Lakeland FL

LAKELAND, Fla. (WWSB) - The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 32-year-old Lakeland man after multiple students at two Polk County middle schools reported inappropriate conduct while he worked as a substitute teacher. Detectives identified the suspect as Emmanuel Sanchez, who the sheriff’s office said was...

A Dodge Challenger attempted to pass three vehicles and struck two motorcycles head-on. The motorcyclists died at the scene and the driver of the Dodge Charger died at a hospital.

A Florida driver is spending more money fighting a school bus camera ticket than the violation itself is worth — and he says it's a matter of principle.

Deputies say a man in the United States illegally from Turkey led Polk County deputies on a brief chase that ended in a place they did not expect: inside the drywall of a Davenport motel bathroom. According to officials, the suspect ignored repeated commands, forcing deputies to deploy a chemical agent before they...

BRANDON, Fla.- The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has launched a homicide investigation after a man was found dead in a Brandon home on Monday evening. Deputies were dispatched to the 1800 block of Lake Chapman Drive at 5:43 p.m. on March 9, 2026, following a 911 call reporting a disturbance. Upon entering the...

Water levels in the region have gotten so low that Tampa Bay Water has stopped siphoning from local rivers. The continuing drought and lack of rain have forced the agency to rely solely on underground wells and its desalination plant in Apollo Beach. Standing on a dry intake pipe on...

LAKELAND, Florida - A Lakeland man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a victim and attempting to prevent them from calling for help, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were dispatched to a residence near Tanglewood Street and Combee Road on the evening of March 3, 2026. Reports indicated...

HAINES CITY, Fla. — There is a new top cop in Haines City, and his name is Isaac Jackson. According to the Haines City Police Department, Jackson was officially sworn by the city's new public safety director, Joe Halman Jr., on Friday to be the new chief of police for the city in Polk County, succeeding Jay Hopwood,...

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – First responders are currently on the scene of a fatal multi-vehicle collision in northwest Polk County that has claimed two lives and forced a total closure of a major thoroughfare. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the scene on Commonwealth Avenue...

TAMPA, Fla. — Prices at the pump continue to rise in Florida and across the Tampa Bay area as the ongoing conflict in Iran continues to impact oil production. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, surged to $119.50 per barrel early in the day Monday, but later was trading near $106...