This morning around 11:05 a.m., the small replica war plane seen here was being flown to the Bartow Airbase from Fort Myers by 45-year-old Robert Mosier of Winter Haven, when the engine began to lose power. Mosier, who is a commercial pilot but also works part-time moving small planes from one place to another, was hired to bring the plane to Bartow for an inspection before being sold (I do not have the plane owner information).
Mosier saw that there was room enough on the highway with little to no traffic to safely make an emergency landing on U.S. Hwy 17 near Homeland Garfield Road in Bartow; he then maneuvered the plane into the grass median so that it would not impact traffic. He was not injured.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Ashley Nichole Bryant, of unincorporated Winter Haven, after she allegedly tried to burn to women alive in their home. According to PCSO reports Bryant is accused of trying to set a bag of leaves on fire and shoving it under the home of two women. Bryant is currently in Polk County jail awaiting psychological evaluation.
The following is a redacted, but unedited portion of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit (It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Daily Ridge does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions. A suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.) :
On October 16, 2024, I, Detective Buinovsky was requested by Central Bravo to respond to REDACTED in reference to an arson.
While on scene, I learned on October 16, 2024 the suspect, Ashley Bryant came over to the victims, REDACTED (victim 1) and REDACTED (victim 2) residence and attempted to set their residence on fire. While at the residence the suspect collected a black garbage bag with leaves inside of it and brought it over to the incident location, then place the bag underneath the residence.
While the bag was underneath the residence the suspect used her lighter to catch the bag of leaves on fire. Victim 1 and victim 2 could smell smoke coming from outside the residence. Victim 2 exited the residence and immediately recognized the suspect with a lighter in her hand.
Victim 2 then removed the bag of leaves from underneath the house and went back inside to tell Victim 1 to call law enforcement. Victim 2 then walked back outside and observed the bag of leaves back under the residence with smoke emitting from the bag. Again vickm 2 observed the suspect outside of the residence.
Ashley Nichole Bryant Charged With Two Counts Of Felony Attempted Murder
It should be noted that victim 1 and victim 2 were inside the residence at the time the suspect set the bag of leaves on fire underneath the residence.
It was also learned that two days prior, the suspect was over at Victims 1 and 2’s residence and she intentionally set the trash bin on fire causing it to burn and be destroyed. The trash bin was next to and against the residence on the East side or the home.
Victim 1 stated the suspect was not invited over and that she has been over a few times the last couple days. Victim 1 stated she did not want the suspect over at the house however the suspect keeps coming over to the house. This incident and past incidents caused victim 1 and 2 to have substantial emotional distress for no legitimate purpose.
The suspect told the victims after she set the trash bin on fire that she would be back to set the house on fire.
The suspect was arrested and transported to the Central District substation to be interviewed. The suspect was read her Miranda warning from my agency issued Miranda card. The suspect verbally stated she understood her rights. Post Miranda, the suspect admitted to coming over to the residence and knew Victim 1 was inside the residence. The suspect stated she intentionally tried to burn down the house with the victims inside to teach them a lesson.
Video footage was collected which shows the suspect placing a bag underneath the residence and lighting it on fire. The video also shows a flame coming from the bag. The suspect puts the bag underneath the residence on two separate occasions.
Through my investigation. I determined probable cause has been established to charge the defendant with violation of FSS 782.051. Attempted Felony Murder (two counts). FSS 810.02 (3) (A) Occupied Residential Burglary. FSS 784.048 (3). Aggravated Stalking (two counts) and First Degree Arson (two counts).
Matthew Reynolds, 18, remembers visiting Spirit Halloween at age 6. His parents bought him two animated decorations. That visit would inspire his love for Halloween decorations and set the course for his life.
Since then, Reynolds has collected dozens of animated Halloween decorations. For nearly a decade, he has decorated his front yard with them every Halloween.
