Update Monday Afternoon: The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has identified the body floating in a Winter Haven canal. The body is of a local homeless man. The Sheriff’s office does not believe the death to be suspicious. An exact cause of death is pending an autopsy.
Original Article
Winter Haven, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that they are investigating a body found, early Sunday morning, floating in a Winter Haven Canal. The body was apparently found by local fishermen. According to the sheriff’s office it was floating in the canal between Lake Shipp & Lake Lulu near 7th St.
This is a developing situation and we will update as more information is available.
POLK COUNTY NON-PROFIT HOSTS 10 STORY CHALLENGE ON APRIL 16 & 17
Pace Center for Girls Polk invites residents to rappel down the Lakeland Electric Building
WHAT: Pace Center for Girls, Polk, a non-profit which serves girls at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system, invites the public to participate in its two-day fundraising event, the 10 Story Challenge. Anyone can sign up as an “edger” to rappel 10 stories down Lakeland’s tallest building, the Lakeland Electric Building. Community members are invited to attend and sponsor a family member, friend or colleague to participate in the challenge. A live DJ and local food truck favorite Drica’s coffee will be part of the event.
WHEN: April 16 starting at 3:00 p.m. & April 17 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Lakeland Electric Building located at 501 E Lemon St, Lakeland, FL 33801
WHO: The Ten Story Challenge will feature prominent community members and leaders rappelling down the Lakeland Electric Building on Friday April 16th at 3pm including:
MAYOR of Lakeland, Bill Mutz and his wife, Pam Mutz and MARY MARX- President & CEO Pace Center for Girls
WHY: For 35 years, Pace Center for Girls has impacted the lives of more than 40,000 girls and young women by helping them overcome past trauma to create a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy. For over 20 years, Pace Polk has contributed to the success of girls with a gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach to serving and growing more than 1,2000 young ladies throughout Polk county.
For more information about the Summit, please visit https://www.pacecenter.org/locations/polk/pace-polk-ten-story-challenge
For more information about Pace Center for Girls, please visit www.pacecenter.org.
About Pace Center for Girls
Founded in 1985 in Jacksonville, Florida, Pace Center for Girls serves more than 3,000 vulnerable girls annually in Florida and Georgia. Pace has received national recognition for its research-based and gender responsive model of program delivery, including academic support, counseling, and life-skills training. Learn more at PaceCenter.org.
Suspect Arrested In Death of Child LAKELAND, FL (April 10, 2021) – On Friday, April 9, 2021, at approximately 12:45 a.m., officers from the Lakeland Police Department responded to an apartment at Woodlake Drive in reference to an unresponsive child. The child, a 2-year-old male, was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.
During the investigation, the child was observed to have multiple visible injuries on various parts of his body. It was determined that the child was in the care of his mother’s boyfriend, Alegray Jones, 30 years of age, at the time the injuries were sustained. An autopsy was performed on the child later in the day; his death ruled a homicide by multiple blunt force trauma injuries.
Jones was interviewed by LPD detectives after the autopsy and admitted to becoming aggravated at the child after he had urinated on the couch. Jones further told investigators that he had struck the child on multiple areas of his body, causing him to go unconscious. After realizing that the child was indeed experiencing medical issues, Jones did not make attempts to obtain help; instead, he sent a text message to the child’s mother while she was at work. Upon receiving the text message, the mother called Jones, who told her that the child was not responding to his efforts in waking him. The mother immediately left work and returned home. It was at this point that 911 was called to get help for the child.
Based on Jones’ statements, he was placed under arrest for Aggravated Manslaughter Of A Child (F1) and transported to Polk County Jail. Jones’ criminal history includes multiple arrests for narcotics possession and driving on a suspended license.
This investigation is ongoing, and detectives are continuing to work closely with the State Attorney’s Office. No other details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the case should contact Detective Tammy Hathcock at863.834.6975 or [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida – call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477), dial **TIPS from your cell phone, visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,” or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
Today is bittersweet. We are saying “so long” to Police Chief Charlie Bird! As of April 10, 2021, Chief Bird retires. He has faithfully served for more than 31 years at the Police Department. But we aren’t shedding tears.
He will come back to the City of Winter Haven on April 19, 2021 as a civilian Public Safety Director. He has served the Public Safety Director role since the City adopted the model in 2018. So, bittersweet? He’s been a fantastic Chief of Police and he will be missed in that capacity but will carry the Public Safety Director role in a geat way.
