LAKELAND, Fla. – A dispute over a fire lane parking spot at a local Publix escalated into felony charges for a retired law enforcement officer on Tuesday, after deputies say he threatened to track down and harm an elderly volunteer.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 60-year-old Marcus Baker on December 30, 2025. Baker, who previously served as a deputy in Polk County and later retired from the Lakeland Police Department in 2021, now faces charges of Corruption by Threat to a Public Servant and Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer.
The incident unfolded at the Publix on County Road 540A in Lakeland. According to the arrest report, a 75-year-old Sheriff’s Service Officer (SSO)—a uniformed civilian volunteer who handles non-emergency duties like parking enforcement—spotted Baker’s vehicle idling empty in a marked fire lane directly under a “NO PARKING” sign…