Nearly 1,000 visitors come to his house each year to see all the ghosts, zombies, and other monsters in action. Many are set in his front yard. Others are in the backyard, shed, and even a makeshift building created with PVC pipe.
This year, Reynolds hopes to impress visitors with new animatronics and scenes. Last year, he had most of his werewolf figurines displayed in a barn. Now, he plans on creating a full barnyard set piece with bales of hay and everything set outside.
“They [visitors] assume I have some help, but this is my passion,” he said. “I do it all myself with months of planning. There are new things every year. I like to add and improve every year.”
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Reynolds has been collecting these animatronics for most of his life. Some were given to him by his parents. Most of them he bought himself. He especially loves buying used vintage collectibles online.
Aside from being able to collect animated decorations, Reynolds also taught himself to repair broken animatronics. He aspires to become an electrical engineer and even work as a technician at a theme park like Universal Studios.
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Sometimes, Reynolds visits the parks and rides the attractions not to have fun, but to observe how the many animatronics operate. He plans to apply for a job once he reaches age 21, which is the age listed for a park ride technician.
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Until then, Reynolds hopes to continue wowing guests with his vast collection of animatronics. He invites anyone to drop by his house on Halloween night. They can’t miss it. It’s the house on the street with the most decorations outside.
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“I think our event has become so large, we have to be biggest in the neighborhood, if not the county,” he said. “I do it for the kids and adults. It is nice to see people come and smile and see the display. This is something I have done all my life doing, and to see people come and enjoy my display, it really pays off.”
The Haunted Yard will be on display Halloween evening, on Thur. Oct. 31 from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, at 136 Patterson Drive, Auburndale, FL.
The Lakeland Police Department is currently conducting a shooting investigation. According to Stephanie Kerr, Lakeland Police Department Public Information Officer, Lakeland police officers responded to shots to shots fired call late Saturday evening October 26th. The call came in at approximately 9:25 pm directing officers to the area of N. Ohio Ave. A 23-year-old victim was shot once in the lower extremities by an unknown person.
The victim was transported Lakeland Regional Health for treatment with a non-life-threatening injury. Detectives responded to collect evidence and after canvassing and speaking to those at the scene, no one came forward yet as a witness to identify the shooter.
Readers report multiple shots being fired, but Lakeland police didn’t have a current count of how many shots were fired. Also it’s unknown at this time if it was an isolated incident or a gang related shooting. Neighbors in the area were very upset that the shooting took place so close to a church. It appeared the shooting took place mere feet away from Pilgrim Rest Freewill Baptist Church.
Kerr advised that this was still an ongoing investigation and more details may be released as the investigation continues. We will update this article as more information is released.
Two weeks ago was Indigenous Peoples’ Day (formerly known as Christopher Columbus Day). To commemorate the occasion, I decided to try a traditional indigenous dish: Three Sisters Soup.
This traditional recipe originates from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people, though it is also enjoyed by the Cherokee and Chickasaw. The soup is so named because it contains the three sister crops–beans, corn, and squash–which grow together.
This recipe originally contained only vegetables. However, I decided to add some meat to it to give it a little more–well–meat. I decided to use ground turkey to keep with the indigenous theme. My other option would have been venison, but—well—you can’t exactly buy that at the grocery store.
Also, the original recipe used stovetop instructions. However, I opted to use my trusty slow cooker instead. Because who doesn’t love making meals with a crockpot? You dump all the ingredients in at the start of the day, then set it and forget it until dinner rolls around. Convenient.
Overall, this soup was very hearty. The ground turkey gave it a chili consistency, and with it having been cooked in beef broth, I almost forgot it was ground turkey. It was really beefy—only leaner.
As for the rest of the soup, it certainly tasted good, especially on a cool Virginia autumn day. Again, it was almost like a chili. However, some of the other people I ate with claimed it was slightly “fruity.” I’m not sure about that. The spices certainly added a much-needed “kick.”
