Bartow Chalk Walk Celebrates 5th Year with Grady Judd Sidewalk Drawing
by James Coulter
When Matt McCalister thinks of Polk County, he thinks of the Honorable Sheriff Grady Judd. So this chalk artist from Palmetto, FL could think of no better subject for his chalk drawing masterpiece than the Honorable Sheriff.
McCallister was one of 18 chalk artists from across the state, country, and even world to congregate along the sidewalks of Downtown Bartow for the 5th Annual Bartow Chalk Walk, hosted by Main Street Bartow.
As someone who normally paints murals full-time, McCallister is used to creating large art pieces. He has been creating chalk drawings for the past 10 years, and this was his second year attending the annual chalk art festival.
“I just love Bartow with a small-town view. It is a good turnout…[and] artists love these bigger crowds,” he said. “I chose Grady [as my subject] because when I think of Polk County, he is who I think of first.”
Last weekend, the Bartow Chalk Walk drew in large crowds of artists and attendees alike. The event had previously been scheduled for early October but had to be postponed and re-scheduled due to Hurricane Ian. Being hosted alongside the Classic Car Show and Honey Bee Festival allowed for a much larger turnout than in previous years, explained event organizer Trish Pfeiffer.
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“So that seems to be working well, it looks like a really big crowd,” she said. “I love being outside seeing the people create street art. It is cool…[and people like it] because they are curious. They see it, and like it, and they come back.”
Both a people’s choice and sponsor award were conferred. The people’s choice went to the Integrity School of the Arts, whose art class created a skewed perspective art piece of the local Wonder House. Dennis Ward, the head art teacher, was proud of his students and their accomplishment.
“It feels really good,” he said. “I am proud of the group. Being an art teacher, it is really rewarding to see my students shine and show their talents.”
Hilary Frambes won the sponsor award for her abstract art piece which blended outer space with a human head. She normally draws botanical pieces with portraits, and this year, she decided to do something truly out of this world. As a professional artist who has been chalk drawing since 2006, and who attended the festival last year, she loves being able to flex her skills at events like this.
“I am excited and shocked because there are so many pieces here,” she said. “I was here last year. I love this festival. The surface is great to chalk in and, I love to see what everyone comes up with. It is great to see chalk friends and chalk alongside them.”
Update: As an update to the Poinciana hit-and-run crash from earlier today, Pierre Carmelo Jacinthe was arrested and charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Injuries (F2) and Tampering with Evidence (F3). He told detectives that he struck the child by accident, panicked, and then fled the scene. He then hid his vehicle in the garage at his residence where detectives located it.
“I’ve said it before, if you are involved in a crash, stop and call law enforcement. Leaving the scene of a crash is unacceptable. Thankfully, the 11-year-old should make a full recovery, but the driver now faces felony charges. If he would have just remained at the scene, he might not have been charged with two felonies.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Original Press Release
In response to your inquires, the PCSO Traffic Unit is investigating a hit and run traffic crash involving an 11-year-old pedestrian. The child has a broken leg and was transported to a hospital to be treated for the injuries.
The crash occurred around 8 a.m. this morning, November 15, 2022 at the intersection of Cedar Side Drive and Rio Grande Canyon Loop in Poinciana. The suspect fled the scene in a dark colored Toyota 4-Runner. Deputies quickly located the vehicle and identified the suspect as 66-year-old Pierre Carmelo Jacinthe of Poinciana. Around 10:45 a.m., Jacinthe turned himself in at the Davenport Police Department.
Local Polk County Teenager Competes In Finals At 2022 NBHA Open and Senior World Championships
By Allison Williams
Photos provided by Stephanie Randell & Selena Buck
Hayleigh Rodgers is a local 13-year-old who has grown up in Polk County. She grew up in Lake Wales and now resides in Winter Haven. She has always loved the outdoors and has a special place in her heart for animals.
When she was just six years old, her interest for horses emerged. She trained for about a year and a half and by the age of eight, she was competing.
The finals for the 2022 National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) Open and Senior World Championships took place this past weekend at the National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia.
Hayleigh did a lot of preparing for finals. The sweepstakes took place the first Sunday they were in Georgia. This was a separate race that they decided to enter so that her horses could get some practice runs in and get used to the environment and get a feel for the arena.
