Sometimes we just have to put the faces to the crimes. Remember the pair that continued to go to Walmart multiple times and, at one point, attempted to take more than $4000 in merchandise? Well, they did a lot more than that. And people couldn’t wait to call them out. Now, they are right where they belong. Destiny Bass and Frankie Murray. They currently sit in the Polk County Jail where they belong. Destiny on theft charges and Frankie, well his a little more. In addition to grand theft, he was in possession of methamphetamine and he had contraband on him when he went to the jail – adding on additional charges. Also false ID to law enforcement.
——————— Can you identify this pair? On at least four occasions between Feb. 25 and March 10, this pair have skip scanned items at Walmart (355 Cypress Gardens Blvd.) involving more than $4,000 worth of merchandise. On March 10, the pair selected numerous electronic items and can been seen exiting the Garden Center without even attempting to skip scan. They skipped right past the registers! They have been seen entering and exiting a silver or dark gray SUV. If you recognize either of these two, please call Detective Maldonado at 863-401-2256.
One person was killed in a five-vehicle rush-hour crash Tuesday morning, March 16, 2021, which remains under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash occurred at about 8:05 AM on US Highway 98 South at the intersection of Smith Lane, between Highland City and Bartow.
23-year-old Kayla Harris of Lake Placid was killed at the scene of the crash, and two other drivers suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Ms. Harris was the driver of a red 2005 Chrysler Sebring. The other drivers involved were: 29-year-old Kellen Pfantz of Lakeland (black 2003 Ford F150 pick-up), 36-year-old Jayme Jamison of Auburndale (red 2014 Chevy Sierra pick-up), 48-year-old Edward Cantrell, Jr. of Winter Haven (white 2014 Freightliner semi and trailer), and 57-year-old Bryan Green of Lakeland (white 2016 Ford F150 pick-up).
According to the preliminary investigation, Mr. Pfantz was driving east on Smith Lane and possibly suffered a medical episode. His black Ford proceeded through a red light, onto the southbound lanes of US 98 and into the path of Mr. Jamison’s red Chevy; the black Ford truck was struck in the driver’s side door.
After impact, both trucks rolled across the median and entered the northbound lanes of US 98.
Ms. Harris was driving in the inside northbound lane and attempted to avoid colliding with Mr. Jamison’s red Chevy by moving to the right, but she lost control and the Chrysler began to spin. Her car was struck by Mr. Green’s white Ford truck.
Mr. Jamison’s red truck struck the front of Mr. Cantrell’s Freightliner (owned by the Saddle Creek Corporation) which was travelling in the center northbound lane. Mr. Pfantz’s black Ford truck struck the side of the semi-truck.
No criminal charges are anticipated but a final determination is pending the outcome of the investigation.
Also assisting in the crash were Polk County Fire Rescue, Bartow Police Department, a Winter Haven Police Officer who happened to be passing by at the time of the crash, and the Florida Department of Transportation.
US 98 was closed in both directions for approximately six hours.
Crawlin On The Lake Raises Proceeds, Awareness to Keep Local Lakes Clean and Beautiful for 2nd Year
by James Coulter
For nearly 30 years, Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful has been keeping its shores and waters within the Chain of Lakes “clean and beautiful” through its annual Project Eagle event in April.
After postponing its clean-up event last year due to the COVID-19 crisis, Project Eagle is once again prepared to go out on the lakes to clear their waters of litter and debris this April. For its second year, Tanner’s Lakeside hosted a fundraiser to help raise funds and proceeds for the annual clean-up.
Several hundred people assembled outside the local eatery along Lake Howard’s shores for an afternoon of live music, spirits, and fried gator. Attendees could participate in 50/50 raffles and lotto hat drawings for a chance to win prizes donated by local businesses.
All the while, participants could listen to live music performed by Robert Jennis and the Josh Blevins Band, allow their children to frolic in the water slide and bounce house, and enjoy barbecue dinners with all the fixings, including actual fried alligator.
