The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting an investigation into an officer involved shooting. As part of a 10th Judicial Circuit Court State Attorney Office investigation task force the Sheriff’s Office investigates all shootings involving law enforcement officers. This shooting took place in Davenport after a pursuit through Haines City. The incident culminated in the shooting of a seventeen year old suspect, Javier Najera, of Lake Hamilton by Haines City Police Officer Sean Bruner.
A video of the full press conference here:
Sheriff Grady Judd & HCPD Chief Goreck Brief Media
According to reports, around 7:00 pm last night, a Haines City Police Officer spotted a stolen vehicle. After calling for backup the officer attempted to pull over the stolen vehicle. That vehicle fled the officers. While fleeing the suspect vehicle struck a victim’s vehicle at Old Polk City Rd & Hwy 27. The pursuit ended in Davenport after a Haines City Officer used a PIT maneuver to stop the fleeing stolen vehicle.
Once stopped the passenger of the vehicle, Javier Najera, reportedly reached for a gun and was shot. The driver of the stolen vehicle, Victor Espinoza-Rodriguez, 19, was taken into custody. At the time of the press conference Najera was undergoing emergency surgery and was in critical condition.
This is a developing story and we will update as information becomes available.
Haines City Police Chief Greg Goreck and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd will brief the media on the scene of an officer-involved shooting involving the Haines City Police Department that occurred earlier this evening near Davenport. One suspect was shot and transported to a local hospital. No law enforcement officers were injured. The incident is being investigated by the 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force.
The briefing will take place at 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2024. The media staging area is the grass median between the north and southbound lanes of US Hwy 27 in front of the PCSO mobile command center, just north of the intersection with Heller Brothers Blvd and south of Ernie Caldwell Blvd.
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Haines City Police Press Release
HAINES CITY, Fla. — The Haines City Police Department is currently investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred earlier this evening on US 27 near I-4. The scene remains active, and we are diligently working to gather all the details. More information will be shared later this evening. Chief Greg Goreck wants to reassure the community that all officers involved are safe, and the suspects have been taken into custody.
This is a developing story and we will update as information is released.
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We believe the incident started around 7pm and involved a chase from the Haines City area through to Davenport. The incident appears to have occurred at Hwy 27 & Deer Creek Blvd area.
The Traffic Homicide Unit from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday morning, May 14, 2024 northeast of Lakeland.
Deputies, as well as Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at about 9:17 AM, to the crash scene at the intersection of Moore Road and Old Polk City Road.
Two vehicles were involved in the crash: a white 1970 Ford pickup truck and a red 2000 Sterling dump truck.
The 60-year old driver of the dump truck was not injured in the crash, but the driver of the Ford truck was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries; he passed away at about 11:38 AM. The victim was identified as 93-year old Carl Medlin of Polk City.
Prior to the crash, Mr. Medlin’s Ford was traveling west on Old Polk City Road, while the dump truck was traveling south on Moore Road.
According to the preliminary investigation, witness statements, and evidence, the dump truck did not come to a complete stop and proceeded into the intersection and into the path of the oncoming Ford.
Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, however the Ford truck was only equipped with a lap belt.
The intersection was closed for approximately four hours for the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Any citations and/or criminal charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.
I’m going to start this review with a confession: I have never played any of the Fallout video games. If you’re looking for a review from a diehard Fallout fan explaining how faithful the television show is to the video games, this is not the review for you. I’m simply reviewing this show on its own merits.
Having never played the games before, I know three things about the Fallout games:
1) They’re a first-person shooter that takes place within a post-apocalyptic setting.
2) Its mascot, Vault Boy, has become an iconic video game character alongside Mario and Sonic despite not actually being a playable character in the games.
3) Nuka-Cola looks refreshing and I want to taste it for myself.
Normally, I wouldn’t even watch a show like this. I only managed to do so because someone was nice enough to share their Amazon Prime account with me, and the internet has been raving about this show being an exceptional video game adaptation alongside the Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Last of Us.
