A 44-year-old inmate at the Highlands County Jail was found unresponsive during a routine cell check Tuesday morning. Detention deputies and medical staff immediately began life-saving efforts, but Joshua Ernest Snell was pronounced dead shortly after 8 a.m. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office says its Criminal Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
A 17-year-old Sebring teen is facing multiple charges after deputies say he stole a handgun during a meet-up in Lake Placid Monday evening. Investigators say the teen took the gun from a 19-year-old man, pointed it at him while fleeing, and another man at the scene fired several rifle rounds, but the teen was not struck. The suspect was later arrested and charged with robbery, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence.
Two Highlands County men were killed Monday morning in a head-on crash on State Road 64 in Hardee County. The Florida Highway Patrol says a westbound box truck crossed the centerline and collided with an eastbound van driven by a 68-year-old Lake Placid man, killing him and his 59-year-old passenger from Sebring. The truck driver suffered serious injuries, and the crash remains under investigation.
A special recall election has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 4th, to determine whether Avon Park Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard, and Councilwoman Brittany McGuire should be removed from office. Voters will also choose potential replacement candidates for any seats that become vacant. Candidate qualifying opens today and runs through July 6th, while voter registration for the special election also closes July 6th.