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Fugitive From Justice In Pennsylvania Charged With Attempted 2nd Degree Murder In Polk County

Carl Fish
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Fugitive From Justice In Pennsylvania Charged With Attempted 2nd Degree Murder In Polk County

Davenport, Florida- The Polk County Sheriff’s Office made an arrest on Thursday May 12, and charged the suspect with Attempted 2nd Degree Murder. The suspect Andy Miguel Peralta Cruz, DOB: 11/30/1999, fled from a Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy following his arrest. Below is a complete redacted arrest affidavit:

“On May 12th, 2022, at approximately 1418 hours, I was dispatched to REDACTED, Davenport, FL 33837 in reference to a disturbance.

Upon arrival, I made contact with VICTIM, victim. The victim informed me she had been involved in a physical altercation with her boyfriend/suspect, Andy Miguel Peralta Cruz, whose identity was confirmed through REDACTED.


The victim advised she observed material on the suspect’s phone which led her to believe he was being unfaithful. The victim stated she confronted the suspect about the material which caused him to become angry. The victim advised the suspect wrapped both hands around her neck and began to choke her. The victim informed me as a result, she was unable to breathe. The victim advised she was able to strike the suspect to get him off of her. The victim informed me the suspect then placed his hand over her nose and mouth. The victim advised she bit the suspect’s hand which caused him to remove it from her face.

The victim advised the acts of the suspect were done against her will.

I observed red marks on the victim’s neck. I also observed bruising on the victim’s left arm. I took photographs of the victim. The victim declined medical attention and a domestic violence shelter.

The victim completed a sworn written statement containing details of the incident.

I made contact with the suspect who confirmed he was the primary aggressor, however, he would not provide any further information about the incident.

REDACTED
During my investigation, I learned the suspect had an active warrant out of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for strong-arm business robbery, warrant number CPCMS703324800. The suspect fled the jurisdiction of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I was informed Lancaster County would extradite. The crime the suspect is charged with is a felony, and is punishable by more than one (1) year in prison.

The suspect was placed under arrest for domestic violence battery by strangulation and the extraditable warrant out of Lancaster County.

The suspect was handcuffed behind his back and double locked and secured in the rear of my agency issued vehicle. While in the rear passenger seat of my agency issued vehicle, the suspect began gagging and stated he was feeling unwell and felt like he was going to vomit. I opened the rear passenger door of my vehicle to allow the suspect to vomit while secured in handcuffs behind his back. After the suspect was provided the opportunity to vomit, I requested that he place his legs back in the vehicle so that the door could be closed. At this time, the suspect exited the vehicle and began to run in a southeasterly direction while secured in my handcuffs, depriving me of their use. Deputy Coquyt (#8163), who was present on scene, deployed his K9 partner Tigor who apprehended the suspect nearby at 43750 Hwy 27, Davenport, FL 33837. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to HOSPITAL for treatment.

Detective Townes arrived at the incident location and conducted a sworn recorded interview with the victim. During the interview, the victim stated that the suspect intentionally placed his hand over her mouth and nose for approximately two (2) minutes, restricting her ability to breathe. While the suspect was restricting the victim’s breathing, he stated “I am going to kill you”.

Based on the new learned facts, the suspect was charged with the following:
FSS 782.04 – Attempted 2nd Degree Murder (no weapon), FSS 941.13 – Fugitive from Justice, FSS 944.40 – Escape, FSS 812.014(3)(a) – Petit Theft, and FSS 941.13 – Resisting an Officer Without Violence.”

Polk County Animal Control- Adoptions $13 Today ONLY

Allison
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Polk County Animal Control- Adoptions $13 Today ONLY

EEK! It’s Friday the 13th!
We have some spooky good news though, ALL ADOPTIONS ARE ONLY $13!
Today Only! Any size animal! Any age!
We are open for adoptions from 10 AM until 4 PM! Hurry in to meet your next Best Friend

PCSOAnimalControl #fridaythe13th #adoptdontshop

Auburndale Youth Baseball 9 And Under All Star Team Invited To Play At Cal Ripken Babe Ruth World Series 

Allison
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Auburndale Youth Baseball 9 And Under All Star Team Invited To Play At Cal Ripken Babe Ruth World Series 

Auburndale Youth Baseball 9 And Under All Star Team Invited To Play At Cal Ripken Babe Ruth World Series

By Allison Williams

Photos provided by Eric Russell

The Auburndale Youth Baseball 9 and under All-Star Team has had a tremendous season thus far, and they will have the opportunity to continue their season by playing in the Cal Ripken Babe Ruth World Series later this summer.