Hayleigh currently has two horses that she competes with. Reba, her female horse, has been with her for about five years competing. Diesel, her male horse, has been with her for less than a year.
Sweepstakes results (Sunday, Oct. 30)
Diesel: Ran a 16.0
Though Diesel did not place, he had a great run.
Reba: Ran a 16.6
2nd place in 5D
Won $972
Round 1 of World Championships (Monday, Oct. 31)
Diesel: Ran a 15.9
Placed 4th in 3D in the Troxel Helmet Sidepot
Won $120
Placed 1st in 3D in the Youth Sidepot
Won $167
Reba: Ran a 16.1 in 4D
This run qualified Reba for finals, placing 7th in the 4D
Won $551
Placed in Women Sidepot
4th in the 4D
Won $158
Round 2 of World Championships (Wednesday, Nov. 2)
Diesel: hit first barrel – scored a ‘no time’
Diesel was then sent to redemption round on Friday
Reba: Ran a 15.7 in 3D
Won $284
Redemption Round of World Championships (Friday, Nov. 4)
Diesel: Ran a 16.0
Though it was not enough to qualify finals, Hayleigh wad very proud of him for how he did on his first time there with her at the championships.
Finals of World Championships (Saturday, Nov. 5)
Reba: Ran a 15.8
Did not place but was a wonderful experience to have Reba qualify for finals
After all was said and done, Hayleigh and her horses walked away with a finalist buckle and around $2,300 (six checks). She was very proud of her horses.
Hayleigh enjoys barrel racing with her two horses, Diesel and Reba. This is what she did at the World Championships. She also enjoys occasionally taking her horses to fun shows where they use poles and race in speed events. She does this sometimes for fun on the side.
“My favorite thing about barrel racing is probably spending time with the animals and being outside,” Hayleigh said. “I like a whole bunch of animals, so it’s really fun to spend time with them. I have been training with my coach Holly Calhoun for the past five years in Bartow, Florida. I like the feeling of the adrenaline before you go run your horse. It’s great.”
Hayleigh’s grandmother Stephanie Randell is very proud of Hayleigh and of the horses. It is not easy working with horses and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
“A lot of people just think you jump on a horse and you ride but when you have performance horses like we do, there’s a lot that goes with it,” Randell explained. “You have a farrier, you have a chiropractor who has to adjust the horses. You have to keep them up to date with the vet.”
Performance horses go through a lot of training and take a lot to remain healthy and race-ready.
Randell added, “They run really hard, and going around those barrels, they’re bending and pushing just like a human does. They get put out and they have to be adjusted and put back in place or else they get very sore.”
Along with taking good care of the horses, Hayleigh also has to keep up with her studies, being a school student. This past semester she was able to maintain all A’s and B’s. She is able to balance her school work and her horse competitions well.
Next up for Hayleigh is a NBHA Show on November 26 in Wauchula. When she competes in these shows each month, they are what earns her points and qualifies her for larger events, such as the Open Worlds or Youth Worlds.
Currently, Hayleigh sits in 1st place for the Youth in her district for the NBHA. She looks forward to having Reba and Diesel continue to compete alongside her in the future.
Makayla and Kiley Buck are also Polk County teens who competed in the World Championships. Makayla has been riding since the age of 8 and started competing in barrel racing just a year later. Kiley started competing when she was age 9.
Makayla, age 13, placed 2nd in the 5D in round 2 with a time of 16.715. She made it into the finals but was bumped down out of the money with a time of 16.354. She placed 30th in the 4D.
Kiley, age 18, placed 54th in round one in the 2D.
She was 90th overall fastest out of 840 riders.
Like Hayleigh, these sisters also love the sport.
“My favorite part of competing is when we go out there and have an amazing run” Makayla said. “We work so hard at home, and it’s a wonderful feeling when it all comes together. Outlaw is an amazing horse and my best friend.”
