News Update for 2/6/23

Highlands County Sheriff’s detectives are currently investigating a pair of unrelated shootings.
The first was reported at the BP station at the intersection of US 27 and SR 70 late Saturday night. There, deputies found 42-year-old Manuel Benitez Reyes Guzman in a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head.
He was airlifted to a trauma center and was in critical condition at last report. Apparently the shooting happened after a verbal altercation.
A suspect is being sought
Yesterday, deputies were called to a home in the Highway Park area, south of Lake Placid. There they found 57-year-old Arthur Scurry Jr. Officials say he was discovered deceased after being shot multiple times.
A shooting last night also sent a local woman to the hospital. Sheriff’s officials say the victim was hit by at least one bullet at a Lake Sebring Drive address. That incident also is under investigation.

Officials at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission have announced a man injured in a boat crash on Lake Damon now has died. According to reports, it was 63-year-old Richard Young of Wisconsin that suffered fatal injuries when the craft went out of control and overturned in the lake near Avon Park.
Witnesses said speed may have been a contributing factor. The incident remains under investigation.

It was a busy weekend at the Highlands County fair, with the opening livestock competition and beauty pageants. Activities will continue today with a Pee Wee Show for large animals plus the Commercial Heiffer Show and Showmanship.
The Nerveless Nocks Thrill Show, the Piano Juggler and Scott’s Magic Show also will have performances throughout the weekend. The fair runs through Saturday.

Highlands County has some new royalty. Four beauty pageants were held over the weekend. Emmy Bolin was crowned as Miss Highlands County for 2023 in proceedings Saturday night. Taking the tiara as Junior Miss Highlands County was Maura Wohl.
Carlysle Kenyon has been tapped as Teen Miss Highlands County, while Little Miss Highlands County for 2023 is Miss Kyleigh Lewis.
They will reign through the balance of the year.

The Market Swine Show was held yesterday at the Highlands County fair. Emma Mellow of Lorida Livestock showed the Grand Champion Market Swine. It’s a Hampshire Cross weighing in at 243 pounds.
Reserve Grand Chamipion was shown by Bray See O’berry of the Boots & Buckles 4-H. He also walked away with Senior Showmanship honors.

A Sarasota man was killed Saturday in a Hardee County traffic crash. Florida Highway Patrol indicates a Toyota Rav4 piloted by the 63-year-old driver, went left of center on State Road 64, and ran head on into an oncoming GMC pickup.
The vehicles colided head-on. The Rav4 driver was dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup, a 32-year-old Port Charlotte man, was not hurt.

There could be a sad development in the case of a missing Palm Beach County man. The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office says human remains were found Saturday morning during a search for Palm Beach Gardens’ Gary Levin. The 74-year-old was driving for Lyft when he went missing after dropping off a passenger Monday. The body was found near the drop-off location. Levin’s car was found Thursday in North Carolina, and the driver was arrested for a murder in Hardee County.