A Lake Alfred man died Tuesday morning, October 31, 2023, after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Winter Haven.
39-year old Adam Walling was transported to a local hospital for injuries that included head trauma, but he was pronounced deceased shortly after arriving.
The crash occurred at about 9:17 am; deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and members from Winter Haven Fire Department responded to the crash on Martin Luther King Boulevard NE at Jewett Street.
According to preliminary findings of the PCSO Traffic Homicide Investigations, Mr. Walling was driving a white 2007 Honda motorcycle east on Martin Luther King Boulevard, while a white 2005 Ford Expedition was heading west.
The Ford Expedition began making a left turn (south) to Jewett Street to enter the Buckeye Ridge neighborhood, and in doing so, crossed in front of Mr. Walling’s motorcycle which had the right-of-way.
PCSO detectives believe Mr. Walling laid his motorcycle down and became separated from the bike.
Mr. Wolling slid under the front part of the Ford Expedition. He was not wearing a helmet.
Neither the driver, nor the passenger in the Ford Expedition were injured in the crash.
Martin Luther King Boulevard was reopened for traffic after approximately three hours, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Halloween is around the corner. It’s the ideal time to watch scary movies, whether you prefer classic horror flicks like Frankenstein or Dracula, slasher flicks like Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th, or captured footage films like Paranormal Activity or The Blair Witch Project.
However, as much as we love the same-old Halloween favorites, sometimes you want to watch something with new frights. And what better way to do so than uncovering some underrated scary movies from the past? Here are a few underrated cult classics I highly recommend watching this Halloween:
#1: House (1977)
Toho Studios | Not Rated (contains Blood, Gore, and Frightening & Intense Scenes)
Where to Watch: HBO Max (Streaming), Amazon Prime (Streaming), Hulu (Streaming), Sling TV (Streaming), Vudu (Rent), Apple TV (Rent)
A young teenage girl and her friends visit her estranged aunt for summer vacation. However, upon their arrival, strange things start occurring with each of them disappearing one by one. The young girl is now forced to uncover the mystery of the old house and discover why her estranged aunt was estranged to begin with. Can she and her friends survive their stay at the haunted house, all while avoiding ghost cats, man-eating pianos, and other bloody horrors?
Produced by Toho Studios of Godzilla fame, and directed by a director who previously worked on television commercials, this Japanese cult classic shifts tones between being a whimsical teen comedy and a chilling horror movie. The jarring tonal shifts create an overall haunting, blood-chilling experience with vivid visuals and splendid special effects. Each of the girls meets a bloody, gory, and creatively fitting demise that is sure to remain lingering in the deep recesses of your subconscious.
#2: The Company of Wolves (1984)
The Cannon Group | R (for Sex & Nudity, Blood & Gore, and Frightening & Intense Scenes)
Where to Watch: YouTube (Streaming), Amazon Prime (Streaming), AMC Plus (Streaming), fuboTV (Streaming), Roku Channel (Streaming)
A young girl on the cusp of adolescence falls into a fever-induced dream where she imagines herself as Red Riding Hood. Despite her deep woodland village being ransacked by wolf attacks, one of which took the life of her older sister, she nevertheless ventures into the woods to visit her grandmother. Played by the late Angela Lansbury, her granny delights her with old folk stories about wolves, through which the young girl not only learns about the strange goings-on, but also her own budding womanhood.
This movie is best described as Labyrinth meets Twilight. Framed as a story taking place within a young girl’s dream, the movie exudes an overall surreal dream-like feel, where things don’t always appear as they seem, and where events play fast and loose with the timeline of the classic setting. With equal parts blood and gore, and equal parts romance and sexual tension, this story serves as a vivid exploration of a young girl’s subconscious as she develops her own sexual awakening as a young woman. Fans of werewolves and supernatural romance are encouraged to give this film a watch.
#3: Viy (1967)
Artistic Association | Not Rated (contains Frightening & Intense Scenes)
Where to Watch: Tubi (Streaming), Amazon Prime (Streaming), Roku Channel (Streaming), Google Play (Rent)
Based on a classic Russian folktale, this Russian movie tells the story of a seminary student who ends up killing a witch who tried to kidnap and torment him. He is promptly summoned by a wealthy gentleman who wants him to conduct the last rites over his late daughter. Plot twist: she turns out to be the witch! Now the young man must survive three nights in an old church praying over her body, which comes to life every night to enact her revenge on him.
