POLK COUNTY

Authorities searched Sunday for two boaters who were missing and believed drowned in an accident on a central Florida lake near the Legoland theme park. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference that the two men had jumped into Lake Eloise to save a third person from their group, a woman, who was struggling in the water. The third person, 38-year-old Velcky Velazques, was rescued by sheriff's deputies who had been summoned when a 10-year-old girl on the boat dialed 911 on a cellphone.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo were set to hold a news conference in Winter Haven Thursday.

Police located 56-year-old murder suspect John Skeen inside a church on Sunday morning and arrested him, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

A pilot and and a 19-year-old student pilot were among four people killed when two small planes collided in midair over a central Florida lake, sheriff’s officials said.

Four people have died in a plane accident involving two aircrafts colliding in mid-air in Winter Haven, rescue officials said.

Lillie "Rain" Johnson, 13, spent less than an hour at the police station before returning to Munn Park and rejoining about 200 people at the rally.

Eight people were arrested Thursday, accused of taking part in an illegal venomous snake trafficking ring in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Two people in Florida were arrested after one of them made a 911 call to get help with moving their belongings from a home they were burglarizing, authorities said.

Authorities are investigating at a central Florida jail after an inmate believed to be on drugs violently fought deputies and died after being restrained.

Iowa harm reduction boxes in Polk County will not include fentanyl testing strips as a result of a state law that classifies them as drug paraphernalia.

Three investigations are underway following a deputy-involved shooting with a woman accused of using a stolen credit card at a pawn shop in Polk County, Florida.

A central Florida man faces a host of charges after deputies accused him of shooting towards two people and pointed a rifle and laser at a sheriff’s helicopter Saturday night.

A central Florida man took out his anger over nearby construction work by shooting into a vehicle over the weekend, earning him two attempted murder charges, according to authorities in Polk County.

Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. One suspect was in the U.S. illegally.

"We have a wonderful Stand Your Ground law. That doesn't mean you can go search people out and shoot them," a Florida sheriff said.

Florida deputy who responded to a domestic disturbance is shot but survived because of his bulletproof vest.

A suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting a Polk County, Florida deputy. Sheriff Grady Judd says the deputy's bulletproof vest saved his life.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a moment of silence before their game Sunday for Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane of Polk County, who was killed in the line of duty last week.

In wake of Hurricane Ian, the sheriff of Polk County, Florida, Grady Judd, strongly urged armed homeowners to actively defend themselves and their homes.

A 21-year deputy was fatally shot Tuesday while serving a warrant in central Florida, authorities said.

A Hollywood man is accused of driving to central Florida in order to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

A Deputy Police Chief from Georgia was arrested after deputies said he responded to an online escort advertisement, which was really an undercover police sting.

The officer paid the undercover detective $180 and a pack of White Claw.

Eighty-five people have been arrested and millions of dollars in illicit drugs seized in a smuggling operation that used checked bags on commercial flights from California to Florida, investigators said Friday.

Investigators say 85 people have been arrested and millions of dollars in illicit drugs were seized in a smuggling operation that used commercial flights from California to Florida

A woman wearing nothing but a towel answered the front door.

Polk County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a woman who allegedly threw a tantrum at a Lakeland McDonald’s because her order took too long.

A woman who was upset with how long her order was taking in a McDonald’s drive-thru in Lakeland stormed into the restaurant, threw a violent tantrum and began twerking Thursday afternoon, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Polk County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a woman who allegedly threw a tantrum at a Lakeland McDonald’s because her order took too long.

The parents of a 2-year-old Florida girl who died weighing less than 10 pounds are accused of negligent child abuse.

A suspect is under arrest for the murder of a man found stuffed in a toolbox along a rural road.

A Florida sheriff says 41 people are charged with dozens of crimes in an effort to take down the leadership of a group called the Sex Money Murder gang. The yearlong investigation involved law enforcement agencies around Florida, the Department of Corrections and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday.

A Florida sheriff says 41 people are charged with dozens of crimes in an effort to take down the leadership of a group called the Sex Money Murder gang.

