Final Update:

Man in Critical Condition from a Single Vehicle Crash

On April 15, 2016 at 5:53am Dale May, a 55 year old of 3331 Harbor Beach Dr. Lake Wales, was involved in a serious single vehicle traffic crash. The crash occurred on HWY27 at the SR60 overpass. May was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he was admitted in critical condition. May was unable to recover from his injuries and died on April 19, 2016 at 3:40pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with May’s family during this difficult time.

Update April 15, 2016:

Man in Critical Condition from a Single Vehicle Crash

      On April 15, 2016 at 5:53am members of the Lake Wales Police Department were dispatched to a traffic crash on HWY27 at SR60. Upon arrival officers discovered the crash involved only one vehicle which collided with the concrete barrier under the overpass of SR60. The investigation revealed Dale May, a 55 year old of Lake Wales, was traveling northbound on HWY27 in a white 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. For an unknown reason May drove into the median of HWY27 and continued northbound. While traveling in the median he hit two traffic control signs and then crossed over the southbound lanes of HWY27. May’s vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier under the SR60 overpass. May’s vehicle came to rest after impacting the barrier in the southbound lanes of HWY27. The overpass was not damaged due to the barrier stopping May’s vehicle.

May suffered critical injuries from the crash and was transported to Lakeland Regional Hospital for treatment. The vehicle May was driving sustained major damage and no other vehicles were involved. Traffic was affected for several hours while the investigation was conducted and the vehicle was removed from the crash scene. At this point impairment is not suspected, no charges have been filed, and the investigation in ongoing. Anyone who witnessed this crash is asked to contact Detective David Hernandez at (863) 678-4223 extension 264.

Original Release:

Lake Wales, Florida – An accident Friday
morning caused major road closures and detouring of traffic in Lake Wales. According to the Lake Wales Police Department a male victim was seriously injured when the vehicle he was operating crashed into the underpass of Hwy 27 & S.R. 60. The crash closed all southbound lanes of Hwy 27 and the southbound exit to Hwy 27 from S.R. 60 for several hours. Currently the roadway is open going in both directions on Hwy 27, but is limited to one lane.

According to LWPD spokesperson, Lt. David Black, the victim is Dale Richard May and he was transported to Lakeland Regional Health. The accident is under investigation. We will update when more information is available.

Lake Wales, Florida – A 24-year-old Lake Wales man, Landon Myers, died early Monday morning when his motorcycle crashed into a concrete barrier wall in Orange County, troopers say.Meyers was on the exit ramp from State Road 528 West to Interstate 4 West about 1 a.m. when he lost control of the 2015 Honda motorcycle he was operating, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The motorcycle crashed into a concrete barrier, throwing Meyers onto the grass, troopers said. He passed away at the scene.

He was born on November 28, 1991 in Winter Haven, Florida to Bret Myers and Michelle Lord Bixler and he has been a lifelong resident of this area. He was a Manager for Delmonico’s Steakhouse in Orlando. He loved to ride his motorcycle, drive his Cadillac and fish, but most of all he loved playing with his little papoose, “daughter Hayden”. He was preceded in death by his Paternal Grandmother, Judith Grace Myers; Maternal Grandfather, Jake Lord; Paternal Grandfather, Richard A Bixler, Sr.

Survivors include his father, Bret Myers of Ocala and mother, Michelle Lord Bixler & Richard Bixler, Jr. of Beverly Hills; daughter, Hayden Myers; Fiancé Brittany Lawrence; sisters, Whitney Forde of Ocala, Rhonda (Nigel) Ballard of Georgia; brother, Richard Bixler, III, of Georgia; Maternal Grandmother, Charlene Lord “The Granny” of Beverly Hills; Paternal Grandfather, Terry Myers of Lake Wales; Paternal Grandmother, Dorothy Bixler of Beverly Hills and many Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

Family will receive friends on Friday, April 15, 2016 from 5:00 PM until service time at 6:00 PM at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home with Minister John Guzetta officiating.

We have reports of an accident blocking the intersection on 60 by citizens bank.  Please avoid the area and PLEASE DRIVE SAFE!

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide deputies are conducting an overnight single car fatal crash.

Preliminary information is as follows, at approximately 11:40 pm, on Monday, April 11, 2016, an adult male driver from Lake Wales was operating a 2004 Suzuki SUV eastbound on State Road 60 approximately one mile west of West Lake Wales Road, Lake Wales.  His passengers included an adult female from Lake Wales, and a 7-year-old child.

