One man was killed and
another critically injured Tuesday, December 28, 2021, as a result of a
two-vehicle crash north of Lakeland, which was caused by one of the drivers
being impaired.
A 44-year old Lakeland
man died of head trauma at the scene. His passenger was his 18-year old son
from Tampa who was critically injured and remains hospitalized.
The other driver,
34-year old Joshua Waters of Lakeland, was uninjured. He was arrested and
charged with: DUI Manslaughter (F2), DUI Crash with Serious Bodily Injury
(F3), DUI (M1), and Resisting (M1).
There were also two
passengers in Waters’ vehicle and neither were injured.
PCSO deputies and
members of Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the crash scene on U.S. 98
North, about a mile north of State Road 471 in unincorporated Lakeland, at
about 7:37 AM.
Prior to the crash,
Waters was travelling south on U.S. 98 North in a white 2006 Chevy 2500 pickup
truck with an attached 16’ dump body trailer.
The deceased victim
was operating a 2015 Isuzu Box Truck in the northbound lane.
“At this point in the
investigation, it appears that the trailer being pulled was overweight and
improperly loaded, causing it to be unstable…that will be investigated further.
What is obvious is that the driver pulling the trailer was driving while
impaired, and his actions resulted in a man being killed, and his adult son
being critically injured.” – Grady
Judd, Sheriff.
Evidence and witness
statements indicate that Waters’ trailer became unstable and crossed over into
the northbound lane and struck the box truck at the driver’s door.
During the
investigation, Waters was determined to be impaired and was arrested. Waters
complained of generalized pain and was transported to a local hospital for
treatment. Deputies executed a search warrant for a blood sample which will be
sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis.
The Florida Department
of Transportation assisted at the scene with traffic control, and the roadway
was closed for approximately eight hours.
Motorcyclist killed after pulling
into the path of oncoming vehicle
A Polk City man was killed Tuesday
evening, December 28, 2021, after he drove his motorcycle into the path of an
oncoming vehicle in an unincorporated area of Lakeland.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies
and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the crash at about 6:31 PM, and
found 61-year old Keith Harrington deceased at the scene.
Mr. Harrington had been driving a
blue 2012 Harley Davidson Tri-Glide.
The other vehicle involved was a red
1989 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, driven by 42-year old Randall Padgett of
Auburndale. Mr. Padgett and his two passengers were not injured.
Traffic Homicide Investigations and
Crime Scene Investigations responded to collect evidence, witness statements,
and security video. Based on those, the preliminary investigation shows that
Mr. Harrington had just exited the driveway at the VFW Post at 9398 US 98
North, making a wide turn to travel south. In doing so, his motorcycle crossed
into the northbound lane of US 98, into the path of the northbound Ford
pick-up.
Mr. Harrington was ejected from his
motorcycle. He was not wearing a helmet.
US 98 North was closed for
approximately four hours for while emergency crews worked at the scene.
Welcome, World Travelers! Spider-Man: No Way Home Is Way Cool! (Spoiler-Free Review)
by James Coulter
Reviewing a Marvel movie is a hard thing to do, because convincing people to watch one seems rather pointless. You’re either on board with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or you’re not. If you haven’t seen any of the previous Spider-Man or MCU films, then you’re not going to bother watching the third Spider-Man installment. And if you have seen the other movies, then not only will you watch the new one, but you’re probably going to avoid reading reviews like this to avoid potential spoilers. Rest assured, true believer: this review will be spoiler-free.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” starts where the last movie, “Far From Home”, ended: with Peter Parker having his secret identity as Spider-Man revealed to the public and his friends and family facing the repercussions. Wanting to undo this damage, he visits Doctor Strange to have all memory of his identity magically erased. However, after the spell goes horribly wrong, villains from other universes (read: other Spider-Man movies) are summoned and start causing havoc. Can Spider-Man stop them in time to set things right?
Again, reviewing a Marvel movie is hard because, at this point, people are either invested in the MCU or they’re not. And if they are, then they’re going to watch this movie regardless of what some random review says. The Marvel movies essentially sell themselves, and this year has been especially phenomenal for the Marvel machine with countless movies and television series. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” serves as the cherry on top. Not only am I confident enough to say this is the best Marvel movie of the year—and not only is it the best MCU Spider-Man film—but it is, hands down, the best Spider-Man movie of all time—third only to “Into The Spider-Verse” and “Spider-Man 2.”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” essentially gives everything you’d expect and love from a Marvel movie. To quote movie reviewer Bob “Movie-Bob” Chipman: “The new Marvel movie is a totally rock-solid front-to-back action blockbuster, the humor lands, the fight scenes are terrific, basically the only studio that still knows how to do plot structure in a big movie anymore, there’s great looking effects work, huge mind-blowing twists in act 2 and 3, etc., etc.”
