POLK COUNTY

Authorities in Florida are searching for an alleged spring breakers who trespassed into someone's yard and relieved herself in their bushes before vacating their private yard.

It’s not your typical case of trespassing, officials say.

Authorities are searching for two boaters missing and believed drowned in a central Florida lake near the Legoland theme park.

Authorities searched Sunday for two boaters who were missing and believed drowned in an accident on a central Florida lake near the Legoland theme park. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference that the two men had jumped into Lake Eloise to save a third person from their group, a woman, who was struggling in the water. The third person, 38-year-old Velcky Velazques, was rescued by sheriff's deputies who had been summoned when a 10-year-old girl on the boat dialed 911 on a cellphone.

Police located 56-year-old murder suspect John Skeen inside a church on Sunday morning and arrested him, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Lillie "Rain" Johnson, 13, spent less than an hour at the police station before returning to Munn Park and rejoining about 200 people at the rally.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday morning his administration is moving forward with a proposal to expedite 20 major interstate and roadway projects across the state of Florida in the next four years.

She was still attached to a placenta.

Iowa harm reduction boxes in Polk County will not include fentanyl testing strips as a result of a state law that classifies them as drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff's officials say a 76-year-old passenger was killed when a vehicle being test driven by an 86-year-old man turned into the path of another car just outside the Florida car dealership.

Three investigations are underway following a deputy-involved shooting with a woman accused of using a stolen credit card at a pawn shop in Polk County, Florida.

Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. One suspect was in the U.S. illegally.

"We have a wonderful Stand Your Ground law. That doesn't mean you can go search people out and shoot them," a Florida sheriff said.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office released video showing what happened when a man fired at a deputy.

A suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting a Polk County, Florida deputy. Sheriff Grady Judd says the deputy's bulletproof vest saved his life.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a moment of silence before their game Sunday for Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane of Polk County, who was killed in the line of duty last week.

In wake of Hurricane Ian, the sheriff of Polk County, Florida, Grady Judd, strongly urged armed homeowners to actively defend themselves and their homes.

The officer paid the undercover detective $180 and a pack of White Claw.

A woman wearing nothing but a towel answered the front door.

A woman who was upset with how long her order was taking in a McDonald’s drive-thru in Lakeland stormed into the restaurant, threw a violent tantrum and began twerking Thursday afternoon, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

A suspect is under arrest for the murder of a man found stuffed in a toolbox along a rural road.

A former Cook County judge was arrested in Florida on suspicion of solicitation of a prostitute. He was one of 108 people arrested as part of a law enforcement operation against human trafficking.

A six-day undercover human trafficking operation in Polk County led to more than one hundred arrests.

Polk County sheriff's detectives said Ayanna Davis admitted to having sex with the student — reported to be 16 years of age or younger — four times.

Florida's population has increased by about 22% to 21.5 million people, but the number of people being Baker Acted has skyrocketed by 121%.

The all-new Peppa Pig Theme Park will open as a certified autism center, leaders announced Tuesday at the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center.

Residents of a central Florida 55-plus neighborhood have been awarded nearly $35 million in a civil case following a judge’s ruling that they were charged improper homeowners’ association fees.

Officials say a Florida sheriff’s sergeant fatally shot a woman who lunged toward him with a shovel.

Authorities in Florida say a state trooper struck a motorcycle rider on I-4 sending the man onto the pavement, where a tractor-trailer ran over him.

A dozen of the Polk County Public School employees were actively working before becoming ill.

Two people on motorcycles were shot on Interstate 4 early Friday during a gun battle between members of two motorcycle gangs, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. A woman who was riding on the back of one motorcycle was shot in the head and thrown from the bike, Judd said. She died Friday, the Sheriff’s office announced Saturday. A second motorcyclist was shot in the back. The incident ...

Three people were brutally beaten in Polk County, leaving two dead, Sheriff Grady Judd said Saturday. The third victim is also not expected to survive. Judd said sheriff’s deputies arrested Shaun Runyon, 39, for the murders after a two-hour manhunt. At a news briefing in Davenport, a community near Haines City, Judd outlined the series of events. Runyon worked for a Pennsylvania electric ...