At little over an hour long, this short film is quite short compared to other horror movies. However, what little run time it has is packed with plenty of scary and spooky moments with special effects that are quite impressive for the 1960s Soviet Union. Each night the dead witch torments the young priest in new and blood-chilling ways, with him narrowly avoiding his demise thanks to his protective circle. The third and final night serves as the epic finale with horrors so horrific, that it’s best described as a living nightmare come to life.
#4: Return to Oz (1985)
Walt Disney Pictures | PG (for Frightening & Intense Scenes)
Where to Watch: Disney Plus (Streaming), Amazon Prime, (Rent) Apple TV (Rent), Vudu (Rent)
Do you fondly remember the classic 1939 Wizard of Oz? Well, this movie is absolutely nothing like it!
Set shortly after the events of the original movie, Dorothy is sent to a sanitarium for her “delusions” about Oz. She narrowly escapes receiving shock treatment and is swept away by a thunderstorm back to Oz. However, the land is nothing as she remembers from her first visit. The Yellow Brick Road has turned to rubble, the Emerald City is in ruins, and her old friends have gone missing. She must make new friends and avoid new enemies to uncover the mystery behind what happened to the once-enchanted land of Oz.
Again, this movie is nothing like the colorful, whimsical 1939 musical. While technically not a horror movie, Return to Oz is a dark, twisted take on the Oz stories (as adapted by the Walt Disney Company, of all places) with plenty of scares to frighten viewers both old and young. Many of its biggest scares come from its villains, including the demented Wheelers, the head-stealing witch Mombi, and the eerily Claymation-animated Gnome King and his followers.
#5: The Halloween Tree (1993)
Hanna-Barbera | Not Rated
Where to Watch: YouTube (Rent), Google Play (Rent), Apple TV (Rent), Amazon Prime (Rent)
Four young children prepare to go trick-or-treating, only to discover that their other friend has been sent to the hospital for appendicitis. Now they must go on a time-traveling adventure to track down his lingering spirit and save it from the villainous Moundshroud, who seeks to claim it for his own. All the while, the children learn about the meaning behind their costumes by visiting the mummies of Ancient Egypt, the druid witches of pre-Christian England, and the stone gargoyles of Notre Dame.
Based on a story by Ray Bradbury, this animated special by Hanna Barbara has the late author himself deliver narration with iconic lines lifted straight from the pages of his book. The villain of dubious motivation, Mr. Mountshroud, is played by the late Lenord Nimoy, who delivers a classic and haunting performance. This special is equal parts entertaining and educational, as it touches upon the origins of Halloween and its many iconic monsters. A delightful watch to introduce to young viewers who are not ready for the bigger scares in other horror movies.
Zee Zemora was watching his son performing intensive training at a local gym when his son suffered cardiac arrest. The good news is that the young boy was rushed to the hospital where he eventually recovered. The bad news is that his situation would have been better handled if the gym had an automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site.
Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar situation like his son, Zemora reached out to Melanie Brown, founder of Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, and requested an AED for another gym, Aguilar Boxing CLUB in Wahneta.
Melanie knew one of the gym’s coaches, Anthony Bearden, ever since he was a young man. She used to cut his hair and that of his grandfather. So, being close friends with Zamora, Melanie was pleased as punch to happily donate an AED to the facility.
“It makes me feel special she chose our establishment [to] put one of her AEDs in,” he said. “I think it is awesome what Melanie is doing. She is a beautiful woman inside and out, she does a lot for the community, and I think what she is doing is amazing.”
With the previous incident involving cardiac arrest at their gym, an AED will prove quite beneficial in case of future emergencies and will ensure that no one else has to suffer a similar problem, Bearden said.
“I think it’s a good thing to have an AED,” Bearden said. “I thank God that he [the young boy] is still with us today. I think if [the AED] would have been here, things would have gone a little bit smoother for him. So, I think it is awesome, a really good thing to have, especially in the sports world.”