“It has been a beautiful day,” said Melanie Culpepper Brown, Event Coordinator. “Even with coronavirus and everything going on, it has been a great turnout.”
Melanie Brown serves on the board for Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful and many other local boards and associations. As someone who coordinates and hosts many local fundraisers, she is more than experienced in raising funds and awareness for such local causes.
She is more than excited for Project Eagle to host their clean-up event this year on April 24 after being unable to host it last year. Two years ago, more than two tons of garbage was cleared from the lakes in under four hours, one volunteer explained.
After a year’s hiatus, Project Eagle is more than likely to clear even more garbage from the lakes this year, Brown said.
“[Our expectation is] getting our lakes cleaned up, putting the community back together, getting everybody out, and just getting together again to make this thing work,” she said. “So we are ready for a great year because we haven’t been able to clean up the lake in two years.”
Rhonda Todd, President and Executive Director of Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful, Inc., was more than pleased with the turnout for the fundraiser on Saturday afternoon and the hard work and effort done by Melanie to move it forward.
“This had gone above and beyond,” she said. “The crowd is ready to support events to help our community, so we are extremely excited and happy about today…The proceeds from today will
go towards Project Eagle so we can go out into our community in our lakes and clean it up and keep our community the treasure and jewel it is today.”
As for the upcoming Project Eagle event, Todd is more than certain that it will be a huge success. After a year’s absence, both she and her team are more than ready to head out on the lakes to clean them up.
“It will be the same and better because people are ready to get out and support our community and continue the efforts to keep Winter Haven clean and beautiful,” she said. “We will keep our waterways clean and protecting our environment to keep Winter Haven clean and beautiful.”
Greg Gay, Volunteer and Sponsor, has been attending Project Eagle since it first started. He has seen generation after generation step up to do their part to keep their local lakes clean, and he is more than willing to venture out once again this year to do the same.
“This is…a real worthy cause, to keep the lakes clean and beautiful,” he said. “We couldn’t do it last year, so it means there’s twice as much trash to pick up this year, so hopefully we can get tons and tons of trash out of the lake, make it cleaner, prettier, and healthier.”
Polk City, Florida – Members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search & Recovery team found & recovered a stolen pickup Tuesday morning. The dive team was spotted by readers, who contacted the Daily Ridge, in Mudd Lake just West of Polk City. . According to Brian Bruchey, Public Information Officer with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the pickup truck was stolen from Orange County.
No additional information is available at this time regarding how the pickup came to be in Mudd Lake
Balmoral Resort To Bring Irish Spirit With Shamrocks and Shenanigans
by James Coulter
After nearly a year of COVID-19 putting a lid on the Irish spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, Balmoral Resort is helping unleash some Irish fun with their upcoming Shamrocks and Shenanigans on Sat., Mar. 20.
Balmoral Resort will be hosting its inaugural St. Patrick’s Day celebration with an afternoon of Irish food, music, and dance. A great lineup of Irish entertainers will help invigorate the luck of the Irish through song and dance. Among the performers that day will be The Byrne Brothers, a troupe of Irish jig dancers who regularly perform at Disney Springs.
A specialty menu will be serving traditional Irish cuisine like bangers and mash, Irish stew, and shepherd’s pies. Also being offered that day will be appearances by a bagpipe player and walk-around leprechaun character.
This all-Irish event was inspired by the resort’s all-Irish owner, Garret Kenny, who is from Dublin, Ireland. He wanted to help bring some Irish spirit this year following most previous holiday events being postponed or canceled last year due to COVID-19, explained Amber Pierce.
“This is our first time we have hosted this event,” she said. “We are excited to potentially make this a tradition. I think it is a day to bring out your family, be outside, and enjoy something fun with entertainment. And people can afford to learn something about Ireland.”
Balmoral Resort opened its Feltrim Sports Village in 2019 and its Event Center late last year. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, many planned events at the resort last year had either been postponed or canceled. Since then, events have been hosted to help draw people to their facilities.