Her sister Kiley said, “In October of 2019, I became the lucky owner of my horse, Grace. Because she was a high-strung three-year-old, it took a while to figure out each other. After a lot of work with blood, sweat, and tears, here we are at NBHA world, and she placed in the top 90 fastest runners out of 840 riders. This is why I like to compete. We lay all our hard work out there and can have a great time. Although every run isn’t perfect and mistakes happen, I am just so proud of how far we have come and can’t wait for our future together!”
Brian Haas, State Attorney For The 10th Judicial Circuit, Hosting Seal And Expunge Event November 15
By Allison Williams
Coming up on November 15 from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Brian Haas, State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit, will be hosting a Seal and Expunge Event. The event will take place at the Lake Eva Event Center, located at 799 Johns Ave, Haines City, FL 33844.
Haas, being the State Attorney for the 10th Judicial, is responsible for criminal prosecutions that occur within Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.
Jacob S. Orr, Assistant State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit says, “This event is to assist individuals that are eligible to have their records expunged. Anyone who was convicted of a crime is not eligible. The law allows for individuals that may have been arrested or charged but were not convicted to have their records expunged.”
He added, “Also, the law limits this to individuals that have no other record of convictions. So, anyone who has never been convicted of any crime but was arrested (only 1x) and the charges were eventually dropped, can apply to have their record expunged.”
With that being said, Orr explains that there are certain restrictions on the type of charge. The conditions can get confusing, so he urges those with questions to call the Office of the State Attorney ahead of time so that they can find out whether or not they are eligible.
“The hope is that these individuals, with arrest records expunged, can then become productive members of society.” Orr said.
Wanted Felon Accused Of Strangling Woman Was Shot By Winter Haven Police
This is a follow-up to the initial release of the officer-involved shooting in Winter Haven this morning.
On 11/10/22 at approximately 3:52 a.m., officers responded to an apartment at Haven at Lake Deer involving a female who had been strangled and pushed into a wall by 43 year-old Jason Pickles (DOB 5/19/79). Pickles had an outstanding warrant from an incident that occurred on 10/25/22 for Felony Battery Prior Conviction.
When officers arrived, Pickles had already left the property. A complaint affidavit was issued for Pickles regarding this case. Through the early morning hours, officers continued to monitor the location and when Pickles returned to the apartment, officers attempted to have him step out of his vehicle.
Pickles refused to exit the vehicle and sped off. Officers located Pickles again in an apartment complex parking lot when Pickles sped through the parking area towards one of the officers. The officer, in fear for his safety and safety of the public, fired his department-issued weapon striking Pickles.
Pickles continued through the lot striking another vehicle and ultimately exited the Haven at Lake Deer Apartments lot.
Officers were able to block him in at the parking area of the Wellington Condominiums along Lake Howard Drive.
Once Pickles was secured officers began treating his injuries until EMS personnel arrived, Pickles was transported to Lakeland Regional Health with non-life threatening injuries.
After being released from the hospital, Pickles will be charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault and Resisting Arrest with Violence.
The 10th Judicial Circuit Officer-Involved Shooting Team is currently investigating the shooting with the State Attorney’s Office overseeing the investigation. The Winter Haven Police Department will conduct an internal administrative investigation, which is standard procedure.
(The officers’ names are not being released due to Marsy’s Law.)
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
Due to the ongoing investigation, there will be nothing more released at this time.
Original Update:
Winter Haven Police are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting that occurred earlier this morning. No officers are injured and the suspect has non-life-threatening injuries and has been taken to the hospital for treatment.
The incident location is at the Haven of Lake Deer Apartments (350 24th St. NW). The suspect, Jason Pickles (DOB 5-19-79) has a long and violent criminal history and currently had a warrant for his arrest.
The investigation is being turned over to the 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Shooting Team.
On Wednesday, November 9, 2022, Lake Wales Police Department teamed up with the Polk County Sheriff Office and the District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office in an attempt to locate Ms. Debbie Williams, who has been missing since 1990.
Detectives, officers and crime scene investigators excavated the sand underneath the rumored residency, located at 108 Dr. J.A Wiltshire Ave. At the conclusion, no remains were found underneath the residence.
Lake Wales officials intend to continue the search. Plans include the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR). Proposed areas for the use of GPR include the lot the residence is located on and an additional area alongside US HWY 27. Detectives have partnered with a GPR specialist from the University of South Florida.