Melanie and her team arrived at Aguilar Boxing CLUB in Wahneta to donate and install the AED and offer a small presentation on how to use the device and explain her organization.
Miguel Aguilar, another coach and the gym owner, appreciated the donation. With the type of workouts often performed at his gym, such a device will prove useful in case another cardiac arrest or other emergency occurs.
“It feels great to have this AED donated to our facility,” she said. “The workouts you do in here are intense, so you never know what is going to happen. You just never know.”
Melanie Brown started her non-profit organization nearly three years ago following the untimely passing of her late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, from cardiac arrest. Since its founding, she has raised proceeds to donate nearly two dozen AEDs to local businesses and establishments.
This latest AED was her 23rd donation. She had donated and installed AEDs at other locations across the county, including Tanner’s Lakeside, Old Man Frank’s, and the Caribbean Bay.
Next month, she will be traveling to Clearwater Arena to donate an AED and meet up with two other AED companies, Rescue Seven from Canada and Cora AED from Nashville, Tenn.
She has high expectations for the future, as she plans on raising more money, donating nearly two to three AEDs per month, and launching a new mobile app to help users locate the nearest AED.
“I am privileged and honored to install this AED here [at Aguilar Boxing CLUB] because I see how much of a hard worker these young men do,” she said. “You never know when you can get into cardiac arrest. So, I am glad to do something to save a life in case of a tragedy.”
For more information about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper
K.C. Wilson knows how to win big. Not only does he land big deals making trades as a senior portfolio analyst, but he also lands big jumps as a record-holding slalom skier, what with him being a Jr. U.S. National Slalom Record holder, according to his bio on CPS Investment Advisors website.
So, it only makes sense that this winning analyst and slalom skier managed to win the prestigious title of Mr. Central Florida, the annual fundraiser for the Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center (CFSHC). K.C. Wilson won the title with more than 45,500 votes at the ceremony at Bonnet Springs Park Event Center on Saturday evening.
His company has had a long partnership with the Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center. Inspired by his personal experiences concerning hearing and speech issues, Wilson was inspired to compete in this year’s competition by raising money for the annual fundraiser.
“It feels good,” he said. “We have seen the impact of the center in the community. It feels good with a lot of supporters. We know what the center is doing…Seeing everyone else participate motivates and inspires me to make an impact on the community as well.”
The 11th Annual Mr. Central Florida was hosted this year by Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center (CFSHC), a local non-profit treatment facility dedicated to assisting patients with their speech, language, and hearing disorders.
The fundraising event involves several volunteers raising money on their behalf throughout the year. The participant who raises the most money is named Mr. Central Florida.
President Roxann Bonta, CFSHC President/CEO, commended the crowd that evening for their donations, which allows her organization to assist people young and old overcome their speech and hearing problems.
“I think you all know why we are here,” she said. “We are here to celebrate. You allow us to celebrate. We do so much, but we could not do it without you…the people who do the hard work, day in and day out. We put on services for language, speech, and hearing. A special thank you to everyone who is here supporting this cause. We could not do it without you. You make the center work.”
This year’s event was hosted at Bonnet Springs Park Event Center at Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland. Throughout the evening, attendees could wine, dine, listen to live music, and place bids on silent auction items.
For more than 60 years, the Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center has served the Greater Lakeland community by assisting people with their speech and hearing problems. According to their website, last year alone, they provided their patients with more than 2,000 hearing services and more than 600 speech and language services.
One such notable patient was a young boy named Ayden, whose story was shared in that evening’s event program. When his mother discovered that her son was not properly developing his language skills as an infant, she took him to the center to receive evaluation and therapy.
“In six months, Ayden was showing play skills, following simple directions, copying words, gesturing and vocalizing for objects,” the program read. “Today, Ayden understands language within normal limits…His progress and success are what every Speech/Language Pathologist dreams of for their patients.”