Like Spider-Verse, this movie is a true love letter to the Spider-Man franchise. As a crossover between various Spider-Man movies, it offers everything you’d come to expect from such an ambitious crossover. While watching Tom Holland fight established villains like Doctor Octopus and Green Goblin is exhilarating, perhaps the most entertaining moments come from seeing multiple characters in the same room together and having their personalities bounce off of one another through casual banter. And, yes, many Spider-Man characters make an apperance in this movie, even those not advertised in the trailers. (No spoilers, but if you’ve heard rumors about certain cameo appearances, this movie, more or less, pleasantly answers those rumors.)
Outside of providing mere fan service, this movie encapsulates the overall spirit of Spider-Man. The franchise’s main theme is personal responsibility. Many events within most Spider-Man stories are either a direct or indirect result of Spider-Man’s actions or lack thereof. For example, in his origin, Spider-Man allows a criminal to run free, only for that criminal to kill his Uncle Ben, who, in his dying words, imparts to Peter those immortal words: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
This theme serves as the crux of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The movie begins with Peter facing the consequences of his actions in the last movie, and this movie’s impetus starts with his attempt to undo the damage caused by those actions. The rest of the movie, consequently, involves him having to overcome the other villains, all of whose backstories and fates were a direct or indirect result of their respective Spider-Man. Again, no spoilers, but while most other superhero movies involve the hero defeating the villian, Spider-Man in this movie attempts an alternate approach towards addressing the bad guys.
In short, if you love Marvel, you’ll love this movie. If you love Spider-Man, you’ll especially love this movie. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” will certainly become recognized as the best Spider-Man movie ever alongside “Into The Spider-Verse” and the original Rami movies. Go see it in theaters, but be sure to do it safely!
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned pursuant to the fictitious name statutes 865.09 Florida statues will register with the division of corporations of the state of Florida upon receipt of proof of publication of this notice the fictitious name to wit CCS Delivery, LLC under which we are or intend to do business as in Polk County Florida that parties interested in said business enterprises are as follows Names or officers Robyn Prater.
A tip from a witness
Thursday night, December 23, 2021, helped Polk County deputies locate and stop
a man who was driving recklessly, and it was subsequently determined that he
was driving while impaired.
The arrest of 64-year
old John Scott of Lakeland was his fifth arrest for DUI.
“Most people get
it…they know that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a bad
thing. But this guy clearly doesn’t get it. The witness who called to report
the reckless driver, then helped deputies locate him may have saved some lives
tonight.” – Grady Judd,
Sheriff
A witness had called
Lakeland Police Department at around 9:30 PM to alert them of the reckless
driver, and the call was transferred to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office due to
the location of where the vehicle was driving.
The witness continued
to update dispatchers, who relayed the information to the deputies.
A few minutes later, a
deputy located the white Chevy van driving with its high-beam lights on and
failing to stay in its lane, and a traffic stop was conducted.
In the arrest
affidavit, the deputy reported of Scott, “his speech to be slurred, his eyes to
be blood-shot and glassy, and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming
from his breath and person.”
The deputy also
reported that he had to grab Scott three times as he would start to fall
backwards.
Scott was so unsteady
on his feet that he was unable to perform two of the three parts of the Field
Sobriety Test.
Scott told the deputy
that he left work at about 5:30 PM and went to a friend’s house to drink, where
he “only had six beers.” Restrictions on Scott’s driver’s license only allow
for him to drive to and from work only.
Scott was arrested at
that point for DUI, and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center.
At the SPC, Scott
became belligerent with the deputy, and refused to provide a breath sample. He
told the deputy, “I’m not doing a thing you say,” and called the deputy a
racially derogatory word.
John Scott was charged
with DUI: 4th or Subsequent Offense
(F3), Refusal to Submit to DUI BAL Test (M1), and Violation of DL Restrictions
(M2).
Scott’s four prior DUI
arrests in Polk County occurred in 1976, 1978, 1981, and 2000.
Just after midnight on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, the
PCSO ECC received a call regarding a single-vehicle crash on Cypress Gardens
Boulevard near Reflections Boulevard in unincorporated Winter Haven.
According to the evidence and witnesses, 38-year-old
Stephanie Nichole Chancy of Lake Alfred was driving a maroon 2006 Ford F-150
Pickup truck eastbound and in the outside lane on Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
Chancy attempted to pass a vehicle in front of her, and when she changed lanes,
she over corrected and lost control of her vehicle. The truck began to rotate
clockwise and struck the Reflections subdivision wall and a large concreate
utility pole.
Chancy died at the scene.
Chancy was wearing her seatbelt. Speed appears to be a
possible factor in the crash.
The roadway was closed for approximately three
hours during the investigation, which is still ongoing.