However, Deputy Chief David Brannan will now be the new Chief of Police. Deputy Chief Brannan has been with the agency for 28 years and the past six as Deputy Chief. Join us in congratulating Chief Bird on his retirement (well, sort of) and Chief David Brannan in his promotion! Our City is so furtunate to have this awesome team! A formal Oath of Office for Chief Brannan will be held on Thursday, April 15 at 9:30 a.m. in the AdventHealth FieldHouse.
The Winter Haven Police Department will once again be hosting a Prescription Pill Take Back giving citizens the opportunity to safely dispose of those expired and unneeded medications. Saturday, April 24 from 10 am – 1 pm, citizens can pull into the circle drive at the Police Department (125 N Lake Silver Dr., NW) and we will assist with taking the medications. With safety precautions in place, there is no need to get out of your vehicle. You can leave the medications in the bottles or take them out and place them in baggies. It’s your choice. We do not need to know what the medications are nor do we need to know who they belong to. For more information, call the Crime Prevention Unit at 863-295-5905.
A man is facing serious charges after citizens saw him walking along the overpass on Hwy 17 with what appeared to be a rifle. It was later determined to be a pellet gun. On 4-7-21 at approximately 3:10 p.m, officers responded to the area of Hwy 17 and Cypress Gardens Blvd. in reference to a man walking and pointing what appeared to be a rifle in the air and in various directions. As officers were responding, they located a man matching the description in the area of Ave. R SW with what appeared to be a rifle in his hands. Officers commanded him to stop, but upon seeing officers, 24 year-old Andrew Bradley (LKA-homeless) ran into an area with dense vegetation. Multiple officers ran after him and were able to catch Bradley and take him into custody after he dropped the weapon. As Bradley was being detained, another call came into dispatch from workers at Tire Choice, located at the corner of Hwy 17 and Ave. R SW. Two workers reported that they were working in one of the garage bays when a man pointed a rifle at them from approximately 200 yards away on the south side of the business. They stated the man then began running towards them pointing the weapon straight at them. Fearing for their lives, they both fled to the rear of the building. Neither man was injured. Officers conducted a show-up and one of the victims was able to identify Bradley as the man who ran towards him pointing the rifle at him and his co-worker. Officers searched Bradley upon his arrest and also found a needle with a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The weapon Bradley pointed was determined to be a pellet gun.
Bradley was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:
F.S.S. 784.021(1) (A)-Aggravated assault with deadly weapon without the intent to kill (x2) F.S.S. 843.02.-Resiting officer without violence F.S.S. 893.13(6A) – Possession of methamphetamine F.S.S. 893.147 (1) – Possession of drug paraphernalia
A man is facing serious charges after citizens saw him walking along the overpass on Hwy 17 with what appeared to be a rifle. It was later determined to be a pellet gun.
On 4-7-21 at approximately 3:10 p.m, officers responded to the area of Hwy 17 and Cypress Gardens Blvd. in reference to a man walking and pointing what appeared to be a rifle in the air and in various directions. As officers were responding, they located a man matching the description in the area of Ave. R SW with what appeared to be a rifle in his hands. Officers commanded him to stop, but upon seeing officers, 24 year-old Andrew Bradley (DOB 11-25-96, LKA-homeless) ran into an area with dense vegetation. Multiple officers ran after him and were able to catch Bradley and take him into custody after he dropped the weapon.
As Bradley was being detained, another call came into dispatch from workers at Tire Choice, located at the corner of Hwy 17 and Ave. R SW. Two workers reported that they were working in one of the garage bays when a man pointed a rifle at them from approximately 200 yards away on the south side of the business. They stated the man then began running towards them pointing the weapon straight at them. Fearing for their lives, they both fled to the rear of the building. Neither man was injured.
Officers conducted a show-up and one of the victims was able to identify Bradley as the man who ran towards him pointing the rifle at him and his co-worker. Officers searched Bradley upon his arrest and also found a needle with a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The weapon Bradley pointed was determined to be a pellet gun.
Bradley was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:
F.S.S. 784.021(1) (A)-Aggravated assault with deadly weapon without the intent to kill (x2) F.S.S. 843.02.-Resiting officer without violence F.S.S. 893.13(6A) – Possession of methamphetamine F.S.S. 893.147 (1) – Possession of drug paraphernalia
Fees: Resident $150 per child / Non-Resident $300 per child
Summer Fun at the Rec
City Resident Camp Only.