Eric Russell is the manager of the team. They represent the City of Auburndale at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex. Russell says the regular season went very well. “These boys worked extremely hard on and off the field all season,” Russell said.  “They have done really well in the regular season and also took first place in the Cal Ripken West Florida Spring Advanced Baseball League.”

The reason for such a successful season is due to the dedicated players along with the solidarity and teamwork of the team. Great teammates, great coaches, great parents. “We have a strong league with great support from our administration, City of Auburndale and our parents,” Russell said. “None of this could happen without everyone working together. We always say #AuburndaleBaseball and #ItsBiggerThanBaseball.”

Jensen Beach is hosting the Cal Ripken World Series from July 29- August 7. The team is thrilled for the opportunity that is ahead. Teams from all over the country will be playing in this tournament.

“It’s an incredible situation that the kids will never forget,” Russell said. “We are all working hard to represent Auburndale, our league and Polk County.”

With All-Star Tournament travel comes cost. The team is working on ways to raise funds for the upcoming tournament. Local businesses have reached out with sponsorships to help support the team. 

Coming up on June 18, the team will be hosting a golf tournament.

Also on June 25, the team will be serving food at Blackburn’s BBQ in Eagle Lake. Tickets for this BBQ lunch are $13 for a plate. A portion of the proceeds for this event will go toward the baseball team and their travels.

Other ways the team is raising money include occasional hat drops at local Publix locations and collecting funds through Auburndale Venmo/PayPal.

Venmo: @AUBURNDALEYOUTHBASEBALL

PayPal: [email protected]

*Please put “9u Allstars” in notes

The team is very grateful for all the community support. “Everyone has been helpful in doing what they can to make this trip possible for the kids,” Russel said,” We are very thankful and blessed to have so many people in the community who care about kids and youth sports.”

Team Roster:

Luke Saylor

Asher Russell

Micah Forquer

Jackson Carlino

Omar Gonzalez 

Gage Patterson

Conley Willis

Knox Wilson

Rayden Raulerson 

Mannix Nelson 

Luke Chelf

Logan White

Brence Kruschke

Coaches:

Eric Russell

Ryan Wilson

Brian Patterson

Darrick Willis

Lake Wales Contractor Being Charged With Fraud & Grand Theft

Carl Fish
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Lake Wales Contractor Being Charged With Fraud & Grand Theft

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Lake Wales contractor on fraud and theft charges after he was paid $23,500 up-front last year for work on a Davenport residence, then never began the work.

After a warrant was obtained for his arrest, 45-year old Don “Stephen” Wildmon turned himself in at the PCSO Sheriff’s Processing Center in Winter Haven, and was charged with Obtaining by Fraud (F2) and Grand Theft (F2). He then bailed out of jail on two $5,000 bonds.

“Stephen Wildmon made no effort to do the work he was hired to do. The investigation showed that he didn’t even apply for a building permit until June of 2021, but didn’t get it because he didn’t pay for it. He did no work, and made no effort to repay the victim. Thoroughly research anyone you plan to hire, it could save you big headaches and big money.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The victim first contacted Wildmon through his business Wildmon Construction, in January of 2021. The victim wanted an addition to his Davenport residence, and a contract for the work was signed on February 12, 2021. At that time, the victim paid Wildmon a down-payment of $23,500, which was half of the project’s value.

The agreement called for work to begin in April of 2021 and be completed within 90 days. 

The victim contacted the PCSO in October of 2021 after the job was months overdue, and no work had been started. 

After being contacted by a PCSO detective, Wildmon said that he would repay the money, which satisfied the victim, and the investigation ceased. By February 9, 2022, the victim still hadn’t received any money from Wildmon, so he contacted the PCSO again and the investigation was renewed.

Couple Charged In Death Of 34 Month Old Who Starved To Death Weighing 9.5 Pounds

Carl Fish
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Couple Charged In Death Of 34 Month Old Who Starved To Death Weighing 9.5 Pounds

Update: As an update to today’s news conference about the Davenport couple arrested for negligent child abuse resulting in the death of 34-month-old toddler, a third arrest has been made.

64-year-old Frank Robinson of Davenport was charged with Negligent Child Abuse causing Great Harm (F2) and Failure to Report Child Abuse (as an adult in the same home)(F3). Robinson (the brother of Regis Johnson) lived in the home with the victim, was aware of the abuse, and did not report the abuse.

