Winter Haven Police Department Press Release
If anyone thinks about hiding someone who officers are searching for, be prepared to go to jail. Just ask a Winter Haven woman after she allowed a convicted felon access to her apartment in order to hide from police because he had a warrant for his arrest.
On 7-11-17 at approximately 7:50 p.m., Winter Haven officers were patrolling in the area of Abbey Lane Apartments (100 Evergreen Place, SW Winter Haven) when a vehicle pulled in that officers knew to be driven by Demario Webster (DOB 9-2-84, LNA UNK) who had three outstanding warrants for Violation of Probation. Officers recognized Webster and ordered him to stop. At that time he took off running behind buildings and was not immediately located.
Officer Garcia with his K-9 partner Logan arrived and began running a track in an attempt to find Webster. After running the track two times, Logan continued to alert to a rear door of the apartment at 606 Evergreen Place SW. The tenant, 27 year-old Chequita Alexander (DOB 5-27-90) spoke to officers who told her that the dog tracked to her door and that they were in search of a subject who had outstanding warrants. Alexander refused multiple requests for officers to enter and told officers, “Come back with a search warrant to enter the apartment.”
About that time, the tenant from apartment 604 advised officers that a crack was just observed in the drywall above the apartment shower. Shortly after that, the resident from apartment 603 shouted, “he’s in here,” and immediately Webster exited the apartment and was taken into custody without further incident.
Webster had entered Alexander’s apartment (606) and told her that officers were after him. She knew he was trying to hide from officers, but continued to tell officers he wasn’t in her apartment. Webster then entered the attic space of the apartment and crawled across the space above apartments 605, 604 and 603 where he ultimately fell through the drywall above the shower in the bathroom.
Webster was initially pursued for three counts of Violation of Probation and ultimately was charged additionally with one count of Resisting Arrest W/O Violence (M1) and three counts of Occupied Burglary of a Dwelling (F2).
Alexander was charged with one count of Resisting Officer W/O Violence (M1) and one count of Accessory After the Fact (F3). Both Alexander and Webster were booked into the Polk County Jail.
Webster’s criminal history includes time served in the Florida State Prison (release April 2016) for Felony Petit Theft, Grand Theft and Attempted Burglary of a Dwelling.