So, I was curious and wanted to see what all the hype was about. So, is the Fallout show a great video game adaptation that lives up to the Fallout franchise? Or does this show deserve to be dumped and forgotten in a toxic landfill?
Fallout takes place 200 years after a nuclear war wiped out civilization. Mankind has been separated into two factions: Raiders, who live on the surface and scavenge for resources, and Vaulties, who live in underground Vaults, or fallout shelter communities, where they wait until radiation levels drop to a safe enough level for them to repopulate the world.
The show follows three main characters: Lucy, a Vaultie who sets off for the surface in search of her father, who was captured by Raiders; Maximus, a young soldier part of the Brotherhood of Steel, an organization that seeks out artifacts to help rebuild society; and The Ghoul, an undead bounty hunter who once lived as a famous Hollywood actor before the war.
Each of these characters is searching for a former government scientist who may or may not have secrets concerning the world before the war and the world as it currently exists. What secrets does this man hold? And will the three main characters learn to cooperate to uncover these secrets?
As of this review, I have only watched four of the eight episodes. However, the half of this series I have watched has certainly piqued my interest to want to watch the remaining half. Even as someone who has never played the game, while many references went over my head, I was able to intuit enough about the plot and setting to ascertain what was going on.
The show certainly captures the gritty setting of the Wasteland (as the surface world is called by the characters), as well as the tongue-in-cheek satirical nature of the Vaults, with its residents remaining loyally committed to maintaining the 1950s American way of life. Helping to
accentuate the Cold War-inspired post-apocalyptic setting are the occasional jazz musical cues which add a nice touch.
Each of the three main characters has their own value system that guides their personal character arcs and often makes them butt heads with the other characters whenever their stories do intersect.
Lucy is an all-American girl committed to the all-American values of truth, justice, and the American way, as preserved by the lifestyle within the Vaults; yet despite her commitment to the “Golden Rule”, her experiences in the Wasteland force her to come to terms with her–for lack of a better term, privileged–upbringing and realize the world isn’t as clear cut as she was raised to believe. As such, she has to learn to adapt to her new surroundings to survive and find her father.
Maximus, likewise, is a character groomed into becoming a solider for what he sees as a noble cause; however, through his role as a squire, which has him assuming the role of the knight he had been made to serve after that knight’s life is cut short, he learns the noble warriors he has been trained to serve under are not as noble as he had initially assumed, which makes him question their “noble” cause.
Finally, The Ghoul is a rough-and-tumble bounty hunter who has adapted to the eat-or-be-eaten world of the Wasteland, as he is forced to scavenge for vials to help sustain himself. Through the series, he had flashbacks to his former life before the bombs fell, which offers a glimpse into the past and how the events unfolded that led to the show’s present reality.
Overall, whether or not Fallout is faithful to the video game franchise it is based upon, I honestly cannot tell. However, what little I have seen of the show has certainly piqued my interest in both the show and the games. Fallout has certainly earned its reputation as a “great” video game adaptation, and anyone who loves shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us can certainly consider adding this show to their watchlist.
The popular crab leg joint is shuttering dozens of locations as it continues to face financial headwinds. Reportedly equipment will be auctioned off.
On Monday, Red Lobster abruptly closed dozens of its locations, according to multiple reports. The closures come as the popular seafood chain has struggled in recent years with increasing financial challenges—one of which was the popularity of its Endless Shrimp Promotion which led to an $11 million quarterly loss in late 2023.
Currently Polk’s two locations, Winter Haven & Lakeland, are not listed as closing.
Red Lobsters Closing Across The Country
Due to these financial hardships, there have been ongoing rumors that Red Lobster is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. And now CNN reports that Red Lobster is abruptly closing at least 48 of its nearly 650 restaurants.
TAGeX Brands, an auction company that specializes in restaurant and food auctions, has been brought in to sell off equipment from some of the closing locations.
