Haines City, Florida- According to the Florida Highway Patrol a 41 year old Haines City bicyclist was struck and killed Saturday night. According to reports at around 10:30pm a sedan was traveling southbound on SR-17, south of Bannon Island Road. At the same time the bicyclist was traveling southbound on SR-17 and began crossing the highway while being overtaken by the sedan. Despite an attempt to avoid a collision, the sedan collided with the bicyclist who suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol does not report the deceased name due to Marsy’s Law.
The Daily Ridge has had several requests for information on an accident that took place on 540A in Lakeland.
Here are all the details available at this time from PCSO:
Crash was reported at 12:30pm
County Road 540A and Scott Lake Road – Lakeland
Multiple callers to 911 reported to the PCSO that a motorcyclist hit the back of the trailer (being pulled by a pickup) and the motorcyclist was ejected from the motorcycle.
Partial road closure on Scott Lake Rd and CR 540A. All were reopened at about 5:30pm
The motorcyclist was transported to the hospital and said to be critical but stable.
The PCSO Traffic Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Unit were involved in the investigation.
A Lake Alfred man was killed Friday, April 21, 2023, after his vehicle rear-ended a stopped semi-tractor’s flatbed trailer. The driver of the semi was not injured.
The victim was identified as 62-year old David Wayne Coleman.
Officers from the Lake Alfred Police Department were dispatched to the crash on US 17/92 at Lake Alfred Road at about 2:49 pm. Due to the severity of the crash, LAPD requested the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit to handle the investigation.
Detectives have so far determined based on evidence and witness statements, that the semi-tractor was stopped in an eastbound lane on US 17/92 for a traffic light. Mr. Coleman was driving a gray 2012 Jeep SUV, also eastbound, when it collided with the truck’s trailer.
Information collected by the detectives indicate that Mr. Coleman may have suffered a medical episode just prior to the crash, but that won’t be determined until after an autopsy.
One lane of the eastbound side was shut down for about 2.5 hours.
On April 18, 2023, PCSO deputies arrested 31-year-old Sean Patrick Teehan of Dundee for DUI with property damage (M1), DUI with a breath alcohol of .15 or higher (M1), and threatening a public servant (F3). Teehan is employed as a Corrections Sergeant at Polk Correctional Institution in Polk City.
At around 6:12 p.m., deputies responded to Canal Road and Cherry Pocket Road in Lake Wales in reference to a single vehicle crash.
Based on evidence and witnesses at the scene, Teehan was driving a black Honda Civic westbound on Canal Road when he crashed into a guardrail. When deputies arrived on scene, Teehan was sitting on the hood of the Honda. Deputies observed Teehan to have “bloodshot, watery eyes, a slurred speech pattern, a moderate odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath as he was speaking, lethargic movements, and a difficult time standing unsupported.”
Deputies were unable to conduct any of the Field Sobriety Tests due to Teehan’s level of intoxication and the possible danger to himself if he attempted the exercises.
Teehan was arrested and transported to the PCSO Processing Center where he provided two breath samples: .265 and .260 (over three times the limit of .08).
As standard practice, Teehan was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated. While waiting to be discharged, he told the deputy, “Don’t worry, your time is coming. I’ll see you on the inside, I work for the DOC.”
Teehan was released from the hospital and transported back to the Sheriff’s Processing Center where he was additionally charged with threatening a public servant.
“Driving under the influence is illegal and deadly, and as a Corrections Sergeant, Teehan knew better. Luckily no one was hurt in this instance. If you’ve been drinking, please don’t drive. It puts your life and the lives of those on the road at risk.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Sean Teehan is currently in the Polk County Jail and is being held without bond until a first appearance hearing this afternoon. His previous criminal history includes charges for resisting arrest and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Inquiries about Teehan’s employment should be directed to the Florida Department of Corrections.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned $204.6 million at the domestic box office and $377 million worldwide on its opening weekend, making it the second-biggest debut for an animated movie. Is it any wonder that an animated movie based on the most popular video game ever broke box office records?
Apparently so! Because the first attempt at a Super Mario Bros. movie in 1993 bombed at the box office so badly that it dissuaded Nintendo from making theatrical adaptations of its video games until recently.
Of course, it didn’t help that the 1993 movie had absolutely nothing to do with the Mario games. And it helped a lot that the new animated flick was produced and supervised directly by Shigeru Miyamoto himself to ensure it had everything to do with the Mario games.
Unfortunately, despite earning big at the box office, the new Super Mario Bros. Movie has left critics feeling mixed with an overall score of 57 percent–which isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. So what’s the final score? Is the Mario Movie a 1-Up? Or will we find a good Mario movie in another film?
Mario and Luigi are brothers living in Brooklyn starting their own plumbing company. However, things quickly go down the drain—quite literally!—when the brothers find a green warp pipe that splits them apart, sending Mario to the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi straight into the clutches of Bowser. Now Mario needs to team up with Toad and Princess Peach, along with some help from Donkey Kong, to save Luigi and the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser and his Koopa army. Will Mario save the day, or—well, you’ve all played a Mario game before, so you know what happens!
