UPDATE: A woman whose body was found in the median of U.S. 92 East near Reynolds Road has been identified as Kara Fay Hanvey, 22, of Sebring. Deputies responded after receiving a 911 call reporting an unresponsive woman around 6:40 a.m. today. More
As Lakeland police continue investing a Memorial Boulevard crash that killed two people, including a woman returning home from work, they released video taken from the dashboard of an officer who was following the driver who caused the accident.
Lakeland police are reviewing a Wednesday morning accident in which a young woman returning home from work died when her car was struck by another car whose driver ran a red light while apparently fleeing police, Fox 13 News’ Ken Suarez reports. (An officer “was unable to catch up to the car to conduct a traffic stop before it ran a red light and struck another vehicle in the Memorial Boulevard and Lakeshore Drive intersection,” LPD said Wednesday in a news release.) Suarez reports that key questions for victim Linel Vega-Ortiz’ family is whether police were chasing driver Cleon Truedell and whether the pursuit complied with department policy.
ALSO: The victim’s mother tells WFLA that police informed the family that an officer was chasing Truedell before the accident; the police department told the station Tuedell wasn’t being chased before he sped off from an attempted traffic stop.
A “minor collision” between two charter buses on Rockridge Road near Dean Still Road sent Pasco County students to hospitals in Lakeland and Bartow for treatment this morning. An announcement from Pepin Academies said 30 students were taken to hospitals and that no major injuries were reported. But the Florida Highway Patrol said just two students were hospitalized, the Tampa Bay Times noted. The students were on a field trip to Medieval Times in Kissimmee.
Business owners and police hope surveillance video (here) helps apprehend a man who defaced at least 16 businesses, most of them along South Florida Avenue.
Polk Fire Rescue Chief Tony Stravino, 62, said today he plans to retire in the next 30 days. The announcement came a day after the release of an investigative report that criticized the department’s handling of a November fire that resulted in the death of a disabled, 76-year-old woman.
A man identified as Bruce Wayne Johnson, 59, was in critical condition after being hit from behind by a dark-colored SUV Monday night on Main Street near Lake Bonny, Lakeland police report. They ask that anyone with info call Officer Tyler Anderson at (863) 834-2553.
UPDATE: A Lakeland couple that was subject of a silver alert this week has been found safe in Ohio, Lakeland police say.
“Recovered in Ohio unharmed and it appears they wanted to take a road trip,” department spokesman Gary Gross told Lakeland Patch. “Case closed and no criminal charges or issues.” More
Shannon Oglesby, the 47-year-old manager of Web Pro Realty, died Sunday night when the Jeep she was riding in crashed into a utility pole on U.S. 98 across from the entrance to Oak Hill Cemetery. Rodney Wimberly, 52, who was driving the Jeep Wrangler, was in critical condition Monday morning. Deputies said it appeared the Jeep was racing a sports bike when it went out of control, and they hope to find the person riding on the motorcycle.
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