Deputies throughout Highlands County are stepping up seatbelt enforcement as part of the annual Click It or Ticket campaign running through Memorial Day. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office says there are no excuses for skipping a seatbelt, reminding drivers that one in five Floridians killed in passenger vehicle crashes in 2023 were not buckled up. Deputies say younger drivers and male passengers continue to have some of the lowest seatbelt usage rates statewide. Officials say the message is simple: buckle up every trip, every time.
A Sebring spine surgeon is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after a patient reportedly died following complications from a 2022 cervical surgery. The lawsuit against Dr. Robert Kimber alleges the patient’s esophagus was perforated during surgery, causing severe infection and multiple hospitalizations before her death in January 2023. The family is seeking damages, while the allegations remain unproven unless ruled on by a judge or jury.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about scammers posing as the FBI, banks, tech companies, and law enforcement through calls, texts, emails, and pop-ups. Scammers demand money through cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, and may even send someone to collect it. Deputies say no legitimate agency will ever request immediate payment or ask for gift cards or cash pickups. Residents are urged to hang up, delete suspicious messages, and never click unknown links.
A Central Florida lawyer is under arrest for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot. Fifty-nine-year-old Francisco Gonzalez is accused of conspiring with his daughter, TikTok star Gabriela Gonzalez, to hire a hit man to kill her ex-boyfriend, singer Jack Avery. The arrest warrant states the motive behind the plot was a custody battle. According to witness statements, Gonzalez said it would be "cheaper if Avery were dead." The daughter has also been arrested in California in connection with the case.