Original Article:

On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, PCSO Homicide detectives arrested 57-year-old Regis Johnson and 35-year-old Arhonda Tillman, both from Davenport, for one count each of Negligent Child Abuse causing Great Harm (F2) resulting in the death of a 34-month-old (2 years 10 months) toddler.

According to the affidavit, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, deputies and PCFR personnel responded to Johnson’s home (6720 US 17/92) in Davenport to an unresponsive child call. The little girl was located deceased in an inflatable pool that was being used as a makeshift playpen. 

During interviews, Johnson, the toddler’s father, told detectives that when the child was born doctors believed she may share a muscular dystrophy gene with her mother. He also told detectives he took the child to a medical appointment July of 2021 to be tested, but the test came back inconclusive. Johnson further stated the most recent doctor’s appointment was August of 2021. According to Johnson, the victim hadn’t wanted to eat much for the past two days, and when he tried to feed her she would only take a few bites. 

Johnson told detectives that he placed the child in the inflatable pool at around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday morning, and she began playing with her toys. He left for a short time, and when he returned, the victim was “cold to the touch and was not breathing.” 

Tillman, the victim’s mother, told detectives that she attempted to feed the child a turkey sandwich Monday (May 9) night before bed, but the victim did not want to eat. She stated that she didn’t know when the child had last seen a doctor, and added that the victim could crawl but not walk. 

Detectives contacted the victim’s pediatrician. The doctor told detectives the child’s last doctor’s visit was in January of 2020, which was her 6-month check-up. The medical office attempted to make contact with the parents numerous times following the appointment as there was concern that the child may have Cystic Fibrosis. 

During the investigation, detectives learned that on December 10, 2019, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) began a medical neglect investigation which revealed the victim was consistently losing weight and her parents were not following-up with doctor appointments. The DCF report indicated that after the parents complied with DCF instructions and following several positive weight checks, Johnson was instructed to follow-up with the victim’s primary care physician, and DCF then closed the investigation.

On May 11th, the District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the victim which determined the victim had no food in her stomach and suffered from long term starvation. She only weighed 9.5 pounds at the time of death. 

When detectives again spoke with Johnson following the autopsy, and he admitted the victim’s last doctor’s appointment was in January 2020 and not August of 2021 as he originally stated. He also told detectives that he knew his daughter was “not gaining weight and not developing as normal.” He further said that he “knew the victim was losing weight and was not thriving” and still did not seek medical attention. 

“This is egregious and should never have occurred. Because of the actions of these parents, this little girl will never have the opportunity to grow up. If parents don’t want their child, there are resources like Safe Place locations – fire stations, social service facilities, etc. To learn more about Safe Place go to www.nationalsafeplace.org.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Both Johnson and Tillman were arrested and transported to the Polk County Jail where they are being held without bond.

27 Yr Old Killed In Lakeland Crash

Carl Fish
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27 Yr Old Killed In Lakeland Crash

LAKELAND, FL (May 11, 2022) – On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at approximately 11:26 a.m., officers responded to a traffic crash near West Lake Parker Avenue and Tropical Way. Just prior to the crash, a Honda Civic was traveling on West Lake Parker Avenue at a high rate of speed after fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash that had just occurred near the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and East Memorial Boulevard. As the vehicle approached the intersection of Tropical Way, the driver lost control of the car, and the vehicle began to rotate and left the lane of travel into the path of a Volkswagen Jetta. The driver of the Jetta was unable to avoid the crash, and both vehicles collided. 

The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Unit, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on the scene and began to provide life-saving measures. The driver of the Honda Civic, 27-year-old Raymen Houston, was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Volkswagen Jetta, 43-year-old Victor Sanchez, did not require any medical assistance.

Members of the Traffic Homicide Unit responded to the scene and took over the investigation. The roadway was shut down for approximately 3 1/2 hours while the scene was processed for the ongoing investigation. If anyone has any additional information regarding the crash, please contact investigating Officer Tyler Anderson at [email protected]. 

The driver of the Honda Civic:

Raymen Houston

Age: 27

Lakeland, FL 

Deceased

The driver of the Volkswagen Jetta:

Victor Sanchez

Age: 43

Lakeland, FL

Polk County School Board Voted Unanimously To Expand McLaughlin Middle School Into Middle School & High School

Carl Fish
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Polk County School Board Voted Unanimously To Expand McLaughlin Middle School Into Middle School & High School

The Polk County School Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to expand McLaughlin Middle School & Fine Arts Academy into Polk’s newest middle-high school.