A Florida man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend after he confessed to his mother and she called police.

A resourceful rattler has captured the attention of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A former Marine sharpshooter accused of invading the home of apparent strangers in Florida and fatally shooting a woman, her 3-month-old baby and two others was ordered held without bail.

A Florida sheriff says a man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before getting wounded and surrendering.

A Florida sheriff says a man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before getting wounded and surrendering.

Four people were killed, an 11-year-old girl was shot and deputies came under fire early Sunday in a neighborhood in North Lakeland, Florida.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says a teenager was “ambushed” and fatally shot in a central Florida park where he had apparently gone to “sell some marijuana” to someone.

A Florida pastor has helped bust a registered sex offender who had left two handwritten notes taped to the doors of a Polk County church’s middle school and high school youth group buildings seeking girls “of any age” according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Nicole Franklin's attorney said she was experiencing severe schizophrenia and was not taking medication for it because she was pregnant.

Gov. Ron DeSantis late Monday signed into law a plan to require out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Floridians, with the estimated $1 billion a year in revenue going to curb a pair of taxes on Florida businesses.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With steady increases in recent months, more than 6,000 people were hospitalized Monday in Florida with “primary” diagnoses of COVID-19, according to information posted on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website. As of a midday count, 6,081 people were hospitalized, including 1,018 in Miami-Dade County. By comparison, 2,081 people were hospitalized with primary diagnoses of COVID-19 on Oct. 1; 2,371 were hospitalized on Nov. 1; 4,282 were hospitalized on Dec. 1; and 5,514 were hospitalized on Dec. 21, according to information The News Service of Florida has compiled from the agency’s website. The increases in hospitalizations have come as Florida has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases. As of Sunday, the state reported 1,271,979 cases since the pandemic started, according to the Florida Department of Health website.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Friends and loved ones gathered Wednesday evening to remember two brothers who were killed last week in their Melrose home. The vigil in honor of Robert Baker, 12, and Tayten Baker, 14, was held in Mulberry in Polk County, where the family lived before recently moving to Putnam County. The vigil was organized by the family’s former neighbors, including Chelsea Coyner. Dozens of former teammates, classmates and neighbors attended the vigil. Mark Wilson Jr., 30, who was identified as the boyfriend of the boys’ aunt, is charged with first-degree murder in the boys’ deaths.

FROSTPROOF, Fla. Authorities in central Florida have offered a $30,000 reward for information that helps solve the killings of three best friends who had gathered last Friday for a night of fishing. In a Facebook post, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the reward was made possible by contributions from Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Sheriffs Association. Tillman arrived at the lake first to meet his friends for night fishing for catfish. The father arrived about 10 minutes later but forget his cellphone in a rush to help his son. By the time help arrived, his son had died.

Three friends were slain just moments after gathering together for some night fishing at a lake in central Florida, authorities said Saturday. This is a horrific scene, Judd said at a news conference Saturday near Lake Streety where the bodies were found. Judd said this is what investigators believe happened: Tillman arrived at the lake first to meet his friends for night fishing for catfish. He drove to a nearby convenience store, and the clerk helped him reach authorities, but by the time they arrived, Rollins had died. This is a dirt road, a clay dirt road, way out in the middle of what we call Gods country, on the way to a nice little fishing lake.

LAKELAND, Fla. – A Florida motorcycle officer was killed in a crash while driving his police-issued Harley-Davidson to work Thursday morning, authorities said. Officer Paul Dunn, 50, died shortly before 6 a.m., according to a post on the with the Lakeland Police Department’s Facebook page. Passing motorists saw the motorcycle and stopped to help Dunn, Judd said. “We have suffered a tragic loss out here this morning,” Garcia said during the news conference. “It’s a tragic loss for the agency and the community as well.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Florida authorities have arrested 124 people in an undercover sting. Investigators were targeting those involved in prostitution, human trafficking and child predators in Polk County. Most were caught arriving for the sex they thought they were promised in an online ad. Including Rodney Davis, a Disney security guard. A pastor and a Universal Studios waiter.