Bartow, Fla. (April 24, 2024) — Emergency repairs to a failing 12-inch water main will close Park Byrd Road just north of the intersection at Duff Road in Lakeland starting the morning of April 25 at 9 a.m. Repairs could take up two days to finish. While access to local residences will be maintained, no traffic will be permitted through the work zone in either direction along Park Byrd Road. During closure, traffic will be detoured along Duff Road or Banana Road to Green Road to bypass closure. Travel delays and backups are likely, particularly during peak-hour drivetimes. Commuters are advised to add extra time to trips through this area.
For more details, contact Bill Skelton with the Polk County Roads & Drainage Division at (863) 535-2200.
Bartow Public Library: Free Comic Book Day returns! Between the hours of 10am and 4pm on Saturday, May 4th, Bartow Library is giving out free comics, crafts, and food! All ages are welcome, and we’re especially grateful to Main Street Comics & Memorabilia for their generous assistance! May the 4th bring you a bounty of fun!
Nicholas Tolbert (DOB 10/04/77) of Winter Haven was arrested on April 13, 2024 after a traffic complaint was called in about a car crashing into a mailbox on MLK Blvd NE and 9th St NE in Winter Haven. His tire blew and he crashed into a mailbox. After being stopped by police, Tolbert was arrested on the charges of DUI Alcohol or Drugs and Failure to Maintain Vehicle Insurance.
It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by Winter Haven Police Department. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. Winter Haven Daily does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to your own conclusion.
Offense(s):
F.S.S. 316.193(1)- DUI Alcohol or Drugs
F.S.S. 324.022(1)- Failure to Maintain Vehicle Insurance
Incident location:
Martin Luther King Boulevard Northeast/9th Street Northeast, Winter Haven, Florida 33881
Investigation:
“On 04/13/2024, at approximately 0226 hours, I, Officer V. Agostino, responded to Martin Luther King Boulevard Northeast/9th Street Northeast, Winter Haven, Florida 33881. This call for service was in reference to a traffic complaint. The caller advised Polk County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch that a vehicle’s tire blew out and the vehicle collided with a mailbox. The caller further advised the vehicle continued to drive down Martin Luther King Boulevard after striking the mailbox. Upon arrival, I observed a grey 4-door Chrysler bearing Florida tag #BV04SV, parked on the side of the roadway with its hazard lights activated.
Initial driver contact:
Upon making contact with the driver of the vehicle, Nicholas Tolbert (defendant), he advised me his vehicle tire blew out and he struck a mailbox. The driver was sitting in the driver seat of the vehicle, with the vehicle turned off at the time of contact. I requested the defendant’s driver’s license at this time. I further observed the front passenger tire to be be missing from the vehicle and damage to the right front fender. Officer Zimmerman observed the defendant’s vehicle tire and a damaged mailbox at 914 Martin Luther King Boulevard Northeast. I asked the defendant where he was coming from in which he advised a bar in Lakeland. The defendant further admitted to having alcoholic beverages. While speaking with the defendant, I detected the impurities of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. I further detected the defendant’s speech to be slurred and his eyes to be watery.
After completing the traffic crash portion of the investigation, I advised the defendant I would be changing the hats from a civil crash investigation to a criminal DUI investigation. I read the defendant his Miranda Warning via an agency issued Maranda Warning Card. I requested the defendant to submit to Standard Field Sobriety Tasks in which he agreed to do.
Driver exiting vehicle:
The driver was unsteady on his feet when he exited the vehicle.
Walk to roadside:
The driver was swaying while he began walking to the sidewalk to perform the tasks requested…
…Post arrest:
The defendant advised he drank four shots of Hennesy. He further advised he currently does not have vehicle insurance. The defendant’s vehicle keys were located in his front left pants pocket.
I secured the defendant in my marked patrol vehicle and transported him to the Polk County Jail.