Pierce is excited about the upcoming Shamrocks and Shenanigans. She especially cannot wait to see the jig dancers. As for safety measures, she assures that their open-air facility, especially the pool area at the clubhouse and grill, has enough space to accommodate guests safely.
“Our expectations going forward is to be able to provide a safe and fun environment for people to come out here at an open-air facility, so we feel like we can socially-distance people properly,” she said. “We are excited for the opportunity to host an event that could bring people together and keep them together in a safe environment.”
Their next big event will be the Battle of the Bands, to be hosted on Apr. 17. From noon to 9 p.m., ten local bands will have the opportunity to perform their best music for a chance to win up to $1,250 in a first-place prize.
Shamrocks and Shenanigans will be hosted all-day on Mar. 20. Admission is $15 per person. The event will be hosted at the Bar and Grill at Balmoral Resort, located at 124 Kenny Blvd, Haines City, FL 33844. For more information, visit their website at: https://www.feltrimresorts.com/balmoral-resort
UPDATE ON INCIDENT
THAT TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 29, 2021.
The original release
is included below
LAKELAND, FL(March 12, 2021) – Sadly, the victim mentioned in the press release below succumbed
to his injuries on March 7, 2021. The 58-year-old man had remained hospitalized
since the assault and had never regained consciousness. The findings of an
autopsy, conducted on March 9, 2021, determined the cause of death to be trauma
to the head, and the manner of death was classified as a homicide.
Mandel Baker, age 35, is now facing an
additional charge of Manslaughter (F2). Baker remains incarcerated in the Polk
County Jail.
LAKELAND, FL (February 1, 2021) – Lakeland Police have made an arrest in the felony battery of a convenience store employee that took place on Friday, January 29, 2021. Mandel Baker, age 35, has been charged with Felony Battery with Great Bodily Harm.
On Friday, January 29, 2021, at approximately 5:36 p.m., officers
were called to the Food Mart/Mobil Gas Station, located at 1615 West Memorial
Boulevard. Inside they found an adult male motionless on the floor with a
laceration to the head. According to a witness, a man, later identified as
Baker, had been in the store just prior asking for cigarettes. Baker had asked
the store clerk to give him cigarettes for payment at a later date. The clerk
denied Baker’s request. Baker then approached another store employee with the
same request, and he was denied again. Baker then ran toward the employee
punching him in the face. The victim, age 58, fell back and hit his head on the
hard floor surface, sustaining critical life-threatening injuries. He was
transported to Lakeland Regional Health for treatment. At last update, the
victim remains in critical condition.
Using surveillance footage and citizen tips submitted through
Crime Stoppers Florida, Baker was identified and arrested on Saturday, January
30, 2021. Baker’s booking information can be found at https://www.polksheriff.org/inmate-profile/2103567
If you have additional information related to this case, please
contact Detective Biko Duhaney at [email protected] or (863) 834-5918. Or if you wish to
remain anonymous, you can contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida:
* Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone
or tablet.
You will always remain anonymous when you send a tip through Crime
Stoppers, and you are eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to
an arrest.
The name of victim is
being withheld in accordance with Marsy’s Law.
A Tampa woman was
arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office early Saturday, March 13, 2021,
after she sprayed a store employees with a chemical spray while trying to get
away during a retail theft, and then fled from deputies.
31-year-old Nikita
Lindsey’s evening ended at the
Polk County Jail with: three-counts of Aggravated Assault with a deadly
weapon (F3), and one-count each of Robbery with a Weapon (F1), Fleeing to Elude
(F2), Possession of Alprazolam (F3), and Driving While License
Suspended/Revoked (DWLSR) (M2). She was also issued citations for: Running a
Traffic Light, Operating a Motor Vehicle in the Wrong Direction, And Operating
a Vehicle at Night without Headlights Activated.