For unknown reasons, the SUV drove off the right (south) side of the roadway onto the grass shoulder where it lost traction and began to rotate counter clock wise as it re-entered the roadway.

Upon re-entering the eastbound lanes, the SUV began to flip multiples times and again left the south edge of the roadway. It came to final rest upside down facing southwest in a shallow ditch running along the SR 60.

As the SUV flipped, the child was ejected from the SUV and came to rest along the right edge of SR 60 eastbound. The child died at the scene.

Within minutes of coming to final rest, the SUV caught fire and began to burn with the adult female passenger still inside the vehicle. The driver was found outside of the vehicle.

Passing motorists, Southeast District Patrol Deputies, and a Polk County Fire supervisor all arrived on scene and utilized multiple fire extinguishers to slow the fire long enough to extricate the adult female passenger.  Additional Fire/Rescue personnel arrived and the fire was extinguished.

Both the driver and the adult passenger were transported to Lakeland Regional Health where the female is currently listed in critical condition, while the driver is currently listed in stable condition.

Through the initial investigation, it appears as though the child was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.  The female passenger was belted, but it is unknown at this time if the driver was wearing a seatbelt.

Eastbound SR 60 was closed for approximately one hour.  Single lane travel in each direction lasted until 5:00 am this morning, Tuesday, April 12, 2016.

There is no evidence or witnesses indicating other vehicles were involved in the crash. Impairment does not appear to be a factor. Speed may be involved and distracted driving is being investigated.

Original Release: 

Alturas,  Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that one person was killed in a single vehicle crash on S.R.60 last night. According to witnesses the accident occurred shortly after 11:30pm. The crash occurred East of Alturas Rd. and caused traffic to be rerouted for several hours.

The PCSO advise the accident involved a single vehicle.  According to witnesses multiple people including a child were in that vehicle.

The driver is 42-year-old Harry Figueroa-Vazquez, Emerald Avenue,  Lake Wales.  He remains in stable condition. The adult female passenger is 35-year-old Olmary Liz Gonzalez-Bonew, Tower Point Circle, Lake Wales.  She remains in critical condition. Figueroa-Vazquez and Gonzalez-Bonew are friends. The decedent is 7-year-old Kamicheliz Ayala, also of  Tower Point Circle, Lake Wales and she is Gonzalez-Bonew’s daughter. 

Putnam County, Florida – According to The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Jose Morena, 24 of Mountain Lake Cutoff Rd. and another man from Mexico were caught with $15,000 worth of cocaine in a Honey Grahams box during a traffic stop. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office arrested 19-year-old Efren Zuniga of Mexico and Morena last week, March 28th. According to the arrest report, both men were in a vehicle on Highway 17 South and Paradise Shores Road in Crescent City when a deputy pulled it over because of a faulty equipment violation. A Putnam County Sheriff’s Office K-9 sniffed the vehicle during the stop and indicated there were drugs inside, at which point deputies searched the vehicle and found the cereal box hidden in a duffel bag in the back seat. Deputies say the box had around 514 grams of powder cocaine inside. It has an estimated street value of approximately $14,000 to $16,000, per Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. “Because of the thoroughness of the deputies involved in this traffic stop, a great deal of drugs never made it to the streets of Putnam County,” said Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy.

Zuniga and Moreno are both charged with trafficking in cocaine. Zuniga’s also charged with having more cocaine in one of his pants pockets.

Lake Wales, Florida – A man was shot Tuesday night in a personal robbery in the parking lot of the Citgo gas station, 20500 Hwy 27. The incident occurred just prior to 10pm.

According to Carrie Hortsman,  spokesperson for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was a Lake Wales resident who is listed in stable condition at this time.  More information about the victim was not available.  The description of the suspect has not yet been released.

Currently this is an ongoing investigation & official statement from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will be forth coming. 