Around 5:20 a.m. on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, the PCSO ECC
received a call regarding a two-vehicle crash on SR 33 North (Commonwealth
Avenue) near Bloomer Road in Polk City. According to the evidence and
witnesses, 51-year-old Luis Alberto Gonzalez Nadal, of Polk City, was driving a
black 2022 Honda Pilot northbound on SR 33 near Bloomer Road, when at the same
time, 20-year-old James Parish, of Clermont, was driving southbound on SR 33 in
a 2001 white Dodge 2500 Pickup truck. It was then Nadal attempted to pass
a vehicle in front of him and entered into the southbound lane of SR 33 and
into the path of Parish’s pickup truck. Both drivers attempted to avoid the
collision by steering onto the west shoulder of the roadway and collided
head-on.
Nadal died at the scene. He was not wearing his seatbelt.
Parish suffered minor injuries and was transported to a
local hospital where he was treated and released. He was wearing his seatbelt.
The roadway was closed for approximately four hours during the investigation, which is still ongoing.
PCSO detectives searching for suspect who burglarized
Lakeland home and stole Christmas presents
Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives are searching for
a suspect who forced his way into the home of a Lakeland family and stole
Christmas presents and other items.
According to the initial investigation, the victim left
her home early on Monday, December 20, 2021 to meet family members for
breakfast. When she returned home around 11:30 a.m., she found her front door
forced open and her home ransacked. She also discovered all the wrapped
Christmas presents were missing, as well as a company laptop and a flat screen
television.
The victim called PCSO immediately to report the
burglary, and detectives were able to capture images of the suspect from the
home surveillance system.
The suspect may be driving a 2019 or newer dark colored 4-door Chevrolet Malibu. “This Grinch needs to be caught and held accountable for his criminal actions. Thankfully, detectives are working with Polk Sheriff’s Charities to ensure these children have a Merry Christmas in spite of this horrible act. Please contact our detectives with any information about this burglary, or call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS to remain anonymous.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Welcome, World Travelers! Encanto is Muy Encantada!
by James Coulter
Encanto is Disney’s latest animated feature, directed by the people who created Zootopia and Tangled, and with music composed by the acclaimed musician behind Moana and Coco. Honestly, that’s all I have to say to promote the film. With a pedigree like that, Encanto essentially sells itself.
Encanto is about a young girl named Mirabel who lives in Colombia. Her family lives in a magical house and owns a magical candle that grants each of them a magical gift like super strength, super hearing, or the ability to shapeshift. Everyone has a magical gift—except her. However, one evening Mirabel receives a premonition about the magic fading away and the house crumbling apart. So to stop her family’s home from being destroyed, she embarks on an epic journey—all without leaving her house!—to solve the mystery.
As I mentioned earlier, Encanto is a film that essentially sells itself. It’s an animated movie by Disney, so you know the animation will be superb. It was created by the same directors who made Zootopia and Tangled, so the story and characters are evidently engaging. And the music is composed by the great Lin Manuel Miranda, so the songs are real toe-tapping earworms that will keep you humming their tunes long after you leave the theater.
By far, the soundtrack is the biggest selling-point of the movie. As always, Lin Manuel Miranda utilizes his extensive songwriting experience and proud Hispanic background to write Latino-inspired songs that absolutley slaps. That fact becomes quite apparent with the opening musical number, “Welcome to The Family Madrigal”, which not only provides great exposition that introduces the main character and her extended family, but also revs up the audience for a good time.
Encanto stars a colorful cast of characters with different magical powers and personality quirks. Watching them bounce off of each other and especially the main protagonist is amusing. No spoilers, but my favorite scene involves all of the characters eating dinner together, where rising tensions and character conflicts created by the plot really allows them to clash with very colorful emotional sparks.
The main thing tying everything together is the story. A wise person on the internet once said that all good stories ask one question: “who am I?” Since the Animation Renaissance of the 90s, the best Disney movies have been character-driven stories about identity, about characters who feel out-of-place and who seek to discover their true selves. Ariel doesn’t feel comfortable “under the sea”, and she wants to be on land. Belle feels stuck in her poor provincial town, and she wants adventure in the “great wide somewhere.” Mulan feels confined to her society’s assigned gender roles, and she wants to be who she truly is inside.
Enancto essentially takes the subtext of these movies and makes it the text of the story. Mirabel’s character arc is literally about her grappling with her own identity and how she, as a remarkably unremarkable person, fits in with her family of remarkable people with remarkable talents. Anyone who has ever struggled with not being the best can truly relate to her character.
In the end, she not only comes to terms with not being gifted, but learns to better empathize with her other family members and the struggles they go through living up to the great expectations hoisted upon them with their gifts. Two of the movie’s biggest musical numbers involve two characters discussing the great pressure they face from everyone else because of their great gifts, with one character struggling to carry the weight on her shoulder, and another struggling to keep up her apperance of being “perfect.”
In short, Encanto is truly an enchanted movie with the lively music of Coco, the character development of Wreck-It Ralph, and the family dynamic of Meet The Robinsons. (What? Am I the only one who remembers that movie?) Currently, the movie is playing in theaters, and is certainly worth a matinee viewing. However, it will be streaming on Disney Plus on Dec. 24, so it’s also well-worth waiting until then.