So which Red Lobster restaurants are closing? Here are the Red Lobster locations that TAGeX is auctioning equipment from:
ALABAMA
Auburn
Decatur
CALIFORNIA
Redding
Rohnert Park
Sacramento
San Diego
Torrance
COLORADO
Denver
Lakewood
Lone Tree
Wheat Ridge
FLORIDA
Altamonte Springs
Gainesville
Hialeah
Largo
Orlando
GEORGIA
Athens
Roswell
Dublin
IDAHO
Lewiston
ILLINOIS
Bloomingdale
Danville
INDIANA
Indianapolis
Elkhart
IOWA
Council Bluffs
Waterloo
MARYLAND
Gaithersburg
Columbia
Silver Spring
Laurel
MICHIGAN
Fort Grant
MISSISSIPPI
D’lberville
NEW YORK
Amherst
Kingston
Rochester
NEW JERSEY
Ledgewood
NORTH DAKOTA
Grand Forks
OKLAHOMA
Lawton
SOUTH CAROLINA
Myrtle Beach
TEXAS
Lake Jackson
Longview
San Antonio
VIRGINIA
Colonial Heights
Williamsburg
Newport News
WASHINGTON
Silverdale
WISCONSIN
Wauwatosa
La Crosse
It should be noted that this list may not include all closing restaurants, so before you head off to your favorite Red Lobster location, it’s worth contacting the store to see if they are still open
LAKELAND, FL (May 10, 2024) – On May 9, 2024, at 9:21 p.m. officers were called to a shooting at 1689 Village Center Drive in Lakeland. The caller said he just shot his husband and identified himself as Gavin Miranda, age 27. Officers arrived and found the victim, Hugo Gomez, age 30, deceased in the living room, lying face down on the floor. The Lakeland Fire Department and Polk County Fire Rescue responded and pronounced Gomez deceased at the scene.
Detectives and Forensic Services responded and processed the scene. Miranda claimed the two had been in a physical altercation inside of the apartment in which Gomez choked him. Miranda disclosed he obtained a gun and shot Gomez multiple times. Evidence indicated Gomez was shot once to the front of his body, then after he fell to the ground was shot nine more times in the back. A 9mm handgun and fifteen spent bullet casings were found at the scene.
Based on the evidence discovered thus far, Miranda was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Neal Robertson at [email protected] or 863-834-6971.
Here is an excerpt of the affidavit:
“On May 10, 2024, your affiant, Detective Neal Robertson was assigned to investigate this homicide incident that occurred at 1689 Village Center Drive Lakeland Florida. 33803 This was a domestic incident do to the victim and suspect being married and living together as a family.
On May 10, 2024, at 2141 hours, the Lakeland Police Department received a recorded 911 call from the suspect, Gavin Miranda stating that he just shot his husband/victim, Hugo Alberto Montero Gomez.
Miranda advised they had a physica altercation inside of the apartment. the victim pushed Miranda up against a wall, and started choking him. Miranda disclosed that he went for a gun and shot the victim multiple times emptying the whole clip into the victim(Victim shot the entire magazine of bullets into the victim). Miranda stated that the victim was not breathing, and he placed the firearm on the bed. Miranda Informed the 911 operator that him and the victim have been having marital issues, but this was the first time the verbal altercations turned physical.
Uniformed Patrol Officers arrived on scene, at 2128 hours and the suspect was placed into handcuffs for officer safety. The officers entered the apartment and observed a Hispanic male lying on the floor face down in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds to his back, leg and wrist.
The Lakeland Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased at 2141 hours.
There were numerous spent shell casings located in the apartment close to the victim and a black in color firearm located in a bedroom on a bed with the slide locked back. A Uniform Patrol Officer read Gavin Miranda his Miranda Rights before he was asked any questions. Gavin Miranda invoked his Miranda Rights and wanted a lawyer present before any questions were asked. Based on the evidence at the scene. Officers placed Gavin Miranda under arrest.