Local Law Firm Holding 11th Annual Event for Families in Need
WINTER HAVEN, FL, October 31, 2023 —Brooks Law Group invites the community to their 11th annual Turkey Giveaway on Saturday, November 18, at 9:30 AM, where they will be donating 350 Thanksgiving turkeys and dinner items to families who cannot afford one. Turkeys will be available at the firm’s office at 123 First Street North, Winter Haven. The firm recommends arriving at 8:30 AM to secure a spot in line, as the turkeys are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“This event is one that both our team and the community looks forward to all year long,” says Brooks Law Group’s founder and managing partner Steve Brooks. “It takes a huge effort to put this on, but it’s worth it to give back and make sure that every family has a great Thanksgiving.”
Previous Turkey Giveaway
Brooks Law Group will again be joined by Restaurants Against Hunger and Freedom Tour, who graciously donate the side items for a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Local radio station 97.5 WPCV will return to the event for a live broadcast.
Brooks Law Group kindly asks that those who can afford a turkey please let those in need have the donated turkeys. Donations will be limited to one per household. During the giveaway, Brooks Law Group staff will be available to speak with those in line.
Previous Brooks Law Group Turkey Giveaway
Brooks Law Group is a personal injury, auto accident, motorcycle accident and wrongful death law firm, serving individuals across the state of Florida with offices in Winter Haven, Tampa, Auburndale, and Lakeland. The firm has been practicing law and serving people for more than 30 years. For more information visit www.brookslawgroup.com or call 1-800-LAW-3030.
At approximately 9:18am early Tuesday morning a 911 call came in regarding an accident on MLK Blvd. at intersection of Jewett Street. The accident occurred between a motorcycle and a white Ford Expedition.
Winter Haven Fire Department
A witness went to the man’s aid. According to the witness she prayed with the man and did what she could to help him. Sadly the Polk County Sheriff’s Office advised the motorcyclist didn’t survive.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Winter Haven Fire Department & Polk County Fire Rescue all responded to the scene.
The roadway was shut down for hours, but has now been reopened. More details coming soon.
Three Mexican men living in Hillsborough County—two of them in the United States illegally—have been arrested and charged with trafficking in Fentanyl during a multi-agency investigation. Multiple law enforcement agencies collaborated during the investigation resulting in the three arrests and the seizure of 10 kilograms of Fentanyl. The street value of the 10 kilos of fentanyl is approximately $2,500,000.
“10 Kilograms is enough Fentanyl to kill 5 million people if taken in overdose amounts. These drugs are extremely dangerous, and the people bringing them across an unsecure border are evil. Of the three men arrested during this investigation, two are in the country illegally and the Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficking organization is the source of supply for this poison. I am very thankful for our local, state, and national law enforcement partners, including state prosecutors Mr. Haas and Ms. Lopez, for working together to make this a successful investigation.” –Grady Judd, Sheriff
Fentanyl Seized In Polk County Investigation
“Due to the continued refusal of the Biden Administration to address the border crisis he created, states like Florida are forced to pick up the slack,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The fentanyl taken off our streets today is enough to kill 5 million Floridians, and is yet another demonstration of how the federal government has failed to protect U.S. citizens. Thank you to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and all the men and women who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe.”
“Enough fentanyl to kill 5 million Floridians made its way from Mexico, across our wide-open border and into our state, but thanks to the great police work by Sheriff Judd and FDLE it is now off our streets—along with the illegal immigrants who were trafficking it. This major drug bust was bolstered by the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication in Florida Program, which we supported during this year’s legislative session. Further proof that Florida continues to lead even while the federal government refuses to do its job, secure the border and keep these deadly substances from killing Americans.” Ashley Moody, Florida Attorney General.
The investigation revealed the seized Fentanyl was illegally brought into the United States from the Sinaloa Mexico region by the Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficking organization to Compton California, to Riverview Florida, and then to Polk County. Those agencies participating in the investigation are: Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Florida Attorney General’s Office, Attorney General Ashley Moody; Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Florida Highway Patrol; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Department of Homeland Security; 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Brian Haas, State Attorney; and 13th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Susan S. Lopez, State Attorney.
Arrested during the investigation are:
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Medina; DOB 9/29/1968; 12008 Anderson Drive, Riverview, FL. Charges: trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams. He has a prior arrest in California (Los Angeles) in 2002 for DUI. He is from Mexico and is in the United States illegally. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on Gutierrez-Medina.