Detectives are also following up on other leads discovered in microfiche film dating back to the 90’s. They have located a lead supporting the eye-witness testimony of Williams entering a white and red pickup truck driven by a Caucasian male at the time of her disappearance.
Deputy Chief David Black said, “Our detectives will continue to follow-up on factual leads and eye-witness testimony.”
Aggressive progress has been made by Lake Wales Police Department after a resident arranged for cadaver dogs to search the land around the residency. One hotspot identified by the dogs was beside a tree that rooted underneath the house. Officers dug into the root ball from inside the house, which happens to be the same room Williams was rumored to be buried under the floor.
Detectives contacted Julie Starbuck, K-9 handler for Peace River K-9 Search and Rescue and discussed the results of the search. Starbuck stated cadaver dogs find the odor of human remains, which can be generated in a multitude of ways, and does not necessarily indicate a body. She went on to say remains could be blood left behind from an injury or when dead or dry skin flakes off a body and decomposes.
Prior to the excavation, SEMCO, a construction firm assessed the structural integrity of the residency. Flooring was removed from the house to make room for officers to excavate the sand underneath the residency and run it through sifters. More than 20 officers and city staff engaged in the search.
UPDATE 1
Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a reward up to $5,000 for any information, which leads to locating Debbie Delores Williams.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Ricky Hartwell at 863-678-4223. Or, if you would like to stay anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD through Heartland Crime Stoppers:
· Call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477)
· From your cell phone, dial **TIPS
· Visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,”
· Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
COLD CASE INVESTIGATION
In late March 1990, Debbie Williams was reported missing by a family member. At the time of the original report, it was estimated Debbie had been missing for approximately four weeks. Detectives have been left with a single partial page initial report to go on.
In 2019 Melvin Waldron, a retired Lake Wales Supervisor, came to Detectives with information regarding Williams’ case. The information included rumors Williams had been killed by her on again, off again boyfriend who has since passed away. The rumors were she was buried beneath the boyfriend’s residence or near the overpass of Highway 27 near Florida Natural. At that time, a Detective was assigned to accompany Waldron to conduct interviews with people Waldron believed had direct information on the case. A total of nine people were interviewed regarding the case and only one person had any direct information. This person observed Williams getting into a white and red pickup truck driven by a white male around the time she disappeared. The other eight people all stated they heard various “street talk” over the years saying she was buried under the house, or she was buried under the bridge, or she got into a white truck driven by a white male, never to be seen again.
Detectives then went to the residence in question to investigate the possibility Williams was buried there. An officer dressed in protective equipment went under the residence using a metal rod to probe the area for remains. Bones were located in the area Williams was rumored to be. Those bones were examined by the medical examiner’s office and confirmed to be animal bones. No large scale digging was done as there for safety of the officer and the structure itself.
The current owners of the residence are not suspects in any way and have been nothing but cooperative in this case and great care must be taken with their property.
The Lake Wales Police Department is networking with the Lake Wales Building Department, Planning and Zoning, and house moving companies to ensure the residence can be safely moved and any potential crime scene preserved. The move of the residence will be done as Building Partnerships for a Safer Community soon as possible but due to logistics that date is yet to be determined. Detectives have been in contact with USF for ground penetrating radar, so that once the residence had been moved a search can be conducted. If the ground penetrating radar indicates the possibility of remains, a dig will be conducted at that point.
The Detectives in charge of this investigation have met with experts and investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney’s Office, and Polk County Sheriff’s Office who have all pledged their assistance in this case. We have also been in contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding advancements in DNA collection and cataloging built to assist in matching missing persons with unidentified bodies found around the country.
Going forward, Detectives are working to rebuild the case file regarding Williams. This includes conducting interviews with those who knew Williams and the boyfriend. This proper documentation of the investigation will provide a thorough case file if Williams is not locate during these endeavors.
The Lake Wales Police Department is working diligently on this case and will exhaust all leads. Should Williams not be found during these searches, the department will follow up on any future leads which may develop hoping to find closure for the Williams family.
This investigation is ongoing.
If you have any information regarding this case please contact Detective Ricky Hartwell or Sergeant Shawn Smith at the Lake Wales Police Department at 863-678-4223. You can also remain anonymous by calling Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).