Location: Winter Haven Recreational & Cultural Center (801 MLK Blvd. NE)
Ages: Kindergarten – 8th Grade Graduates
Fees: Resident $150 per child
Rotary Playground Camp
City Resident Camp Only.
Location: Rotary Park Clubhouse (350 6th St NE)
Ages: Kindergarten Graduates – 12 years old
Fees: Resident $150 per child
Summer Teen Volunteer Program
The City of Winter Haven’s Teen Volunteer Program also called Leader In Training (LIT) is for high school students between the ages of 15-17 years oldthat are interested in earning community service hours. LIT’s earn hours volunteering for our summer camp programs assisting Camp Counselors with crafts & activities. Guidelines & Procedures are listed on the application below. If you are unable to fill out the online application, applications are available for pick up at the AdventHealth Fieldhouse (210 Cypress Gardens Blvd.) or Winter Haven Recreational & Cultural Center (801 MLK Blvd. NE).
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man late Tuesday night, April 6, 2021, after he burglarized a Lakeland Goodwill Store then attempted to elude deputies. At about 11:40 PM, a deputy noticed 53-year-old Charles Gozzola of Lakeland, arrive at the store at 5411 South Florida Avenue in a silver 2008 Chrysler Town & Country van. Gozzola exited his vehicle and began rummaging through items in the covered donation area, then loading them into his van. As Gozzola began to drive away, the deputy moved his patrol vehicle in front of the van and activated his emergency lights. Gozzola maneuvered his van away from the patrol car then fled at a high rate of speed. Gozzola’s van came to a stop on County Road 540A, just east of South Florida Avenue, and he fled on foot. When the deputy arrived at the abandoned van, a bicyclist yelled out to the deputy that the suspect ran towards the nearby bank. Gozzola was apprehended in that area. Following his arrest, Gozzola admitted to being the driver, stealing the items, and then fleeing because he panicked. Gozzola also made a comment that he was going back to prison. “First, I’d like to thank the bicyclist who aided our deputies with locating the suspect. Secondly, just because these items are donated, doesn’t mean you can just help yourself to them. It’s plain and simple theft to take them, and for those who can’t figure that out on their own, a sign is posted right where these items were taken from that literally says, ‘Removing items from this location is considered theft and is illegal.’ As the saying goes, ‘There’s your sign.’”- Grady Judd, Sheriff. Charles Gozzola was transported to the Polk County Jail and charged with: Burglary of a Structure (F3), Felony Petit Theft (F3), and Resisting (M1), and criminally cited for Fleeing to Elude and Knowingly Driving While License Suspended/Revoked. Gozzola has a prior criminal history consisting of 16 felonies and 11 misdemeanors to include charges of: Robbery with a Firearm, Aggravated Assault, Burglaries, Assault, Grand and Petit Thefts, Batteries, Dealing in Stolen Property, Criminal Mischief, Resisting, and Drug Possession. He has been incarcerated in Florida State Prison a total of six times, with his most recent release in 2014.
An Auburndale woman tried the ole “test drive a car and not return it” trick, but technology spoiled those plans.
On 4-5-21 at approximately 6 p.m., 34 year-old Shonteria Story (Ernest Dr, Auburndale FL) went to the Chevy Center located at 101 Cypress Gardens Blvd. under the ruse of purchasing a vehicle. She had been emailing an associate regarding the purchase and arranged to visit the dealership.
Story was dropped off at the location and she made contact with the associate who showed her a 2021 Chevy Equinox. Due to COVID restrictions, the dealership does not allow associates to ride with customers on test drives. The associate made a copy of Story’s license and instructed her to take a short test drive and return. (You know where this is going, right?)
The associate waited and attempted to reach Story by telephone. After no contact was made, at 8 p.m. the associate contacted law enforcement since it was obvious Story was not returning. OnStar is a beautiful thing. The vehicle was tracked to Lakeland and then ultimately found at a location on E Main St in Bartow.
With the assistance of a Polk County Deputy, Story was located with the vehicle filled with her possessions. She had also removed the dealer tag from the back. Winter Haven officers arrived shortly after and took Story into custody.
She was booked into the Polk County Jail for Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle (F3).
