Two “super speeders” learned the hard way that Highlands County roads aren’t racetracks. Deputies say one woman was caught flying down U.S. 27 in a minivan at 102 miles per hour — with her teenage daughter in the passenger seat! She got a criminal citation and a date with the judge instead of a trip to jail. Then, just a day later, another driver hit 106 mph on State Road 17 in Avon Park — and did get hauled off, car and all. Sheriff Paul Blackman had a message for would-be speed demons: “This isn’t NASCAR — slow it down before someone gets hurt.”
Alico Inc. — the historic Florida company behind the state’s early citrus and cattle boom — is setting its sights on a major new project in Avon Park. The Fort Myers–based developer plans to build more than 2,100 homes on a 608-acre site stretching from Bonnet Lake to Lake Letta. The proposal, which goes before the Highlands County Planning Commission this afternoon, would rezone the land from agricultural use to residential. Plans call for both site-built and mobile homes, with densities up to eight units per acre, plus over 180 acres of open space — including preserved land along the lakeshore. If approved, the community could eventually house more than 5,000 residents.
A Polk County woman is suing Sheriff Grady Judd and two deputies, claiming they failed to properly investigate case. Taylor Cadle says she first reported being assaulted by her uncle, Henry Cadle, back in 2016 — but no charges were filed. Years later, after she secretly recorded another attack, her uncle was finally convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison. Taylor now says the sheriff’s office’s inaction left her vulnerable — and she’s seeking monetary damages from both her uncle and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
A Fort Meade man’s Sunday morning didn’t end quite the way he planned. Deputies say 27-year-old Rashad Austile Jr. tried to outrun detectives after being linked to two car burglaries around 5:30 a.m. But his getaway didn’t get far — he was found hiding in a truck and promptly arrested. Austile told investigators he’d been drinking and popped a Xanax, claiming he “blacked out.” He’s now facing a long list of charges — including burglary, theft, and resisting arrest — and was already out on bond from a prior prowling case.