Ruperto Rocha, DOB 9/21/1958; 3417 Ridge Road, Wimauma, FL.Charges: trafficking fentanyl over 28 Grams. His criminal history includes a criminal traffic charge in 1998 in Hardee County; transporting Illegal Aliens, Del Rio, Texas, 1981 (convicted, 3 month sentence); Home Invasion / Armed Violence / AGG Battery, 1989, Belvidere, Illinois; and aggravated battery, Lockport Correctional, Illinois, 1990 (convicted 5 year sentence). Rocha has an unknown resident alien status.
Juan Manuel Contreras Gutierrez; DOB 09/06/1998; 12008 Anderson Drive, Riverview, FL; Charges: trafficking fentanyl over 28 Grams. Contreras Gutierrez’ criminal history includes possession of drugs w/o a prescription, 2021, Marion County; robbery-1st degree & grand theft (convicted, 5 years’ probation), 2018, Los Angeles, California. Contreras Gutierrez is in the United States illegally—he was ordered removed by an immigration judge on 11/19/2020 and deported back to Mexico on 11/23/2020. On 11/28/2020 he was encountered again trying to illegally enter the United States, he was again sent back to Mexico. Contreras Gutierrez re-entered the United States illegally at an unknown time after deportation.
HIDTA Task Force / multi-agency drug trafficking organization investigation
The investigation was initiated in the month of September, with Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives acting in an undercover capacity working with Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agents. Detectives made contact with a suspected drug trafficker, Juan Manuel Gutierrez Medina, who resides in Riverview, FL. Detectives arranged to purchase large quantities of Fentanyl with Medina. During the investigation, detectives completed drug transactions with Medina, Ruperto Rocha, and Juan Gutierrez Contreras.
At one point during the investigation, Gutierrez Medina was tracked travelling by vehicle to Compton California, and then back to Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol, in concert with the investigation, arrested him in Suwannee County on October 18, 2023, on his way back to central Florida. Detectives met with Ruperto in Bartow on October 12, and he was arrested without incident for trafficking fentanyl. On October 20, detectives met Juan Gutierrez Contreras in Riverview where he delivered 6 kilograms of Fentanyl to undercover detectives. On October 25 detectives arranged to meet again with Gutierrez Contreras in the Riverview area. Working with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, he was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams. An ICE hold has been placed on him due to his illegal status.
The investigation has been conducted with the assistance of the State Financial Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (S.A.F.E) Florida Program managed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In 2023, the Florida Legislature established state funding for the S.A.F.E program to conduct investigations designed to combat illegal fentanyl trafficking. The grant provides financial support and assistance for approved fentanyl-related investigative costs, such as overtime, travel, investigative supplies and equipment, and training.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glasssaid, “These arrests are the first in Florida using grant money from the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (SAFE) program. The grant provides money for local law enforcement agencies in fentanyl and drug trafficking investigations. Never has there been a time when shutting down a drug trafficking organization has been more important. While these cases are usually very expensive to investigate, this grant means money won’t be a barrier. Thank you to Governor Ron DeSantis and our lawmakers for empowering law enforcement to work more drug investigations making Florida safer by taking fentanyl and these dangerous drug traffickers off our streets.”
Welcome, World Travelers! Five Nights at Freddy’s is Frightful Fun yet Flimsy
by James Coulter
Welcome World Travelers
Hard to believe that the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game is old enough to be considered “nostalgic.” The children who first played these video games when they were first released are most likely older teenagers at the cusp of adulthood. Man, I feel old now!
What started as a small indie video game has since spawned into a massive multimedia franchise with tons of extensive lore and backstory. So, it only made sense that these horror video games would make for a good premise for a horror movie. In fact, before the official movie, several other knock-off films like the Banana Splits and Willy’s Wonderland copied the concept.
Now that the official movie has been released, does it live up to the hype of the now “classic” video games? Or will this film barely survive the first morning of the first day of the work week?
Five Nights at Freddy’s follows the story of Mike Schmidt, a troubled security guard who’s struggling to maintain custody of his younger mentally challenged sister, especially after being fired from his last job. He’s since accepted a new position working the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a long-defunct arcade that closed in the 1980s due to “unseen circumstances.”
