Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

During the evening hours of Tuesday, October 18, 2016, leading into Wednesday morning, October 19th, a crime spree occurred in the Shepherd Oaks subdivision, Imperial Lakes subdivision, and Casa Loma subdivision, all in the south Lakeland/Mulberry area.

PCSO deputies arrested four suspects, three males and a female, ranging in age from 16 years old to 19 years old and charged them with several crimes after interrupting their crime spree, during which they stole five vehicles and two firearms, and burglarized several unlocked cars.

“The most important message about this crime spree is this: if you LOCK YOUR CARS and secure your belongings, you are almost guaranteeing that you will not be a victim of theft. Every vehicle stolen during this crime spree was unlocked, with the keys inside of it – the only exception are the two cars whose keys were taken from inside a home where the garage door was up. When you get home, the first thing you need to do is lock your car – and the second thing you need to do is shut your garage door and lock all your other doors. We’re glad we caught these suspects before they victimized anyone else.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The first car theft was reported on Peninsular Drive in Christina on Wednesday morning, October 19th. The victims left their garage door up, and while they were home but unknown to them, suspects went into the house and removed car keys, a wallet, and a camera from a counter inside the home near where the garage leads into the house. The suspects stole the victims’ 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche (1) and 2004 Buick LeSabre (2).

During a neighborhood canvass, deputies discovered two burglaries of unlocked cars on Hayter Drive and two attempted car burglaries of locked cars on Sunset Ridge.

Shortly thereafter, a Chrysler 200 (3) was reported stolen from Shepherd Oaks Road, along with a trailer theft and another car burglary.

Two more stolen vehicles, a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze (4) and a 2011 Dodge Caliber (5), were reported in Imperial Lakes.

A car burglary was reported on Loma Verde, during which a .38 special Ruger revolver was stolen from an unlocked car. Another burglary was reported on Casa Loma Way, during which a Bond 410 “Snake Slayer” handgun was stolen from an unlocked car.

Deputies utilized surveillance video from homeowners and nearby businesses, along with OnStar-style vehicle tracking software during the investigation. During the investigation, deputies went to the area of Market Square off of Pipkin Road, where they located four of the stolen vehicles – the Chevy Avalanche, the Buick LeSabre, the Chrysler 200, and the Dodge Caliber, but not the stolen trailer or the Chevy Cruze – parked alongside the road.

Two of the suspects, Donte Scott and Jacob Cleveland, were found nearby inside the stolen Chevy Cruze. Cleveland had active Polk County warrants for grand theft auto, fraud, theft, and criminal mischief. The suspects were interviewed, and two other suspects were identified: Jarred Clark and Angel Wheaton. Deputies responded to Hayes Road in Lakeland, and although they both hid inside the house (Clark hid in the attic but surrendered after gas was introduced), deputies were able to take them both into custody without incident.

The suspects and their charges are:

19-year-old Donte Scott, DOB 9/12/1997, of Zella Lane in Lakeland; 17 counts Armed Burglary; 5 counts Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle; 2 counts Grand Theft of Firearm; 4 counts Grand Theft; 3 counts Petit Theft; one count Conspiracy to Commit Burglary; one count Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor; he’s been in the Polk County Jail on five prior occasions.

17-year-old Jacob Cleveland, DOB 3/3/1999, of Melissa Lane in Lakeland; 17 counts Armed Burglary; 5 counts Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle; 2 counts Grand Theft of Firearm; 4 counts Grand Theft; 3 counts Petit Theft; one count Conspiracy to Commit Burglary;

17-year-old Jarred Clark, DOB 10/21/1999, of Hayes Rd in Lakeland; 17 counts Armed Burglary; 5 counts Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle; 2 counts Grand Theft of Firearm; 4 counts Grand Theft; 3 counts Petit Theft; one count Conspiracy to Commit Burglary;

17-year-old Angel Wheaton (female), DOB 6/24/1999, of Hayes Rd in Lakeland; 17 counts Armed Burglary; 5 counts Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle; 2 counts Grand Theft of Firearm; 4 counts Grand Theft; 3 counts Petit Theft; one count Conspiracy to Commit Burglary;

Each of the stolen vehicles, with the exception of the two on Peninsular Drive (their keys were taken from inside an unsecured residence) were unlocked; each of the vehicles that were broken into and had items stolen from within, were unlocked; the suspects attempted to break into other vehicles that were locked, but were unable. Ten cases were cleared by these four arrests. The investigation is ongoing.

Lakeland, Florida – Lakeland, Florida – According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office an accident occurred at 2:20 p.m, Wednesday, involving 4 vehicles. Patrol worked it. Multiple patients were transported with non-life threatening injuries to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. Combee Road was shut down between Tanglewood – Hardin Blvd. The roadway eventually opened back up around 5:30 p.m

*** Polk County Sheriff’s Statement ***

On Monday, October 17, 2016, the PCSO Traffic Unit arrested 37-year-old Jarvis Kendrick of 7513 Jessamine Drive in Lakeland for one count Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death (F-1), and one count Tampering with Evidence (F-3), in the death of 74-year-old Janice Joy, who was hit and killed on the morning of October 6, 2016.