On May 10, 2024, at 0149 hours. the Honorable Judge Dana Moore signed a residential search warrant for 1689 Village Center Drive, Lakeland, Florida. The search warrant was executed on the residential apartment. The 9mm handgun was collected from atop of the bed, 14 spent shell casings were collected, and nine projectile bullets were collected from around the victim. Your affiant counted eleven gunshot wounds to the victim’s body in total. Nine gunshot wounds to the back, one gunshot wound to the wrist and one gunshot wound to the back of the leg.
Based on the facts that the victim was shot nine times in the back while he was lying face down on the floor, which clearly means the victim was defenseless, and there were nine bullet holes through his body and into the floor shows that the defendant, Gavin Miranda was standing over the victim while he was shooting him. The defendant, Gavin Miranda will be criminally charged with first degree murder based on those facts. The Florida State Statute is 782.04 and it is a capital felony.
There was no criminal history documented on Gavin Miranda or the victim.
HAINES CITY, Fla. — This morning at approximately 8:02 AM, the Haines City Police Department (HCPD) was alerted to a bomb threat at Ridge Community High School. HCPD’s School Resource Officers stationed on campus, were able to immediately respond to determine the validity of the threat; as well as initiate the proper protocols to safeguard the students and faculty. The school was immediately placed on heightened alert, while additional members of the HCPD and members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Davenport Police Department responded to assist.
The threat, sent via email to the principal of Ridge Community High School, indicated bombs had been placed in multiple school buildings on campus. The message prompted a swift evacuation of the school buildings to ensure the safety of students and staff.
While other law enforcement efforts helped to evacuate the school, and search for any possible explosive devices; members of the HCPD Criminal Investigations Division worked with members of the Polk County School Board’s Information Technology Department to identify where the threat came from, and who sent it. The threat was traced to a school owned laptop, which was issued to a 15-year-old Ridge Community High School student. Through diligent investigative efforts, Haines City Police detectives were able to determine that this student had illegally used the log-in credentials of another student, to send the threat via email, thereby representing themselves as the innocent student.
The 15-year-old student responsible for this false report and additional crimes, was located, interviewed, and subsequently confessed to sending the threat. He was promptly arrested, and faces the four felony charges, and one misdemeanor charge listed below:
FSS: 790.163(1) – False Report Concerning Planting a Bomb, an Explosive, or a Weapon of Mass Destruction
FSS: 934.215 – Use of 2-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony
FSS:815.06(3)(A) – Unauthorized Access to Computer and/or Network
FSS: 836.10 – Written or Electronic Threats to Kill
FSS: 877.13 – Disrupting a School Function
After an exhaustive search of the campus by law enforcement, no explosive devices were located, and students were allowed to return to class to resume their day.
Haines City Chief of Police Greg Goreck issued the following statement regarding the incident:
“Today’s reckless threat drew heavily on city resources, diverting our first responders from their duties of protecting and serving other parts of our community. It not only disrupted our children’s education, but also exposed them and our emergency personnel to unnecessary risk. I am immensely proud of the prompt action taken by our officers, the Polk County School Board, the Davenport Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Let this serve as a clear warning: we treat every threat with utmost seriousness, and the consequences for such actions are severe.”
The juvenile has been transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing.
The Haines City Police Department thanks the school administration, PCSB IT department, and all responding public safety agencies for their coordination and professionalism in resolving this incident safely and efficiently. If you or anyone you know has additional information regarding this incident, please contact the HCPD at (863) 421-3636. For those wishing to provide information anonymously, please reach out to Heartland Crime Stoppers at (888) 400-8477.
Long ago in a galaxy far, far away (or rather, in Burbank, California in 1977), a blockbuster movie from a then up-and-coming director was released that would change the landscape of pop culture and cinema. That movie was Star Wars.