Upon my arrival to the jail, I began the twenty-minute observation period. Prior to conducting the twenty-mini observation period, I checked the defendant’s mouth which was clear. The defendant did not vomit or ingest anything during the observation period. The twenty minute observation period began at 0334 hours and ended 0354 hours. After the twenty-minute observation period was up, I requested the defendant to submit to a lawful test of his breath to determine the alcohol content, in which he initially denied. I then read the defendant Implied Consent, in which he then agreed to take the breath test. Polk County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dawson #8631 conducted the BA for the defendant. Deputy Dawson utilized the Intoxilyzer 8000 for the BA test. At 0403 hour the defendant blew a 0.118, and at 0406 hours, the defendant blew a 0.121.
I issued the defendant a criminal citation for DUI and for Failure of Owner/Operator to Maintain Required Motor Vehicle Insurance. The defendant signed and fingerprinted both criminal citations.
The defendant’s vehicle was towed from the scene.”
Nicholas Jamar Tolbert arrested by Winter Haven Police Department
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Executive Staff members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will recognize law enforcement, detention, civilian, and volunteer members of the agency on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at Lake Eva Event Center in Haines City, at the “2024 PCSO Annual Awards Ceremony.” On hand to help recognize these members will be county elected officials and administrators, and other special dignitaries.
Each year, PCSO holds an awards ceremony naming the Deputy Sheriff, Detention Deputy, Civilian, Reserve Deputy Sheriff, and Volunteer of the Year. In addition to these awards, Sheriff Judd will award the Medal of Valor, the Life-Saving Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Marshall Anderson Award, and Meritorious Service Medals to those members who went above and beyond the call of duty during 2023.
Located off Saddle Creek Road near Tenoroc High School, Midway Gardens Park is a local neighborhood park offering a recreation spot for families in the area near Auburndale.
The park has a playground, picnic areas and a baseball/softball field. A short hop away a basketball court sits for recreational use.
Midway Gardens Park 2487 Smoke Road Auburndale, FL 33805
Have you seen 29 year-old Austin Jared Mitts? Today (April 23, 2024) Austin was receiving medical care at the Winter Haven Hospital Emergency area when he made comments about self harm. He took off his hospital gown, changed back into his street clothes and ran from the facility towards the area of the Splash Pad and Tennis Courts. His residence is on Magnolia Preserve Ln in Winter Haven. Authorities and family are concerned for his well being and want to locate him as quickly as possible. The images attached (in the white shirt) are Austin in the clothes he left the hospital wearing. Anyone who has seen Austin is asked to contact Detective Riva at 863-837-9312.
The Auburndale Fire Department will be conducting firefighting training at the buildings in Lake Ariana Park. This training may extend to the end of the week (until April 26). Please do not be alarmed.
If you have any questions, please call (863) 965-5522.
Even With a Torn Calf, This Local Strongman Won Bronze at the World Strength Games
by James Coulter
Photo credit Elizabeth Miner
For 15 long weeks, Dan Miner, an amateur weightlifter from Winter Haven, has been training for the World Strength Games in Utah last month.
However, trouble struck him in the first event when he tore his right calf. Everyone advised him to quit, but Miner would not. He had prepared so long for this moment, and he was going to seize it.
And despite all odds, even with a torn calf, this local weightlifter went the distance and won third place with a bronze medal. That he was able to win a medal, let alone continue to compete, was nothing short of a miracle that astounded him and everyone else.
Dan Miner wins Bronze at World Strength Games
“You know, it’s confusing and a little bit surreal,” he admitted. “I refused to take everyone’s advice and quit. So, I kept pushing and doing the best that I could with each event. I came in third, and I was really excited. It was mind-blowing. I couldn’t believe that I actually did that.”
When Miner received his invitation to the World Strength Games earlier last year, he initially assumed it was a mistake. So, when he learned that the invite was real and that he would be training with a professional weight-lifting champion, he dedicated the last few months to preparing to do his best and go for the gold.
The big event arrived on Apr. 19 in Utah. Miner was one of several dozen competitors. The first event was the Farmer’s Carry. Miner was required to carry a total of 440 pounds (220 pounds in each hand) over 50 feet.