“Nikita Lindsey is in
the Polk County Jail right now without bond. She came to Polk County from Tampa
to commit crimes here, so she can just stay here for a bit longer. And that’s a
good thing…she’s a violent person with no consideration for the safety of
others. She’s a dangerous person who needs to be kept away from the general
public. ” – Grady Judd,
Sheriff
Nikita Lindsey entered
into the Burlington store in the Posner Park Shopping Center near Davenport,
just before closing time at 11:00 PM on Friday, and things quickly worsened.
According to the
arrest affidavit, when an employee offered to assist her, Lindsey warned her
that she would slap the glasses off of her face if the employee didn’t move.
Lindsey tried to push
a shopping cart full of stolen merchandise out of the store, but the wheels
locked, and she intentionally sprayed two of the employees with a chemical
spray.
Three employees went
outside thinking that Lindsey was leaving, but she turned the vehicle around
and accelerated directly toward the women.
A responding deputy
located Lindsey’s Dodge Journey mini-van and attempted a traffic stop, but
Lindsey accelerated and sped off through heavy traffic with her headlights off
and she ignored a red traffic light. Due to the amount of traffic, the deputy
did not pursue the vehicle, but it was found abandoned with a flat tire nearby.
Deputies spread out
and were able to find Lindsey nearby as she was about to enter into an Uber
vehicle.
Detectives described
Lindsey’s minivan as being loaded with suspected stolen items from various
department stores (Burlington, TJ Maxx, Ross, etc.). Many of the items still
had price-tags and anti-theft devices still attached. It was estimated that the
value of the merchandise recovered was worth about $7,000.
Nikita Lindsey’s prior
criminal history consists of five felonies and twelve misdemeanors, including
previous charges of Robbery, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon,
Resisting, Drug Possession, and numerous charges for DWLSR and Violations of
Probation.
The Winter Haven Public Safety Department has launched a new initiative that is certain to protect first responders and citizens while preventing property damage and injuries – and actually already has.
The Department has purchased portable speed bumps (or traffic calming devices) designed to be utilized at traffic crash scenes or where emergency vehicles are blocking roadways. Florida law requires drivers to slow down and move over when emergency vehicles are in the roadway, but it doesn’t always happen. This tool helps with that endeavor.
When emergency vehicles are on scene of a traffic crash, structure fire, fire alarm and many other scenarios, oftentimes drivers approaching from either direction don’t always slow down and in many cases end up risking the safety of personnel and other drivers. These devices are now deployed at a safe distance away from the emergency vehicles to ensure drivers from both directions are diverted away from the first responders.
The lightweight design allows for first responders to deploy and retrieve them quickly with minimal effort. Unrolled, each one is more than 9 feet long, 9 inches wide, 2 inches tall and sport a bright yellow paint job. They are held securely in place by a rubber matting. They work great on concrete, asphalt, gravel and many uneven surfaces.
Just this week, the devices were deployed at a crash scene on Cypress Gardens Blvd. Traffic was quickly and safety diverted around the scene allowing traffic to flow at a safe speed and distance ensuring the safety of all members and other drivers.
Anyone who would like to receive more information on this invaluable tool Winter Haven Public Safety personnel are using, contact Jamie Brown, Public Information Officer at [email protected].
On Thursday, March 11, 2021, at approximately 6:52PM, officers with the Auburndale Police Department were dispatched to a traffic crash with injuries involving a 2020 Harley Davidson Motorcycle and a 2020 Cadillac XT4 at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Main Street in Auburndale. The preliminary investigation indicates the Cadillac XT4 operated by Michael Stambaugh, 44 from Auburndale was turning north from Magnolia Avenue onto Main Street and had a yellow turn signal. The Harley Davidson operated by Vincent Dewert, 20, from Lakeland, was behind a vehicle which was stopping for the yellow traffic light. The motorcyclist traveled around the vehicle into the path of the Cadillac XT4. The collision propelled the motorcycle into the southbound lanes of Main Street into a 2016 Ford F150 which was stopped at the intersection.
Dewert was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries. The investigation is continuing at this time. Anyone with information or that witnessed the crash, is asked to contact the Traffic Homicide Investigator, Officer Presley Hart at 863-965-5555.