Moviegoers lined up around the block for hours to watch this sci-fi epic—many of them waiting to watch it an umpteenth time. Star Wars would go on to spawn two theatrical sequels, several television specials, a line of action figures and comic books, and even a state-of-the-art thrill ride at Disney Parks.
More than 20 years later, another movie would be released that, like the original Star Wars in 1977, would set up another film trilogy, with these “prequel” films being set before the events of the original movies. Released on May 19, 1999, that movie was Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
I was 12 years old when I watched that movie at my local cinema back in 1999. It was the first Star Wars movie I ever watched in theaters. As a young kid, it was one of the most exciting films I had ever seen on the big screen, with spectacular light-saber fights, adrenaline-rushing pod races, and high-octane space battles.
I would later watch the other two movies in the prequel trilogy: Attack of the Clones (my personal favorite!) and Revenger of the Sith—the latter of which was released after my high school graduation.
Even though I loved these movies, little did I know they proved highly contentious and controversial, especially among older Star Wars fans, many of whom had watched the original films in theaters, and who felt that the prequel films were nothing but a hollow imitation.
Little did I know the seething hatred these films elicited from diehard fans to the point where many of the actors received harassment over their roles. One of these actors, Ahmed Best, received so much hate mail and harassment that he contemplated suicide. Even a then-young child actor like Jake Matthew Lloyd could not escape the hate.
As an adult looking back at the Star Wars prequel films (especially the Phantom Menace), I have to concur that these movies are flawed. I agree with most of the criticisms against them: the wooden acting, the glaring plot holes, the annoying side characters, the flimsy retcon-ridden worldbuilding. These movies are, indeed, rather imperfect.
But ultimately, that’s all that they are: imperfect.
Again, looking back at these movies and the “controversy” surrounding them, I find most of the drama to be rather overblown. Even if these movies were imperfect and flawed, in the end, they were still Star Wars movies. They still contained all the good things people love Star Wars for. They didn’t deserve to be over-hated as they were, and the actors who starred in them most certainly did not deserve the hate and harassment they received.
Ultimately, as someone who grew up watching these movies in theaters, the Star Wars prequels still hold a special nostalgic place in my heart, especially with them being the first Star Wars movies I saw in theaters. I recognize and acknowledge their flaws, but, in the end, I still love them, flaws and all. No movie is flawless, and true love is accepting something despite its flaws. That’s what being a true fan is about.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is currently being re-released in theaters for its 25th anniversary. See local listings for showtimes.
FORT MEADE, FL – The City of Fort Meade Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire today along E US Highway 98 on the outskirts of the city. Although the fire occurred outside of the city, Fort Meade units were the first on the scene, and had put water on the fire and established incident command by the time Polk County Fire Resue units arrived.
Ft. Meade House Fire
“I am really proud of my department. They responded quickly and were able to start battling the fire by the time county units arrived,” said Fort Meade Fire Chief Matt Zahara. “We work closely with Polk County to ensure that the southern end of the county is covered due to our automatic aid agreement, and, working together, we keep response times down. Today, our teamwork showed through. We appreciate the cooperation,” he continued.
The structure suffered extensive damage, but there was no loss of human life or injury.
Unfortunately, three pets were lost in the blaze.
Ft. Meade House Fire
Because of the rural area where the fire occurred, the Fort Meade Fire Department set up a drafting pool to hold water for trucks to draw from to douse the fire. Drafting pools are used when there are no hydrants close by. Tender trucks shuttle water from the nearest hydrants to the drafting pool at the site of the fire and can do so continually until enough water is delivered.
Ft. Meade House Fire
One of the benefits of Fort Meade shifting to a full-time fire department is that our staff is more able to fully respond to incidents like this. We were able to get out here and start working pretty quickly,” said Zahara.
In all, 14 units from Fort Meade and Polk County eventually responded to the fire. Units will remain on the scene for some time monitoring and assessing the damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