TLC PetSnip Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of Two New Centers
by James Coulter
As the late Bob Barker always reminded his viewers: please control the pet population and have your pets spayed or neutered. If your pets need spaying, neutering, or any other surgery or medical attention, TLC PetSnip can assist you and your furry friend at their Lakeland facility, especially with the recent opening of two new centers.
On Thursday, TLC PetSnip celebrated the grand opening with The Peyton Surgical Center and The McCutcheon Medical Center. Located at their facility at 1701 E Gary Road, these two new centers more than double their capacity, allowing them to treat and house their furry patients.
Within the past year, both centers have successfully doubled their surgical capacity, as more than 600 dogs and cats have been spayed and neutered in January, and more than 1,204 animals were treated in October alone, explained Emily Lorenzano, Executive Director.
“The impact that these numbers will have on cats and dogs of Polk County is tremendous,” she said. “Our shelter is over capacity…[and] as the number one county in the southeast to euthanize animals due to overpopulation, we hope this surgical center will help curb that statistic.”
TLC PetSnip opened in 2013 as the first non-profit spay/neuter and wellness organization in Polk County. The center was the dream of Terry Sandlak and her late mother, LaVerne Peyton, to provide affordable quality pet care to the Lakeland community.
Sadly, while Sandlak created the non-profit 501(c)3 to help finance the center, she passed away shortly before it opened. In loving memory of her and her mother, the two new centers were named in their honor. Both centers are expected to help the facility further its mission of helping provide affordable care to local pets, as well as reduce the overall pet population.
“Our mission is to provide high quality, affordable, and accessible veterinary care for all pet owners in a caring and compassionate way,” their website states. “We believe in pet care education and will provide services to any pet in need, within our capacity of care. Our mission includes providing shelter and rescue animals with high-quality care at an affordable cost to the rescue. We believe that collaboration is how we will see our vision come to fruition.”
TLC PetSnip officially commemorated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Mary Stevenson, a chamber board member, congratulated the facility for their two new centers and welcomed them as part of the 1,200 chamber members.
Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz likewise commended the facility for the services they provide to the local community: “From the City of Lakeland standpoint, we are thrilled to be able to have this quality care available for our pets. It is a privilege for me on behalf of the commission to see such growth.”
TLC PetSnip is located at 1701 E Gary Rd, Lakeland, FL 33801. For more information, call 863-686-7647, or visit their website at: https://tlcpetsnip.org/
Northeast Polk Chamber Hosts 5th Annual Cheese and Wine Event
by James Coulter
What could make for a classier evening than sampling fine cheeses and wine? How about spending that evening near the poolside of Balmoral Resort in Haines City?
The Northeast Polk County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its fifth annual Cheese and Wine Event at Balmoral Resort on Friday evening.
Chamber members and residents were able to sample fine cheese and wines as served by local vendors at the poolside clubhouse. Participating businesses and organizations included SouthState Bank, Citizens Bank and Trust, the Haines City Rotary, and the Winter Haven Sun.
Josh Hicks from the City of Davenport Parks and Recreations Department attended that evening to offer a blue cheese variantfrom English Stilton and dry wine from Jam Jar.
Hicks and the other workers from the City of Davenport love the events hosted by the Northeast Chamber. The city serves as one of the sponsors for the chamber, so they love the partnership between the two institutions.
“We love to take part however we can because they help us so much,” he said. “I think it is good networking and gets all our partners together out of work hours and let us enjoy each other’s company as part of a group.”
Karen Tiner, a member of the Haines City Rotary, loves being able to support the chamber, both personally and as a Rotary member. She and her organization are big fans of everything the Chamber has done for them and their local community, and she loves reciprocating all that at events like this.
“Anything to support the community is what we are all about,”she said. “So far, so good. It is nice, it is very perfect. The music is great, and the wine and cheese are perfect.”
Previous events had been hosted in Downtown Haines City and at the Lake Eva Community Center. This year’s event was hosted at Balmoral Resort, and the turnout proved quite exceptional, explained Lara Stripling, Executive Director for the Northeast Chamber.
