Deputies are searching for answers after a man was shot Friday afternoon in Avon Park. The victim ran to Ridgedale Apartments near State Road 17 and South Cherokee Avenue around 12:24 p.m., bleeding from at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital, but authorities have not released details about his condition. Deputies spent over 90 minutes on the scene gathering information but need the public’s help. Anyone with tips can contact the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office or submit an anonymous tip to Heartland Crime Stoppers for a possible cash reward.
A Bowling Green man is behind bars after allegedly assaulting a woman who offered to drive him home. 35-year-old Mark A. Hinojos, is charged with sexual battery after reportedly making unwanted advances toward a family friend who was driving his car because he was intoxicated. Despite her repeated pleas for him to stop, reports say his actions escalated, leaving her fearful for her safety. The victim delayed reporting the incident due to fear and trauma but later came forward. Hinojos was arrested on Feb. 24 and remains in Highlands County Jail without bond. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
A woman is dead after she was hit by a car while in the middle of a road in Polk County. It happened Saturday morning in Auburndale on US 92 West at Payne Street. The sheriff’s office says they got calls she was sitting in the middle of the road. At one point, she apparently stood up, walked into the path of an SUV and was hit. Deputies say she died at the scene. No one else was hurt.
A developer has received approval to add 20 more homes to a planned community in Spring Lake, despite pushback from residents. On Feb. 18, county commissioners voted to expand Helmut Wyzisk III’s housing project on Duane Palmer Boulevard from 124 to 144 homes. Neighbors worry about increased traffic and density, but officials say the project still faces a rigorous review process. Wyzisk says the development is necessary to support local infrastructure, including Spring Lake’s wastewater plant and the golf resort. The plan includes green space, pedestrian paths, and required social memberships for new homeowners.
The Highlands County Tourist Development Council is considering two new tourism grants for next year. The TDC grants committee met Wednesday to outline the proposals, which will be reviewed at the next TDC meeting on May 1st. One grant, the Nature & Cultural Destination Enhancement Grant, would fund arts, culture, and nature events that promote tourism, with a max request of $75,000. The second, a Marketing Assistance Program, would support businesses that attract visitors beyond events, with funding up to $5,000. Both proposals require approval from the TDC and county commissioners before becoming official.
A 27-year-old Davenport man has been arrested for vehicular homicide following a deadly crash on US 27 in November. Paul Castellano Aponte was reportedly driving 101 mph—nearly double the speed limit—just seconds before slamming into 84-year-old Donald Shelby Wright’s vehicle. Wright later died in surgery. Authorities say Aponte admitted he was speeding because he was tired from working all night. Sheriff Grady Judd called it a case of reckless disregard for safety. Aponte is now in Polk County Jail, facing felony charges.
A Lakeland man’s plan to evade arrest by napping on a couch backfired when Polk County deputies woke him up and took him into custody. 26-year-old David Ronald Edward Payne was wanted for violating probation. When deputies found him at a home in Auburndale, he denied his identity, resisted arrest, and even kicked a deputy in the chest. After being restrained, Payne apologized but still landed in the Polk County Jail. He now faces additional charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.
Federal funding for county road safety, environmental projects, and law enforcement is now up in the air after the Trump administration suspended payments to states and counties. Despite court orders to restore funding, agencies continue to withhold payments, ProPublica reports. Locally, this freeze affects $230,000 for traffic safety improvements, including a roundabout and speed signs, $213,528 for watershed culvert upgrades, and $1.7 million for new sheriff’s office radios with GPS tracking. Without these funds, the county may face delays and rising costs for critical infrastructure and public safety projects.