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 25, 2019

Polk deputies arrest Lakeland man with four previous DUI convictions—for DUI Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) places immigration hold on the suspect for being in the country illegally

Media Contact: Sherrie Morgan, PIO

On Sunday, March 24, 2019, PCSO deputies responded to a single vehicle crash where a man ran into a fence at Ariana Street and Wabash Avenue in Lakeland around 2:47 a.m.
A deputy witnessed 45-year-old Andres Alvarez of Lakeland trying to leave the scene of the crash in a green Ford F-150 pickup truck. When stopped, Alvarez displayed signs of being intoxicated and his breath smelled of alcohol. Outside of the truck, he was observed swaying back and forth while holding onto the hood of the vehicle.

Deputies administered a sobriety test and Alvarez failed. He did not have a valid driver’s license and they determined he was never issued one. He provided a Mexican ID card to deputies at the scene. An investigation revealed Alvarez has four prior DUI convictions, two in Florida and two in Georgia. He also has a warrant out of Osceola County for failure to appear while driving with a suspended or revoked license (DWLSR) 2 prior convictions.

Alvarez was taken to the county jail and is now charged with DUI (F-3) and No valid driver’s license (M-2). He was also served with the warrant out of Osceola County. Mr. Alvarez refused to submit a breath sample for a blood alcohol test.

“We have notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about Mr. Alvarez and they’ve confirmed he’s here illegally and they have placed a hold on him. He is currently being held in the Polk County Jail on no bond. Mr. Alvarez continues to flagrantly violate our laws and endanger the public—it’s a miracle that he hasn’t killed or hurt anyone because of his drunk driving (that we know of). Our legal system needs to fairly and definitively deal with Mr. Alvarez, and then he needs to be turned over to ICE’s custody.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Alvarez’s criminal history includes:

Georgia Arrests
12/25/1996 – Gwinnett County PD
DUI
03/24/1999 – Gwinnett County PD
DUI

Florida Arrests

Total Felony Charges: 02
Total Misdemeanor Charges: 06
07/22/2001 – PCSO
DUI
06/26/2016 – LPD
NVDL-Never Issued
05/16/2107 – LPD
DUI
KDWLSR
03/24/2019 – PCSO
Out of County Warrant – FTA PTR DWLSR
DUI
No Valid Driver’s License