Proceeds go toward supporting their adult and youth leadership groups. The event itself helps promote local businesses and other organizations, and it allows members to congregate and mingle with one another for the evening.
“I just think the fact that people love to get out and mingle with samples with wine and cheese and it is more one of our more casual fun events,” Stripling said.
Seventeen Year Old Suspect Wanted For Allegedly Shooting & Killing A Pregnant 16 Year Old Orange County Girl Captured In Lake Wales
Lake Wales , Florida – The Lake Wales Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Orange County Sheriff’s Office all converged on the Lake Wales Garden Apartments Monday afternoon in search of Lorenzo Larry, 17 wanted for murder. After a brief standoff he was taken into custody. Larry allegedly killed 16 year old De’Shayla Ferguson’s on Oct. 24. Ferguson was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Ferguson, who turned 16 years old days before the shooting, was found on Broken Pine Circle, just west of Hiawassee Road near Clarcona Ocoee Road, with a gunshot wound to the head, the sheriff said.
Orange County Sheriff Mina said the shooting happened after a “heated argument” and the suspect fled. Larry was later found in Polk County, according to Mina.
The sheriff said Larry was also a suspect in the shooting death of Jemile Pittman 23. She was found dead in a car around December 21. She was found with one gunshot wound to the head, the sheriff said.
“He admitted to shooting Jemile but claimed it was self defense, although he fled the scene, disposed of a gun and fled to another state. So in those cases where the suspect claims self defense, we work closely with our state attorney’s office,” the sheriff said. “We give them our investigative report for them to review so they can make a determination on that case, that was done back in July, and the state attorney’s office has not made a determination in that case as of yet.”
Mina said he expected the state attorney’s office to charge Larry as an adult for the deaths of Ferguson and her unborn child.
“We have to acknowledge that someone who amasses this many gun charges and is responsible for the killing of two women and an unborn child needs to be behind bars for a very, very long time,” Mina said.
Law enforcement was well armed as they surrounded Larry, giving him no where to escape.
OCSO has arrested 17-year-old Lorenzo Larry on charges of Second Degree Murder in the killing of 16-year-old De’Shayla Ferguson on Oct. 24. He also faces charges of killing of an unborn child by injury to mother. De’Shayla was 20 weeks pregnant when she was murdered. pic.twitter.com/dwp7sZtRO9
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) November 8, 2022
"We have to acknowledge that someone who amasses this many gun charges and is responsible for the killing of two women and an unborn child needs to be behind bars for a very, very long time for the safety of this community." – Sheriff John Mina pic.twitter.com/zPwW1de8w7
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) November 8, 2022
A former Haines City High School math teacher was arrested late Wednesday afternoon and charged with having inappropriate sexual contact with a 17-year-old female student at the school.
The girl’s father called 911 on October 11 to report the incident. Because the father called 911 from outside Haines City, another agency responded and took his initial statement. He said the girl came home from school, and told him that she was upset about rumors of an incident circulating through the school about a relationship between her and a teacher.
The officers took a statement from the girl and contacted Haines City detectives because the incident took place at Haines City High School.
The girl said the teacher, 25-year-old Jeremiah Stringer, met her in his classroom on October 7, an early dismissal day when fewer students were on campus. She said the teacher began kissing her, grabbed her and she performed oral sex on him. The teacher tried to engage the girl in intercourse but was unsuccessful.
During an interview with detectives Stringer said he did exchange social media messages with the girl and that they could be perceived as “flirty.” Stringer denied having sex with the student.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned the victim’s clothing likely contained DNA evidence.
On November 2, detectives received confirmation from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that the DNA on the victim’s clothing matched Stringer’s.
Stringer was arrested at his Winter Haven home the same day.
After the teacher was arrested, the Polk County School District sent a message to parents with students at Haines City High School alerting them to the incident and also encouraging parents and students to come forward if they have any additional information. The statement also added that the teacher has been terminated and is no longer working in the school system.
Haines City Police Chief Greg Goreck said “If the public has any additional information about this or any other incidents, we encourage them to contact us right away.”
Stringer is charged with Custodial Sexual Battery on a victim older than 12 but younger than 18-year-of-age, a first-degree felony.
