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Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Apr 6, 2020
Polk deputies arrest three from a car struck that struck a Lakeland house
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
Three people were arrested by the Polk County Sheriff's Office after their car struck an occupied house on Chart Prine Road in the Kathleen area of Lakeland early Sunday morning, April 5, 2020.
The three arrested were 4
2-year-old Sarena Stokes (the driver), 51-year-old John Sumner, and 47-year-old Donald Reams. Stokes and Reams had initially run from the scene but returned.
According to the preliminary investigation, the crash occurred shortly after midnight when a bronze 1999 Buick sedan travelling west on Mt. Tabor Road, for unknown reasons, left the roadway, struck some mailboxes, went through a field, and slammed into the home. The car came to a stop inside of an unoccupied bedroom.
Immediately following the crash, two residents ran into the bedroom and tried to get the occupants of the car to remain at the scene, but Reams pushed both residents to get away. None of the residents were injured in the crash itself.
Sarena Stokes was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Injury (F3), Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Property Damage (M2), Knowingly Driving While License Suspended/Revoked (M2), Violation of Probation (Petit Theft).
She was transported to Lakeland Regional Health for a broken arm and cuts before being transported to the Polk County Jail.
John Sumner was on probation for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and had a curfew that prohibited him from being out between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.
He was charged with Violation of Probation.
Donald Reams was charged with two counts of Battery (M1) against the two residents of the home. He was also charged with Violation of Probation (Possession of Methamphetamine).
The crash remains under investigation.