03

AVON PARK -- Arrest warrants have been issued for two men in connection with the shooting of two 16-year-olds in Avon Park July 19. Roderick Lewis Milner, 29, is wanted for homicide, attempted homicide, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Andrew Bernard Richardson, 30, is wanted for homicide and attempted homicide. Both men are from Avon Park, but have ties in Tampa and Arcadia. Deputies were called to The Palms at Lake

August

2017

03

LORIDA -- Gary Lee Ebersole, a convicted sex offender who cut his ankle monitor and vanished Monday, July 31 in Sebring was tracked down and arrested by a pair of Highlands County Sheriff’s Office K-9 deputies Thursday morning, Aug. 3, east of Lorida. Deputy Wayne Gunn and his bloodhound, Bud, led the track -- which covered more than a mile through a wooded area that was covered with water from recent storms -- with Deputy Cory Tomblin and Remco, a Belgian Malinois patrol dog, right beside

August

2017

31

LAKE PLACID -- A 24-year-old man from Indiantown was arrested on several charges after he tried to run from a traffic accident late Sunday night, July 30. Raul Jose Pascual was charged with two counts of hit and run  -- one for leaving the scene of a crash with injuries (a felony) and one for leaving the scene of a crash with property damage -- as well as driving with a license plate assigned to another vehicle and knowingly driving with a suspended license. He was also issued a citation for

July

2017

31

SEBRING -- Two teenagers have confessed to shooting the windows out of more than 100 cars and nine businesses with BB guns during a month-long spree that began in late March. Logan Patrick Lashley, 19, of Babson Park, and his 17-year-old cousin Reno Jay Lashley of Avon Park were arrested Friday, July 28, and charged with six counts of felony criminal mischief, nine counts of shooting into a building (a felony) and one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief. They turned themselves in on Friday,

July

2017

28

Bears have been out and about lately. Since July 17, when a small bear created a stir by running straight through downtown Avon Park, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office has received six more calls about bears. Bears are more active in the summer and are always eating, so bear sightings aren’t necessarily unusual this time of year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC.) FWC officers are the ones ultimately called when a bear is sighted, and use a variety of

July

2017