This movie’s undeniable selling point is the video game references. While the 1993 live-action Mario movie had almost nothing to do with the Mario games, this animated film does not want you to forget what video game it’s based on. Every little detail, from the fantastical Mushroom Kingdom setting that perfectly incorporates game elements into its environment, to the soundtrack playing iconic musical cues from the games, to all the Easter eggs Nintendo fans will undoubtedly have fun spotting, this movie is a true love letter to the Super Mario franchise. If you love Super Mario Bros., this movie will remind you of everything you love about playing those games.
However, therein lies the rub. Because as fun as these video game references are (and, undeniably, they are!), they’re pretty much the only thing this movie has going for it.
While the live-action 1993 movie almost had nothing to do with the games, this animated flick tries so hard to be like the games that it places everything else like story and characters on the back burner. This movie essentially uses its story as a conveyer belt to deliver a non-stop onslaught of blatant references that only hardcore fans of the games will recognize and appreciate. Otherwise, they’re left with a very basic plot with very basic characters.
Don’t get me wrong. I had fun watching this movie. I grew up playing the Mario games. My first console was a Super Nintendo with Super Mario World. This movie was made for me. And, again, I enjoyed every second of it. I loved being able to appreciate the game references and spot all of the various Easter eggs. This movie is faithful to the Mario games, and it’s probably the most faithful theatrical video game adaptation to date.
So, the kid in me loved watching this movie. The adult, however, admittedly knows when he’s being pandered to. This movie was a giant member berry dessert. (Member the Ice Flower. Member the Tanooki suit. Member Rainbow Road). It’s a movie that tickles your nostalgia and reminds you why you love what you love. And, undeniably, member berries are yummy.
Otherwise, the movie’s pretty basic. If you’ve ever played a Mario game, you know how this movie will play out. Mario is going to save the day and defeat Bowser. As for the characters, well, they’re pretty decent adaptations of the video game characters and the voice actors do a decent job playing them.
Overall, if you’ve ever played Super Mario Bros., or you have kids, or both, this movie will be a fun distraction. This movie does an excellent job of being a Mario game turned into a movie. And, best of all, at only 90 minutes, it’s nice and short. (That may be weird praise, but after having to sit through movies that are more than two to three hours long, it’s nice to have a movie with a reasonable run time!)
Last Friday evening, Lake Wales residents not only had the opportunity to appreciate their downtown area by perusing local businesses for food and wine, but they also had the opportunity to see what the future held for their small town.
Hosted by Lake Wales Main Street, the annual WineDownTown event drew in more than 400 attendees to not only enjoy a fine evening of food and drink but also receive a sneak peek of what their town can look like soon.
At 6 pm, the kickoff party for Lake Wales Envisioned was hosted to help launch the start of Charrette Week, a week when Lake Wales residents are invited to partake in various workshops to determine how their city will look moving forward.
The very next day, residents were able to provide their input at a hands-on design session at the James P Austin Community Center. Several open planning studios will be hosted throughout the week, and the feedback will be used to create a design plan that will be showcased in a presentation at Lake Wales Arts Council Auditorium on Fri. Apr. 20 at 6 p.m.
“Lake Wales Envisioned will guide growth and conservation throughout the city and its surrounding utility service area for decades to come,” its website states. “The foundation of this plan is community input, and we encourage all to get involved! This plan should lead to growth that will be economically and environmentally sensible, worthy of historic Lake Wales, and representative of the community’s priorities.”
Several city officials and chamber members congregated at the kickoff party Friday evening to commemorate the Lake Wales Envisioned initiative. City Manager James Slatton said how the plan will prove just as effective as the community input and involvement in it.
“We are going to need something from you all to make this a success,” he said. “For one, we need participation. We need you to be open-minded throughout the process, and I need you all to stick with it. We have to see this all the way through. We take these plans very seriously…and we are committed to making this a group effort. We really and truly want all of your participation.”
More than 26 local eateries and shops participated in this year’s WineDownTown. From 4 pm to 8 pm, more than 400 attendees scoured the downtown area to sample wine and horderves at select businesses including Oasis Spa, The Ranch, and Antiques & Oddities.
Erika Runkle drew attendees to her shop with some chicken soup provided by Market Cafe. She loves having the opportunity to bring in people to see her shop, especially potential customers who never knew about it.
“It is awesome,” he said. “We always have hundreds of people coming into our door who otherwise wouldn’t. So it is always fantastic for us. We appreciate Main Street for hosting the event, and everything they are doing to make our downtown better and help our merchants.”
Tiffany Davis, the owner of Wales Pointe Restaurant, loved drawing in customers that evening, many of who came for the drinks and taco bar and stayed to order and enjoy dinner.
“It gives people the opportunity to come in and sample a variety of food, and also sample the drinks that we have,” she said. “The amount of personnel or customers coming in is what I enjoy the most.”
