Male gets angry at speeding neighbors, throws beer can at them — and then grabs his AR-15 and fires shots, sheriff says



A male got angry at speeding neighbors and threw a beer can at them — and then topped that off by grabbing his AR-15 rifle and firing shots, according to Grady Judd, sheriff of Polk County, Florida.

What are the details?

"I want to tell you a story that you're just not gonna believe," Judd said in a video posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page. "Now, we all have complaints about people speeding down the roads, speeding through our neighborhoods. Ol' Eric Proctor took his conduct to the extreme."

Judd said Proctor claimed neighbors were speeding down his street and threw a beer can at them in retaliation.

After confronting them about their speeding, Judd said Proctor grabbed his AR-15 rifle and fired three shots — one in the air and two in the ground.

Judd said the neighbors called police for help, but Proctor denied their claims — except that surveillance video shows Proctor going into his house, exiting with the rifle, and going back into the house with the rifle.

What happened next?

Proctor, 35, was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of throwing a deadly missile as well as discharging a firearm in public and tampering with evidence following Wednesday's incident in Lakewood, WOFL-TV reported, citing an arrest affidavit.

Proctor was soon released from Polk County Jail after posting a $26,000 bond, the station noted, citing arrest records.

"Hey, if you're that stirred up, just call us," Judd added in the sheriff's office video. "We'll deal with it, and you won't end up in jail charged with a felony."

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Woman hits two sheriff's deputies with car in attempt to flee. Turns out suspect has criminal history of violence against law enforcement.



A Florida woman with a criminal history of violence against law enforcement hit two sheriff's deputies with a car Saturday near Lakeland as the deputies opened fire in self-defense.

What are the details?

Deputies from the Polk County sheriff's office responded to a suspicious person call from Max Pay Pawn Shop in the 600 block of North Combee Road in unincorporated Lakeland just before 1 p.m., authorities said.

The suspect — identified as 27-year old Carina Holder of Davenport — was attempting to use a stolen credit card, authorities said.

When the deputies arrived a few minutes later and tried to speak to Holder, she got into a BMW X5 and attempted to flee the scene, authorities said.

In fact, Holder drove directly at the deputies, hitting two of them, authorities said. In fear for their lives and others' lives, deputies opened fire in an attempt to stop the car, authorities said, adding that Holder continued to flee from the scene but was caught and arrested about two miles away.

Neither Deputy Sheriff Melissa Myers nor Deputy Sheriff Hannah Peche were seriously hurt after getting hit, authorities said, adding that the suspect was not injured. Myers and fellow Deputy Sheriff Joshua Chaves opened fire, authorities added.

Holder will be charged with two counts of aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer, armed burglary, and resisting with violence, authorities said, adding that fraud charges also are expected.

What did Sheriff Grady Judd have to say?

Outspoken Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who never seems shy about letting his views be known, said "the suspect has a criminal history of fraud and violence, and that's exactly what was involved here today. Fraudulent activity is how this began, and she elevated it to violence by trying to kill two deputies with her car. Fortunately, she was quickly apprehended, and even more fortunate is that neither one of the deputies were seriously hurt."

Anything else?

Authorities said Holder's criminal history includes Polk County arrests in 2021 for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting with and without violence.

In March 2022, she was arrested for battery (domestic violence), battery on officer/firefighter, and resisting without violence, authorities added. In September, Holder was arrested and charged with forgery, criminal use of personal ID, grand theft, false statements, false impersonation, fraud to obtain property, uttering a false Instrument, and unlawful use of communications device, authorities said.

More than 100 arrested during multi-day undercover operation in Florida related to prostitution, child predators



More than 100 people were recently arrested during "Operation March Sadness 2," a six-day undercover operation that led to the arrest of child predators and people seeking to engage prostitution, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida.

According to a press release, a 27-year-old man named Xavier Jackson was arrested after communicating with an undercover detective who had been pretending to be a 14-year-old girl — he "sent [the detective] sexual images and graphic descriptions of what he wanted to do," according to the sheriff's office.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd noted during a news conference that the Jackson worked as a lifeguard at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.

Operation March Sadness II news conference youtu.be

Shannon Johnson, a 41-year-old man who thought he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl, sent a naked picture of himself and went to a home with the plan to engage in sexual activity, according to the press release, which noted that Johnson was arrested.

Also among the 108 people arrested was Daniel Peters, a retired Cook County Illinois judge who was charged with soliciting a prostitute. "He requested an attorney," Judd said during the news conference. "Well judge, you need an attorney, you got problems."

"The arrests of a human trafficker and four child predators alone makes this whole operation worthwhile," Judd said, according to a statement included in the press release. "The on-line prostitution industry enables traffickers and victimizes those who are being trafficked. Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and find and arrest those who are profiting from the exploitation of human beings. Johns fuel the trafficking and victimization. Where there is prostitution, there is exploitation, disease, dysfunction, and broken families."