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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Mar 6, 2018
Darrell Coleman, Jr., who had a warrant for a July fatal hit-and-run crash, turns self in
Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, PIO
During the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 27-year-old Darrell Coleman, Jr., who had a Polk County warrant for leaving the scene of a crash involving death in a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred in Haines City, turned himself in at the booking facility of the Polk County Jail in Bartow. He has been charged with one count leaving scene of crash involving death (F-1), one count DWLSR causing death (F-3), and one count trespassing (M-1).
The victim was 66-year-old Charles Hudson, Jr., a PCSO Citizens Assisted Patrol (CAP) volunteer, who lived and worked in Solivita. He was riding his bicycle westbound off of Kokomo Road when he was fatally struck by Coleman.
The U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Forces in Florida and Maryland were instrumental in locating Coleman. He has been booked into the Polk County Jail and will have a first appearance hearing tomorrow.
"Back in July, we quickly identified Darrell Coleman as the man who hit and killed Mr. Hudson, then left him to die without stopping to help. Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest. He's known about the warrant this entire time, and continued to hide from us. Finally, with his arrest, justice has been served, and he will answer for his crimes." - Grady Judd, Sheriff