Teachers, parents, community members and students flooded the school board meeting to show their support of the plan. They also praised McLaughlin’s positive impact on the area’s youth.

 

“I hope that kids in the future will be able to experience the incredible opportunities and experiences I have been able to have,” said Tristan Harbert, an eighth-grader at McLaughlin. “I know that where McLaughlin is concerned, there will always be academic and social excellence.”

 

“Providing our students with the highest caliber of educational experience is of the utmost importance,” said Hailey Bottoms, an English language arts teacher at the school. “Becoming a middle-high school is a testament to the dedication that this school and the district have to that goal.”

 

Currently, McLaughlin serves students grades 6 – 8. Under the approved plan, it will continue serving middle school students but will also add 9th grade beginning next school year (2022-23). Additional grade levels will be added each year until McLaughlin covers grades 6 – 12.

 

The project will better utilize available space at McLaughlin and prepare for anticipated population growth in the area.

 

Another benefit is allowing students to stay connected to McLaughlin as they adapt to the challenges of high school. Students can stay focused on the increased academic responsibilities while still experiencing the continuity of their familiar neighborhood school.

 

McLaughlin’s principal, Dr. Debra Wright Hudson, said she was touched to see how much the project has been embraced by her students, staff, families and the entire community.

 

With this transition, McLaughlin will be able to offer even more unique opportunities to its students, including expanded athletics, clubs and electives.

 

“In the words of Sam Cooke, it’s been a long time coming,” said Hudson. “This is a historic moment for the city of Lake Wales, and most importantly, the students of McLaughlin who will set the path as inaugural graduates of the class of 2026.”

 

School board members conducted an in-depth discussion about the expansion of McLaughlin during Tuesday’s work session.

Local Polk County Woman Diagnosed With Terminal Lung Disease Raising Funds For Lung Transplant 

Allison
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Local Polk County Woman Diagnosed With Terminal Lung Disease Raising Funds For Lung Transplant 

Local Polk County Woman Diagnosed With Terminal Lung Disease Raising Funds For Lung Transplant

By Allison Williams

Photos provided by Shania Arms & Southern Grace Shirts & Customs

Shania Arms is a 23-year-old Polk County resident who has lived her whole life fighting against the odds to survive. Just before her first birthday, she was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease. She has a form of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) that affects the lungs and stomach. All her life, she has been told she will not live to be a certain age, and she keeps fighting. Now, 23 years later, she is still fighting. 

“I’m giving it all I got,” Arms said. “I never let my health be an excuse for me trying or doing things in life.” She played sports all throughout school despite being told she could not do them. She ran track, swam and cheered during her school years, all while keeping a positive attitude. 

​In 2014, Arms had a major setback. She ended up on a ventilator for nearly three weeks, and when she came to, she had to learn how to eat and walk all over again. She lost a significant amount of weight. Through perseverance, she was able to eat and walk again and made a significant improvement in just two weeks’ time.

​Fast forward to 2018/2019. Arms began to get sicker and sicker. Her body started giving out from exhaustion. Now with her right lung failing completely and a weak left lung, she is in need of a lung transplant. 

“I need your help to raise money for a transplant,” Arms says.“To get on the transplant list you have to complete almost 25-30 tests, and that’s basically testing all organs and blood in your body. To get on the list I have to show that I have enough raised/saved to not worry about post-transplant medication,which I was given a summary of $18,000 per month for threemonths and around $1800 per month for the rest of my life.”

Arms is doing everything that she can to stay positive and continue fighting. She goes to the doctor regularly, saves money as much as possible, and is doing the required transplant tests. The support of her family and peers has been a huge blessing. “My Family and friends are what keeps me going. Just realizing that I’m alive even though I have all this against me is what keeps me going. I realize that there is a lot of other situations that are worse than mine and I need to be thankful for what Ihave. God’s got me and I can handle it!”

Anything helps. A penny, a dollar, anything. “I’m fighting but Ican’t lose the chance of survival due to finances. God has made a way for 23 years and I have no doubt that he is going to make a way again.” She also does her best to pay it forward. “No matter what I’m doing or where I’m at or how bad I feel, I try to help everyone I see who are in a rough patch or situation. No matter what, I try to help.”