A former Cook County judge was arrested in Florida on suspicion of solicitation of a prostitute. He was one of 108 people arrested as part of a law enforcement operation against human trafficking.

The Senate map is seen as the plan that would keep much of the status quo in place.

Polk County sheriff's detectives said Ayanna Davis admitted to having sex with the student — reported to be 16 years of age or younger — four times.

A 20-year-old substitute English teacher at Lakeland High School was arrested on Friday by Polk County Sheriff’s deputies, after being charged with sexual battery.

A Florida woman’s bank account just got a big boost after she claimed a $1 million prize from the Billion Dollar Gold Rush Supreme scratch-off game,

A Miami-Dade County man is facing criminal charges after detectives accused him and his boss of running a conspiracy to steal cargo from five businesses, including Walmart, authorities announced on Monday.

Florida's population has increased by about 22% to 21.5 million people, but the number of people being Baker Acted has skyrocketed by 121%.

The all-new Peppa Pig Theme Park will open as a certified autism center, leaders announced Tuesday at the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center.

More than 100 people have been arrested in a Florida human trafficking investigation that focused on victims who might be forced into prostitution, the Polk County sheriff said Thursday.

A dozen of the Polk County Public School employees were actively working before becoming ill.

An insanity defense is being considered for an ex-Marine accused of killing four members of a Florida family under the delusion they were part of a child sex trafficking ring.

Two people on motorcycles were shot on Interstate 4 early Friday during a gun battle between members of two motorcycle gangs, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. A woman who was riding on the back of one motorcycle was shot in the head and thrown from the bike, Judd said. She died Friday, the Sheriff’s office announced Saturday. A second motorcyclist was shot in the back. The incident ...

Three people were brutally beaten in Polk County, leaving two dead, Sheriff Grady Judd said Saturday. The third victim is also not expected to survive. Judd said sheriff’s deputies arrested Shaun Runyon, 39, for the murders after a two-hour manhunt. At a news briefing in Davenport, a community near Haines City, Judd outlined the series of events. Runyon worked for a Pennsylvania electric ...

A resourceful rattler has captured the attention of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A Florida sheriff says a chance encounter with a former Marine beset by delusions of child sex trafficking ultimately led to the massacre of four members of a Florida family including a mother holding a baby boy.

Bryan Riley, a U.S. Marine veteran accused of killing four people near Lakeland is being held in Polk County jail without bond, online records showed Monday.

A Florida sheriff says a man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before getting wounded and surrendering.

Four people were killed, an 11-year-old girl was shot and deputies came under fire early Sunday in a neighborhood in North Lakeland, Florida.

A Florida pastor has helped bust a registered sex offender who had left two handwritten notes taped to the doors of a Polk County church’s middle school and high school youth group buildings seeking girls “of any age” according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Nicole Franklin's attorney said she was experiencing severe schizophrenia and was not taking medication for it because she was pregnant.

During the Friday news briefing, the governor said Florida has started by giving doses of the newest vaccine to law enforcement members who are 50 and older at a pop-up site in Polk County. The state will expand its efforts to offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to law enforcement over 50 years old at pop-up sites in other Florida counties, including Broward and Palm Beach, DeSantis said.

From left, Rodrigo Alberto Mato La Rosa, 27, Lazaro Milian, 50, and Michel Amalfi, 45, face charges in the Jan. 2 attack of a FWC officer in Polk County. The FWC officer suspected the men were poaching deer after he saw someone shining a spotlight and heard a shot was fired, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. State and local authorities identified the suspected deer poachers from Miami-Dade County as Rodrigo Alberto Mato La Rosa, 27, Michel Amalfi, 45, and Lazaro Milian, 50. Detectives arrested Mato La Rosa on Sunday night in Hialeah. Amalfi, Milian, and Mato La Rosa are each facing charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Polk County authorities have two people in custody and were searching for a third person after a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was run over by an ATV during a Saturday night confrontation. WTVT-TV of Tampa reported that the officer was patrolling the Avon Park Bombing Range when he spotted three people shining a spotlight into the Avon Park Bombing Range property. When the officer approached the individuals, a scuffle broke out. The assailants ran over the officer as they fled the scene, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The officer was taken to the hospital, treated for injuries and released.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A racketeering ring whose retail thefts amounted to almost $85,000 in items such as baby formula, diapers, and energy drinks has been arrested. According to Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Publix, Winn-Dixie and Walmart stores, in 18 counties in central Florida were the targets of the group. Five of the suspects (boosters) would enter the stores, and place dozens of cans of baby formula into reusable shopping bags. Each “shopping trip” amounted to a range between $350 to 900 worth of stolen items. Detectives continued their investigation and surveillance of where the stolen items were taken after the thefts.

