was charged with communicating a written threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism. Badgett, 53, made the threats onContinue Reading

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday the arrests of two suspects wanted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for desecrating graves and stealing human remains in Mount Dora, after a positive DNA hit from evidence left behind during the crimes positively identified the first suspect, 43-year-old Brian Montalvo Tolentino,Continue Reading

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) announced the arrest of 37-year-old Thomas Lee Simmons of Winter Haven for Armed Sexual Battery (FL), Armed Robbery (FL), Grand Theft (F3), Dealing in Stolen Property (F2), False Information to a Law Enforcement Officer (M1). The victim called 911 from the Stay Plus Inn inContinue Reading

On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, Traffic Homicide detectives arrested 31-year-old Justin Mathis of Highland City for DUI Manslaughter (F2) and DUI with Property Damage (M1). Mathis was the at-fault driver of a two-vehicle crash that occurred on November 20, 2020, which killed his passengers, 34-year-old Christopher Lofton and 38-year-old David Weldon,Continue Reading

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of  48-year-old Daniel Darren Sweeney, a registered sex offender, on the charge of video voyeurism. Following a tip, detectives searched Sweeney’s electronic devices and located pornographic (nude) videos of a child to whom he had access. The victim had no knowledge of theContinue Reading

An assistant principal at Pasco High School in Dade City was arrested this week in Polk County on multiple drug possession charges and Driving under the Influence (DUI). According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 49-year-old Ralph Stewart from Plant City was determined to be impaired and arrested at a crashContinue Reading

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced recently the arrest of a Lakeland High School teacher and coach for possessing child pornography. 46-year-old Shawn Fitzgerald was charged with 408 counts of possessing child pornography. Fitzgerald was also a Youth Director at First United Methodist Church in Bartow. The investigation began afterContinue Reading

Polk County Sheriff’s Fraud detectives arrested 32-year-old Amanda Brown of Frostproof and charged her with five counts criminal use of personal ID (F2), one count grand theft (F3), one count misrepresentation of proceeds (F3), one count fraud (F3), for fraudulently misrepresenting three homicide victims’ families and collecting over $11,000 from GoFundMe onContinue Reading

In a follow-up on the triple murder in Frostproof, Florida, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) announced the arrest of three suspects–26-year-old Tony “TJ” Wiggins and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Mary Whittemore; Tony’s brother, 21-year-old William “Robert” Wiggins. According to the PCSO, during a search of the crime scene, detectives found aContinue Reading