LakeWales , FL – Camp Mack River Resort was close to reaching capacity during the 2nd annual Rockin’ on the River (ROTR) weekend.  ROTR, Inc. is a non profit created to support local organizations who improve the lives for those in the autism spectrum.  This year’s 3-day event included free entertainment by Coastal Acoustics Barefoot, Red Hot Rooster, Hunter Smith and Friends, Next Level Band, B. Haven, and Raisin’ Cain.  Special recognition was given to the Nathan Baldwin Band and BlackWater for donating their time and musical talent for such a great cause!  Through sponsorships, donations and community support, ROTR 2016 raised enough funds to donate almost $25,000 to the local nonprofits. 
Our Children’s Academy (OCA), a special needs school in Lake Wales, received $15,000 as this year’s elite benefactor.  OCA offers a unique educational program where educators, behavior specialists, and therapists work together to achieve the goals set for each individual child.
 
“What a blessing it is to be appreciated and supported by the community.”

Steve Whitaker, Executive Director for OCA, has already earmarked the donation for the new school being built.  OCA plans to open the doors of the new facility in time for the first day of school in August. 
Other benefactors include Central Florida Autism Institute, the Citrus Center Boys and Girls Club of Winter Haven, Sidestreet Art Beat, and the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team. 
ROTR Board Members also presented On the Edge Children’s Foundation with a donation during their first Adaptive Freedom Festival held in Winter Haven.   On the Edge brings children and others together who would not typically be involved in water sports activities.

One additional recipient, Alliance for Independence, focuses soley on adults with autism. Board Member Tim Kiley accepted the blessing with a smile.  “AFI appreciates the donation and all of the work that went into putting on the event at Camp Mack.  AFI has been empowering adults with disabilities in Polk County for over 60 years.  Without the help and support of our partners and friends in the community, it would not be possible to maintain the level of services our clients have come to expect.  We look forward to continuing to serve the needs of the developmentally disabled in Polk County, and to working with our friends and partners to make life better in our community for all individuals who have special needs.”

Appreciation was given to the countless sponsors who made the weekend a huge success and plans for Rockin’ on the River 2017 are already underway!  Stay tuned as the team behind Rockin’ continue to make a difference for so many uniquely challenged individuals throughout Polk County!

Lake Wales, Florida – The Lake Wales Police Department & Lake Wales Fire Department were called out to an accident on Hwy 27 Tuesday afternoon.  The call came in around 3:35pm of an accident in the southbound lanes of Hwy 27 about 2 miles South of Cypress Gardens Blvd.  Two vehicles were involved. No details are available at this time regarding injuries. 

National Library Week will be observed April 10-16, 2016 with the theme, “Libraries Transform.”

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate.

The Lake Wales Public Library will celebrate the week with several activities.  Beginning Monday, April 11 the LWPL will conduct Food for Fines.  Our semi-annual Food for Fines program allows customers with overdue fines or materials to ‘pay’ with a donation of at least five non-perishable food items.  All food collected during the April Food for Fines program will be donated to the Lake Wales Care Center’s Food Bank.  This program runs from April 11 through April 23.

The Lake Wales Public Library will host author, Susan Butler at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 14.  Ms. Butler will discuss her latest book, Roosevelt & Stalin: A Portrait of a Partnership.

The Lake Wales Public Library’s Youth Services division will celebrate the 100^th birthday of beloved Children’s author, Beverly Cleary on April 12, during National Library Week.  The party begins at 3:30 p.m. Cleary is the creator of classic children’s characters including Beezus and Ramona. When asked by Today Show’s Jenna Bush Hager about her upcoming birthday, Cleary responded with true Ramona spirit, saying, “Well, I didn’t do it on purpose!” We love her spunk and her books!  Kids and their grownups are invited.

Tuesday is National Library Workers Day.  This day is set aside to recognize the valuable contribution of library workers.  Wednesday, April 13 is National Bookmobile Day.

National Bookmobile Day recognizes the contributions of our nation’s bookmobiles – mobile branch libraries and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities.  The Lake Wales Public Library is proud to administer the Polk County Library Cooperative’s Bookmobile – Mobile Branch Library services.  The PCLC Bookmobile – Mobile Branch Library will visit two new stops on April 13, the Lake Hamilton City Hall, 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and the Dundee Care Center Thrift Store, 2 until 4:30 p.m.  Visit either location and wish the Bookmobile staff a Happy National Bookmobile Day.

Visit any Polk County Library Cooperative site.  There are 18 locations throughout the county, including the PCLC Bookmobile – Mobile Branch Library.  PCLC also provide BMail, our materials by mail service available to all Polk County residents.

For details visit www.mypclc.org or www.cityoflakewales.com/library.