Five Nights at Freddy’s
However, upon working his new job, Mike discovers his new workplace is haunted by animatronics that come to life every night. Furthermore, he also learns the haunted workplace may also be connected to a series of dreams he’s been having concerning his younger brother, who went missing on a camping trip years ago. Will Mike solve the mystery and learn who or what is responsible for these creepy circumstances?
So, yeah: if you’re expecting a survival horror flick about a security guard fending off against demented animatronics for an entire night shift until it ends the next morning, this movie ain’t it. To be sure, the iconic haunted animatronics play a role in the film, yet the rest of the movie is a muted drama about a troubled young man struggling to hold a job and custody of his younger sister while solving the mystery of his new workplace and his missing younger brother.
Granted, those elements of the movie are still fairly dramatic and provide a psychological dimension to the movie. One aspect of the story involves Mike having recurring dreams about his past, when his younger brother was kidnapped during a camping trip. These dreams also involve several mysterious children characters who quite evidently have a connection with the weird happenings at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
The scenes involving the iconic setting and animatronics are creepy, as can be expected. The scenes shot at the abandoned pizza place certainly feel creepy and almost claustrophobic like the games, and the Jim Henson Company did an excellent job bringing the animatronic characters to life.
However, where the film falls flat is with the acting. Most of the actors deliver very flat, almost unmemorable performances. As one reviewer quipped, the side female cop character could almost be called “Mrs. Exposition” for how flat her character came across. And as interesting as the non-pizza place scenes may be at offering another existential layer to the story, they do deviate greatly from the moments that made the video games famous.
I’m not going to lie: while watching this movie in the theater, I fell asleep through it twice. It may have been from the overall dull performance, or it could have been from the exceptionally cool movie theater. Either way, it prevented me from fully appreciating this movie.
Overall, if you have children who love the Five Nights at Freddy’s games to the point where they have most of its lore memorized better than their multiplication tables, chances are, they might enjoy the parts of the movie that emulate the look and feel of the game, but their mileage may vary at the other parts of the movie.
Fair warning: this movie is rated PG-13, and while the blood and gore are at a minimum, there’s still a fair amount of blood, gore, and shocking moments, so parental guidance and viewer discretion are advised. However, if the games don’t give your kids nightmares, I doubt these movies will either.
Just after midnight, early Monday morning, a Hyundai Accent, was traveling eastbound on US-98 in the inside lane. At the same time a marked FHP Dodge Charger was traveling westbound on US-98, en route to a minor traffic crash. At the intersection of Florida Avenue, the Trooper stopped in the left turn lane and when given a green left turn arrow signal proceeded to turn left. The Hyundai failed to stop for a red traffic signal, entered the intersection and collided with the passenger side of the cruiser. The 51-year-old Lakeland Trooper suffered minor injuries, as did a passenger traveling in in the Hyundai who was identified as a 25-year-old Lakeland man. The driver of the Hyundai,a 20-year-old Lakeland man, identified as Jesus Eduardo Cano Zamora, suffered minor injuries.
Zamora was later arrested by FHP Troopers for DUI, No Driver License, Possessing Open Containers of Alcohol and Running a Red Light.
On October 29, 2023 at 3:54 PM an off-duty FHP Trooper was driving on SR-570 (Polk Parkway) near Milepost 18 with family members in his personal vehicle, while off-duty and in civilian attire. Caught in slow-moving traffic, a driver in a red Chevy pickup became agitated and began focusing his attention on the Trooper. As traffic cleared, the suspect drove alongside the Trooper’s vehicle, speeding up and slowing down, yelling and using hand gestures. The Trooper ignored the suspect; however, the suspect slowed again and displayed a compact style firearm, eventually pointing the weapon at the Trooper.
The Trooper contacted the Florida Highway Patrol by calling *FHP and reported the incident. Several FHP Troopers responded to the area, but did not locate the driver. The Troopers then responded to the vehicle owner’s Auburndale residence and located the driver as he returned home. The driver, identified as Matthew Timothy Reiter, 32, was subsequently arrested by the Troopers who located five different firearms. The suspect was placed under arrest, charged with three counts each of unlawful display of a weapon and aggravated assault with a weapon.