This year’s event sold out with 400 tickets. Any year the event sells out is a good one because it shows how much residents and guests appreciate the downtown area and its businesses, said Karen Shuger, President and CEO of Lake Wales Main Street.
“This has been beyond our expectations,” she said. “It is always a sold-out event, so we are doing swimmingly.”
To learn more about Lake Wales Envisioned and the upcoming events for Charrette Week, visit their website at: https://lakewalesenvisioned.com/
Which is better? Jeeps or Harleys? That question is one that an annual poker chip run seeks to answer every year.
More than 66 Jeep vehicles and 59 Harley motorcycles participated in the 3rd Annual Poker Chip Run in Bartow last Saturday, sponsored by Thunder Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
The event started earlier that morning at Thunder Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram along Main Street Bartow. It continued with stops at Lake Wales Chrysler along Highway 27, Midway Saloon in Lake Alfred, with the final stop at American Legion Post 3 in Bartow.
The event concluded with food, music, and raffles at the American Legion. Proceeds from the event went toward Just One Vet’s 6, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to helping to end veteran homelessness in Polk County.
Nearly 200 people attended this year’s event with 66 Jeep vehicles and 59 Harley motorcycles. Rick Bridges, First Vice Commander of the American Legion, owes their success to their promotion.
“We owe our success to advertising,” he said. “Thank you, Chrysler Winter Haven and Dodge Lake Wales, for helping with advertising. [I love] the outcome [and] meeting people I have never seen before. Overall, the money going to help veterans.”
The next big event will be the Memorial Day Celebration. It will be hosted on May 28 at 3 PM at the American Legion Post 72, located at 1500 N Church St., Mulberry, FL 33860.
Parents looking for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for their children with autism have a new place in Lakeland to visit. HealthPRO Pediatrics celebrated the grand opening of its new location along Florida Avenue South with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.
HealthPRO Pediatrics, as their website states, “offers multispecialty pediatric therapy services for children of all ages and abilities” with more than “38 services in 38 states and counting.”
Their newest clinic along South Florida Avenue in Lakeland provides ABA Therapy in an environment that makes children feel safe and with results that make parents feel confident with their services.
“Our experienced, certified ABA clinicians have mastered the delicate balance between science and compassion required to treat your whole child — not just their diagnosis,” their website states. “We have two goals: that you and your child will look forward to ABA therapy … and that someday, you will no longer need us.”
HealthPRO Pediatrics celebrated the grand opening of their new clinic with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on Thursday evening. Attendees were able to tour the facility, create personalized spirograms, and enjoy finger food.
Faith Carr, President and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber, appreciated being able to tour the facility and see the services the facility had to provide.
“You have been serving our community so well,” she said. “Thank you for sharing all of your stories of the impact [of your services] and your plans for the future. It is going to make a huge difference here. We appreciate you guys.”
Mayor Bill Mutz commended the facility for providing much-needed services to the community, especially to parents with children with special needs.
“It is like a fairy taking plus returns across the waters, an opportunity to bring along therapies that can help local children,” he said. “That is a great victory for our city.”
George Fox, President of HealthPro Pediatrics, likewise commended the city and the chamber for arriving to celebrate their special occasion that evening.
“Our team here is amazing at providing great care to the families and the parents,” he said. “Thank you all for being here to celebrate this day with us.”
HealthPRO Pediatrics is located at 4222 Florida Ave South Lakeland, Florida 33813. For more information, call (863) 456-7148, or visit their website at: https://healthpropediatrics.com/
HAINES CITY- On April 16, 2023 at approximately 2314 hours, the Haines City Police Department responded to a home in regards to a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers determined that a Domestic Violence-Battery occurred between family members. The investigation revealed that Aurelio Nicolas, h/m, 4/11/2000, had gotten into a verbal altercation with a family member. The verbal argument escalated into a physical confrontation, with the other family member receiving minor abrasions. Upon responding, it was learned that he was employed by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Polk County Jail. Members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff were immediately notified of the arrest.
According to Polk County Sheriff’s Office Nicolas was hired June of 2020 as a detention deputy. He became a deputy sheriff in August of 2021, and he resigned upon his arrest.
If you’re hungry for orange chicken with fried rice and fried wontons, there’s a new place in Lakeland where you can satisfy your craving for Chinese food.
Located at 5270 US Highway 98 S, the new Panda Express location serves all the Chinese fast-food favorites, from their signature Orange Chicken to their brand-new Sizzlin Shrimp.
Panda Express celebrated the grand opening of their new location with a ribbon cutting last Thursday, hosted by the Greater Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.
“We are excited to have another Panda Express location in Lakeland,” said Faith Carr, Director of Convention & Visitors Bureau. “As a family-owned business, their commitment to the community is a strong as their commitment to high quality food.”
“Being that Panda Express is a common name in the community, we believe that this new location will be great benefit to those who commute nearby,” she continued. “We expect Panda Express to serve hungry patrons of the Lakeland community for years to come.”
Panda Express is located at 5270 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812. To place an order, visit https://order.pandaexpress.com.