He had barely taken three steps when his right calf “popped” and he fell to the ground. Despite the searing pain, he picked himself back up and carried the weight limping the remainder of the way across the line–all with 220 pounds in each hand!
Miner decided to forgo the second run. He would give his calf a chance to rest and recover. He placed some ice on it, worked it with his massage gun, and had it bandaged by a medic.
Nevertheless, despite the advice of everyone else, he remained determined to continue the rest of the competition. He was given this chance to compete. He had come this far. He would not give up that easily. Not even a torn calf would deter him.
The next event he competed in was the log lift. He had intended to open with 230 pounds. However, due to his injury, he instead opened with 175 pounds. In the second round, he attempted 235 pounds, assuming he had the strength. He could lift it to his chest and clean it with no problem. Unfortunately, he was unable to perform the leg dive required to achieve points for the lift.
The next event was the deadlift. He intended to open up with 445 pounds. He gauged himself to see how he would attempt it without completely destroying his leg to the point where he could never do it again. He performed a 397 lift, which proved satisfactory.
The next day started with the Magus Stone (named after 4-time World Strongest Man champion, Magnus Ver Magnússon), where competitors had to lift a 402-pound natural stone. With no smooth edges, lifting it proved quite the challenge, especially with his injury. Despite his best efforts, he could not lift it off the ground.
The final event was the yoke carry. He intended to open with 750 pounds. Walking with the weight on his back proved a challenge, especially with his torn leg. So, he needed to determine how much to lift and carry while limping.
He started with 650 pounds. He needed to carry it 50 feet. He had completed three-quarters of the course when the pain from his injury forced him to stop and scream in agony. Nevertheless, the judges (especially Travis Ortmeyer, 8-time World Strongest Man finalist), his coach, and the event promoter all cheered for him to continue. So, he picked it up and crossed the line within the time limit.
By the end of the competition, even with his injury, not only was he able to complete almost all of the events, but also able to accumulate more points than most of the other players, to the point where he won bronze at third place.
Miner plans to rest up and recover from his injury. Afterward, he has his eyes set on next year’s event with the intent to win gold. If he could win bronze with an injured calf, imagine what he could accomplish uninjured.
“That is just a blessing from God,” he said. “That is the only thing I can say that was. It was divine intervention. That was the enemy coming after me, pulling my calf, telling me I had to pull out of this thing. By God, that was the only way I could make it through there and muster up the courage [to continue]…It was a miracle. That is outside my scope. I did everything I could do, but the stars had to be perfectly aligned for it to work out the way it is.”
Our Blue Devils competed in their season home finale as they prepare for their run for the State Finals. Awesome performances from all our athletes as the top three finishers were:
Girls: 4 X 100m Relay (#3 in 4A) Giuliana Adonteng, DaeDae Henry, Aliyah Canty, Desirae Murray 1st place and a new School Record 4 X 400m Relay — Kayla Weaver, Talea Gifford, Antoinette Jacobs, Jocelyn Creve-Coeur 1st Place Olivia Celiscar — 1st place Shot Put and Discus Aliyah Canty — 1st place 400m and 2nd place 100m Giuliana Adonteng — 1st place Triple Jump and 200m Talea Gifford — 1st place 100m Hurdles and Long Jump DaeDae Henry — 1st place 100m Jordyn Frazier — 1st place 800m Donaria Johnson — 1st place Javelin 2nd place Shot Put Anaiyah Laster — 1st place High Jump Torri Nance — 2nd place Discus Kayla Weaver — 2nd place 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles Desirae Murray — 3rd place 400m Adrianna Kerlegrand — 3rd place 200m Azirayah Smith — 3rd place Discus
Boys: Rashon Richardson — 1st place Discus, Javelin, and Shot Put 4 X 800m relay — Enrique Garcia, Maxx De La Cruz, Michael Kearney, Kaden Sakyiama 1st place Maxx De La Cruz — 2nd place 800m Run Jordan Tarver — 3rd place 100m Kaden Sakyiama — 3rd place 800m run Brayden Scott — 3rd place 200m dash
