Polk County Sheriff's Office
Coverage of Polk County Sheriff's Office in the Nexus archive.
- Heroic Florida K-9 returns to sheriff's office days after being shot protecting 3 deputies, losing leg
Florida K-9 Ace returned to the sheriff's office days after being shot while protecting three deputies during an attempted arrest of Angel Bowers. During the incident, Ace suffered injuries to his left front leg, which required amputation surgery at a veterinary medical center. Despite his wounds, Ace made a successful return and will retire from law enforcement.
- Track coach dies after vehicle hits ATV, sheriff says
Randy Johnson, a track coach and former teacher, died after a pickup struck his ATV on Highway 92 in Polk County, Nebraska. The crash occurred near Osceola, and Johnson was ejected into a ditch. York Public Schools is providing counseling services to staff and students following the incident.
- Track coach dies after vehicle hits ATV, sheriff says
A 70-year-old track coach and former teacher died after a pickup struck his ATV on Highway 92 in Polk County, Nebraska. The crash occurred when the pickup driver failed to see the ATV, causing both vehicles to leave the road. The affected school district is providing counseling services.
- Woman accused of stashing nearly 30 bags of fentanyl inside her body, sheriff’s office says
A woman was arrested after allegedly hiding 28 bags of fentanyl inside her body. She passed a roadblock, received a traffic ticket, misused 911, and had marijuana found during a vehicle search, leading to her arrest and discovery of the drugs during booking.
- Woman accused of stashing nearly 30 bags of fentanyl inside her body, sheriff’s office says
Gina Redding, 48, was arrested after allegedly hiding 28 bags of fentanyl in her body. She passed a roadblock, received a traffic ticket, and misused 911, leading to her arrest and discovery of marijuana in her vehicle. A body scan during booking revealed the fentanyl.
- Woman accused of stashing nearly 30 bags of fentanyl inside her body, sheriff’s office says
Gina Redding, 48, was arrested in Polk County, Florida, after allegedly stashing 28 bags of fentanyl inside her body. She was initially stopped for a traffic violation, misused 911 to complain about a ticket, and during a vehicle inventory search, deputies found marijuana. A body scanner later detected the fentanyl.
- ‘Santa Claus’ cuffed in undercover sting targeting child sex predators, sheriff says
Thomas Allen Hicks, a 68-year-old Santa Claus impersonator in Polk County, Florida, was arrested during an undercover sting for attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. Hicks, who worked at Tri-County Human Services, was among 19 suspects charged in a multi-day operation targeting child sex predators.
- Missing teen found hiding in convicted sex offender's closet in Florida, sheriff says
A 17-year-old girl was found hiding in the closet of a convicted sex offender, Alexis Diaz-Toledo, in Florida, leading to his arrest on multiple charges. Authorities discovered the missing teen after a tip and a search of Diaz-Toledo's home, which he initially refused to allow. The sheriff emphasized concerns about the suspect's actions and his prior sex offender conviction.