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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Dec 11, 2019
Man who crashed into State Representative’s office charged with drug possession
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Waylon Skinner on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, two weeks after he crashed into the Fort Meade office of State Representative Melony Bell while driving a city work truck.
Skinner, who resides in Fort Meade, was charged with Possession of a Synthetic Drug (F3) and Possession of Paraphernalia (M1).
The charges stem from the November 26, 2019 crash, in which nobody was injured.
During the crash investigation, Skinner told deputies that he had smoked the synthetic drug, known as K2, that morning. A baggie containing a green leafy substance was found on the passenger side floorboard of the truck (after the crash Skinner was found lying slumped over on the passenger’s side seat).
Skinner acknowledged to deputies that the substance belonged to him.
The substance was sent to a lab to be tested, and on December 9, 2019, the results of that test were returned, showing that it was a synthetic cannabinoid.
The investigation is ongoing as the PCSO awaits results of Skinner’s blood test. Additional charges could be forthcoming.
“It has yet to be determined if Waylon Skinner had enough K2 in his system to be considered impaired, but if that’s the case, we will certainly be charging him accordingly for that too.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