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(The following recipe was taken and modified from Palatable Pastime):
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium zucchinis, diced
15.5 oz. canned corn kernels
14.5 oz. canned diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
15.5 oz. canned kidney beans
2 tsp. ground cumin
1.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Instructions
1) Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pan.
2) Add remaining ingredients and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. (Or place in slow-cooker and set on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or more).
Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, October 28, 2024, a crash occurred on New Tampa Highway just west of Pine Chase Avenue in Lakeland where a green Freightliner semi-truck belonging to Publix and being driven east by a Publix employee struck a 34-year-old Lakeland man who was lying in the roadway. The man died at the scene.
According to the family members of the deceased, he had been at a bar drinking just west of that location earlier in the evening. He had driven his motorcycle to the bar but due to being too inebriated to drive, he told people at the bar that he was going to walk home.
The truck driver saw the man lying face down in the middle of the eastbound lane of New Tampa Highway and took evasive measures to avoid striking him, but was unable to do so. The driver had just ended his shift and was returning the truck to the Publix warehouse.
The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting a multiple vehicle crash involving injuries currently shutting down Interstate 4 westbound at Mile Marker 55. This would be near the Hwy 27 exit.
At this time 4:15pm they have all westbound lanes blocked for medical helicopter evacuation.
The accident occurred at approximately 3:50pm and the Polk County Fire Rescue has 3 ambulances and 3 fire trucks currently on scene.
This again is a FHP call and we imagine we won’t get much more details unless it results in a fatality. We will update if more information becomes available.
Traffic Cam Footage At Interstate 4 & Hwy 27 at 4pm
Masnik Sainmelus aka “John Wicks” has been arrested by Lake Alfred police following a crash on Hwy 557 near Pine Tree Blvd. in Lake Alfred.
Sainmelus is believed to be the brother to rapper Bill Kahan Kapri aka Kodak Black (formerly known as Dieuson Octave).
According to the Lake Alfred Police arrest affidavit Sainmelus was charged with possession of MDMA, possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia and an outstanding arrest warrant from Martin County. These charges all stem after a Dodge Durango crashed on Hwy 557 near Pine Tree Blvd. in which Sainmelus allegedly fled the scene. Shortly after the crash he was arrested shirtless coming out of the woods. According to the affidavit Sainmelus had the Dodge Durango keys in his pocket. Sainmelus stated that he was a passenger in the Dodge Durango, owned by his record label Sniper Gang LLC. (which is owned by Kodak Black). He advised he didn’t know who the driver was, just someone hired by his label. He allegedly advised LAPD that he remembered the crash and someone yelling at him to “Get up! Get up!” (coincidentally that is the of one of Kodak Black’s song).
It’s reported that the Durango was heavily armored. Here is a YouTube video of the scanner traffic. The original version is by Charissa Shay https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP88bTEwC/.
Rapper Kodak Black’s Brother Masnik Sainmelus AKA John Wicks Arrested In Central Florida
It is still unclear if the Dodge Durango was involved in a previous accident on the same stretch of road moments earlier. The arrest affidavit is below:
Lake Alfred Arrest Affidavit For Rapper “John Wicks” The Brother Of Kodak Black Lake Alfred Arrest Affidavit For Rapper “John Wicks” The Brother Of Kodak Black
Here is one of “John Wicks” more popular songs
Rapper John Wicks Arrested In Polk County Florida – After Dodge Durango Owned By Sniper Gang LLC Crashes
This is a breaking news story. We know as we were speaking with local law enforcement TMZ Media was also contacting them. As more information is released we will update.
Here is a little more about Rapper “John Wicks”
Who Is Rapper “John Wicks“
John Wicks is an Haitian American rapper from Pompano Beach, Florida. He is a member of the Sniper Gang and is the blood brother of Kodak Black.
John Wicks grew up in Pompano Beach, Florida with his brother Kodak Black. Their parents emigrated from Haiti and raised them in the Golden Acres public housing project.