POLK CITY, Fla. – Deputies say a Florida woman has died weeks after a group of teenagers intentionally ran over her as she defended her son. Investigators say the four teens showed up at Suzette Penton’s house and assaulted her son on Nov. 9. Polk County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Hortsman says Penton died last week from her injuries. She says a van carrying the four teens ran over her after she went outside to confront them. She says the teens went to the home because of a “romantic entanglement” between the teens and Penton’s son.

Suspects are Tony “TJ” Wiggins, 26, Mary Whittemore, 27, the girlfriend of TJ, and William” “Robert” Wiggins, 21, the brother of TJ, all of Frostproof. At the direction of TJ, Robert was told to make a U-turn and follow them, according to police. They went back to their trailer to eat, Robert told detectives. Judd said that Robert told TJ what he had heard. TJ Wiggins was also seen in that video with her.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Three friends were murdered moments after getting together to do some night fishing at a lake. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Saturday that the men were beaten and shot late Friday night near the city of Frostproof. “Brandon was able to say a few things to his dad, which we are not releasing at this time,” Grady said. On the Polk County Sheriff’s website, a news release stated that “Brandon’s dad left his home so fast, he forgot his cell phone. The area where the three men were killed is about 68 miles southwest of Orlando and more than 200 miles from Miami.

POINCIANA, Fla. – A Florida SWAT team fatally shot a murder suspect early Monday after investigators say he pulled a gun on them after barricading himself inside a house. Arenas pulled out a wad of cash and started counting it, Judd said. The SWAT team was brought out. The SWAT team then shot him with beanbags, knocking him down, and his gun fell to the floor. Judd said both Arenas and Orlando Rivera had long criminal histories in Florida and elsewhere — Arenas in Rhode Island and Rivera in Philadelphia.

The Twelve Parsecs house in Davenport in Polk County in Central Florida is a floor-to-ceiling tribute to the Star Wars universe. For $375 a night, you and up to 15 other people can share a place with bedrooms designed to look like the various outposts of the worlds inhabited by Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and all their rebel and imperial friends and enemies.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities in central Florida say two Disney workers and a former assistant principal at a middle school were among 17 arrested in a child porn sting. In a news release, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday that the 17 men arrested range in age from 19 to 77. Authorities say 52-year-old Walt Disney World Resorts janitor Donald Durr, of Davenport, had images of child porn on an electronic tablet. Investigators say 40-year-old Brett Kinney, of Lake Alfred, told officers he had an addiction to child pornography and worked as a guest experience manager at Disney World. In a statement, Disney says Kinney is no longer employed by the company and Durr is on unpaid leave.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Investigators in Florida have arrested a 17-year-old gamer who they say made violent and disturbing online threats to kill and stab multiple people. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release that tips from users of the Discord text-chat site led detectives to the teen, who was arrested Wednesday. He says the teen admitted to making the threats after becoming jealous of other gamers. Officials say the teen wrote that he was "going to kill so many people," adding that he wanted to stab people and "make them hurt." Another text said he gets happy when he imagines himself "being a villain going on a mass murdering spree like in a movie."

FORT MEADE, Fla. - Police are investigating a possible alligator attack after a man's body was found in a Florida canal Thursday. Polk County deputies say an alligator was seen nearby when the body was found in the Fort Meade-area canal around 7:30 a.m. The 12-foot, 449 pound alligator was captured and a necropsy will be performed to see if the animal was involved in the man's death, WFTS reports. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is assisting in the investigation. Copyright 2019 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.