Southern Grace Shirts & Customs is currently running a fundraiser to help raise funds for Arms. T-shirts are $23 (shipping included) and a percentage of the proceeds will go toward the cost of a lung transplant for Arms. To support the t-shirt fundraiser, message Southern Grace Shirts & Customs on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/Southern-Grace-Shirts-Customs-104961454706499

Lake Wales Museum To Host Summertime Citrus Reception

Carl Fish
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Lake Wales Museum To Host Summertime Citrus Reception

The Lake Wales History Museum’s Summertime CitrusExhibit is now on display! Our on-loan citrus label exhibit from the Museum of Florida History displays 24 different citrus labels from around Florida. We have expounded on the industry of citrus and collaborated with the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame and the Polk County History Center to develop the story of citrus in Polk County. We are excited to be bringing the history of our area to the community so they can learn about one of the biggest industries in Florida.

 

You are invited to our opening reception to learn about the history of citrus in Florida and enjoy everything orange! Our opening reception will be on May 21st from 6:00 – 8:00 pm and it is open to the community! Tickets are $12 per person and members are free, they can be purchased on our website www.lakewaleshistory.org under the events page.

A Lake Wales Mom Lost Her Package, But Her Son Gained A New Ball and Glove

Jody
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A Lake Wales Mom Lost Her Package, But Her Son Gained A New Ball and Glove

A Lake Wales Mom Lost Her Package, But Her Son Gained A New Ball and Glove

by James Coulter

Chamayne Brunson may have lost a package, but her son gained new baseball equipment. After reporting a missing package and recieving a friendly visit from some police officers, she received an extra surprise that very evening when those same officers arrived with a special gift for her son.

Last Sunday, Brunson and her son were taking pictures for Mother’s Day when she received a message that a package had been delivered to her apartment. When she arrived home, she was shocked to discover the package torn open with two items taken out of it.

Brunson reached out to Amazon, which provided her with a case number and assured her that her missing items would be replaced. She then called the Lake Wales Police Department, which sent out two police officers that evening to discuss her stolen items.

Officer Emmanuel Viera has been with the department for six years. He works as a K9 officer who performs patrol, backup, and responds to calls. He and his partner arrived on the scene to answer Brunson’s call.

While speaking with Brunson, Officer Viera noticed her son coming outside with a baseball and bat. As he was playing alone, Viera decided to let his partner speak with Brunson while he played with her son.

Officer Viera often interacts with children during cases. Sometimes he plays sports with them. Other times, he offers them a spare toy car he brings along in his trunk. Either way, he focuses on keeping the child occupied while his partner works the case, he said.

During their playtime, Officer Viera inquired the young boy about his ball game, asking if he participated in a team or played with other friends. He also offered him some pointers on how to improve his game. When the boy retrieved a baseball glove, he noticed it was too small for him.

“I wanted to do that so he could practice,” he said. “Maybe if he had some friends, he can play with him…He brought out his glove, and I saw it was too small for him. So I thought about it after I left. I wanted to get him a glove so he can play baseball and practice…and he was super excited about that.”

Brunson was pleasantly surprised by the overall interaction, especially by a police officer within the northwest Lake Wales area. Most officer interactions are not as cordial, so seeing the officer play with her son like that was a relief, she said.

“I loved seeing the smile on my son’s face,” she said. “He is not often that you do not see an officer come out, [and] it is very rare to see an officer interact with a child, it is a call being made, and the fact this was so minor, he got time to spend time with my son, and I would love to see that more because I am sure the kids are afraid of the police.”

Later that evening, she and her son heard a knock at their door. They opened it to discover the officers from the night before at their door with two new baseballs, a bat, and a practice baseball stand. The smile on her son’s face was ten times bigger than the day before, Brunson said.

More than simply giving her son gifts, the entire experience offered him a positive experience with law enforcement that, sadly, many children his age, especially children of color, rarely receive, she explained.

“They turned a bad day into a great day, it made all the difference in the world,” she said. “Something so small and so simple like that made a difference to my son, and that is really where I wanted to give them the recognition that they deserve because sometimes they get overlooked.”

Officer Viera felt proud to give back to a young child. Not only did Brunson’s son receive a new ball and glove, but he also gained better respect and appreciation for law enforcement, which is something very few young people these days have, Officer Viera said.

“To me, it was what it was all about,” he said. “Especially nowadays, it is trust issues between law enforcement and the public, and the kids like that outside who trusted me and whose mom trusted us with the call. He trusted me to play some baseball, and I could see how excited he was. He was innocent. He did not think anything bad about us, and that is how we like to keep it…and [to] show him that the Lake Wales Police Department is more about the community than anything else.”

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