Over the last few years Wicks has appeared on several Sniper Gang tracks including “Haiti” with Kodak Black and Wyclef Jean, “Coming From” and “Burry Me”. In 2018 he dropped his Mixtape, Hell on Earth, with features like Project Pooh, Honcho Da Savage, Jack Boy and Petho Burr. (Information from Sub Zero Mastery Academy)
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vehicle crash that occurred in unincorporated Lakeland early this morning, during which a 16-year-old teenaged boy was killed. No other parties involved were injured. Preliminary information is as follows:
Around 6:15 a.m. on Friday, October 25, 2024, a blue 2008 Toyota Corolla was heading south on County Line Road, being driven by a father taking his two sons, ages 14 and 16, to school at George Jenkins High. As the driver of the Corolla made the turn to head east (left) onto Ewell Road, his car was struck by a burgundy 2018 Ford F150 that was heading north on County Line Road. The Corolla had a solid green light but not a green turn arrow at the intersection; the truck had a solid green light. It was dark at the time of the crash, and the driver of the Corolla told deputies it was slightly foggy/hazy.
The impact occurred on the right rear passenger side of the Corolla where the 16-year-old was sitting and seat-belted in. His injuries were significant, and he was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.
Two other vehicles that were at the intersection were slightly impacted after the crash occurred: the Corolla spun after being struck by the truck and either debris from the car, or the car itself, struck a black Kia that was stopped in the middle lane of westbound Ewell Road; the Ford truck was redirected after impact, and glanced off of a Dodge Journey that was stopped in the right turn lane of westbound Ewell Road.
The investigation is ongoing. The roadways in the area were shut down for approximately five hours.
On Thursday, October 24, 2024 at approximately 2 PM, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a family disturbance on Sunset Circle Lake in Lake Alfred. The suspect, Ronald Beasley Jr.(age 35), set the residence on fire and fled the scene. Patrol deputies observed a large amount of smoke emitting from the residence upon their arrival.
They immediately established a perimeter, evacuated the neighboring residences, and ensured that all the occupants of the home that was on fire were evacuated. Deputies attempted to use their fire extinguishers to put out the blaze, but it was too large to be contained. Polk County Fire Rescue arrived shortly thereafter and battled the blaze, which was ultimately extinguished, with a great deal of damage to the home.
PCSO detectives responded to the scene to begin their investigation. The victim told detectives that she and Beasley Jr. got into an argument over his drug addiction. A 4-month old baby and a cat were inside the residence during this incident. The victim locked herself in the bathroom with the baby in an attempt to escape the altercation with Beasley Jr. He broke into the bathroom, and fled outside after the victim threatened to call 911. The victim locked the front door to prevent the suspect from reentering the home. The victim heard a loud boom from outside the residence, and a witness observed residence on fire and hollered for the victim to exit the residence. A witness/neighbor stated that they observed the suspect exiting the backyard of the residence, and he stated “you need to go get the baby from inside the house because I just set it on fire”. The victim was able to escape the home with the baby. The cat did not escape and was found deceased inside once the fire was extinguished. Beasley Jr. was located a few streets away from the home and immediately taken into custody.
“This violent suspect’s actions put innocent lives in serious danger, and we are grateful that the victims made it out safely. Setting a fire in a home with a baby and family pet inside is not only reckless but shows a complete disregard for life. We are committed to pursuing justice for the victims and ensuring this suspect is held fully accountable for his actions.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Ronald Beasley Jr. has been charged with Attempted First Degree Murder (F1), Animal Cruelty (M1), False Imprisonment (F3), and Tampering with a Witness (F2). He has also been charged with First Degree Arson (F1) by the State Fire Marshall. Their investigation is still ongoing.
Ronald Beasley Jr. has previously been convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine, Felony Battery, and Throwing Deadly Missile into Vehicle, and Domestic Violence.