The following is an excerpt from the affidavit, and it is self-explanatory:

“On October 6th, 2016, at approximately 6:30 a.m., the victim, Janice Joy (W/F, DOB: 07/26/1942) was walking westbound on Duff Road in the eastbound travel lane near the south roadway edge. A dark in color pickup truck (later determined to be driven by Jarvis Kendrick) traveling eastbound on Duff Road struck the victim with the passenger side of the vehicle along with the passenger side mirror. This was observed by a witness, Joan Miller. The vehicle then fled the scene, after leaving behind a passenger side plastic mirror cover and broken pieces of mirror glass. The victim was later pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash.

Surveillance video was located confirming a dark in color pickup truck was involved in the hit and run. During the evidence search at the scene, a plastic cover from a passenger side mirror was located. This part was determined to fit Ford F-150s from 2004 to 2008. Information about the crash and the suspect vehicle was released to the media and posted on the PCSO Facebook page.

On October 13th, 2016, an anonymous tip was received indicating a subject by the name of Jarvis Kendrick owns a dark in color F-150 pickup truck and the truck hasn’t been seen since the incident.

Follow up investigation revealed Kendrick resides at 7513 Jessamine Drive, Lakeland, Florida, which is in the immediate area of the crash scene. A check of the Florida Driver and Vehicle Information Database revealed Kendrick owns a 2005 Gray in color Ford F-150 pickup truck, bearing Florida tag JB326J.

Contact was made with Kendrick’s employer, MidFlorida Credit Union, and it was learned that on October 6, 2016, Kendrick should have been traveling to Long Boat Key from the Lakeland area for a meeting that was scheduled to start at approximately 8:45 a.m.

An ATM surveillance video from the MidFlorida Bank located at Hwy 98 N and Duff Rd in Lakeland was located that showed Kendrick removed money from the bank at approximately 6:40am on October 6, while operating a dark in color Ford F-150.Also on the same date, video surveillance video from Longboat Key Golf Club located at 301 Gulf of Mexico Drive in Longboat Key showed Kendrick arrived in Longboat key at 08:34 hours and showed the truck he was operating was missing the passenger side mirror.

Further investigation revealed, on October 9th, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Kendrick reported a traffic crash to the Florida Highway Patrol where he alleged he went off of the roadway and impacted a road sign on I-4 eastbound just west of the McIntosh Road exit, in Plant City, Florida.  He alleged this resulted in an impact to the left break-away sign post to the center front of the Ford Pickup truck, and that this impact caused minor damage to the front center of the pickup truck, according to the report.

On October 10th, the suspect reported the crash on I-4 to his insurance company, and they confirmed the reported date of the crash was October 9th, and that the vehicle was located at the Jarrett-Scott Ford body shop in Plant City with repairs pending. Traffic Deputies made contact with the body shop at Jarret Scott Ford and they confirmed no repairs have been made, but the passenger side mirror was on the list of repairs needed after the reported crash on I-4.

Contact was made with FHP Trooper Edge (I.D. 3636) from Troop C who took the report from the traffic crash. Trooper Edge looked at photographs of the damage to the truck, and he advised the damage to the passenger side was not consistent with the pole strike, as the vehicle would not have come into contact with the right side of the pole and the pole would not have had the ability to remove the mirror in such a manner.

PCSO Traffic Deputies responded to the site of the FHP-reported crash. The crash scene was still in its original condition, and no repairs had been made. While canvasing the scene, no broken glass or mirrors were found from a possible damaged mirror. No evidence was found to suggest a mirror was left at the scene. Tire marks were located that indicated the truck went straight into the left pole, leaving no reasonable method for the passenger side of the truck to strike the right pole and cause damage to the passenger side of the truck. This crash is still under investigation by FHP.

PCSO Traffic Deputies obtained search warrants, and recovered the following:

Kendrick’s truck, upon which they are still conducting forensic examinations;
A TD Bank Drive thru video from October 5, 2016, at 12:10 p.m. (approximately 18 hours prior to the hit-and-run), which revealed the passenger side mirror to be present on the vehicle at that time;
A Sunpass recovered from the truck’s windshield – video from the toll plaza revealed the vehicle traveling through the I-4 connector to Selmon Expressway in Tampa, Florida, going through a toll plaza on October 7, 2016, at 4:37 a.m. (approximately 22 hours after the hit-and-run), and shows the vehicle clearly missing its passenger side mirror.

By the suspect unlawfully and intentionally fleeing the scene of the crash involving death without leaving information as required in F.S.S. 316.062 the suspect did commit the offense of leaving the scene of a traffic crash involving death. By the suspect removing the remainder of the passenger side mirror and delivering the vehicle used in the commission of this crime to a body shop in an attempt to repair it to cover up damage from the crash, the suspect unlawfully and intentionally tampered with physical evidence.”

Kendrick was taken into custody on the aforementioned charges, and booked into the Polk County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.