Outgoing Pastor Sibling Rivalry Recognized On The Links See Page B4 See Page B1 Herald-THE Advocate HARDEE COUNTY’S HOMETOWN COVERAGE 120th Year • No. 33 • 2 Sections www.TheHeraldAdvocate.com 93¢ Plus 7¢ Sales Tax Thursday, July 9, 2020 Man Clings To Hood Of Car As Attacker Speeds Down U.S. 17 By TOM STAIK Budget Inn and then sped away vated battery with a deadly “I observed Alyssa walking pect while Ofc. Fort began her Of The Herald-Advocate south on U.S. 17 at a high rate weapon, hit-and-run/leaving towards her vehicle with her investigation. A man who attempted to of speed with the man still in scene of crash, and resisting an belongings,” the officer noted. According to the report, the help a woman with her over- tow. officer without violence. “I attempted to speak with incident began to unfold earlier heated car on Saturday night The victim, who was not According to reports by the Alyssa about the allegations of in the evening when Rosales Rosales got more than he bargained for identified in reports, fell into Wauchula Police Department, battery. Alyssa would not stop reportedly called her sister to when the woman reportedly the roadway near the CVS lawmen were called to the to speak with me and instead ask for help because her car According to the sister’s struck the man with the re- store at West Bay Street. home of the suspect’s sister at she muttered profanity under was overheated and she was statement, Rosales “became paired vehicle. Alyssa Jacklyn Rosales, 22, 10:49 p.m. in answer to a bat- her breath while advising that stranded at the Budget Inn irate” when she and the victim The victim, according to re- of Bradenton, was arrested in tery complaint. she was leaving.” (Peace Valley Motel) on U.S. arrived. ports, was forced to lay on the connection to the incident and It was at the home on South Ofc. Fort, though, had other 17. The suspect, the report hood to keep from falling be- booked into the county jail at 10th Avenue that Ofc. Fort met plans and detained Rosales. The sister and the victim states, reportedly punched the neath the car, as the woman 11:56 p.m. by Ofc. Kaelyn Fort with the victim, the suspect, Dep. Darius Johnson arrived on then reportedly traveled to the victim several times in the sideswiped the side of the on charges of battery, aggra- and the suspect’s sister. scene and stayed with the sus- Budget Inn to render aid. See HOOD A2 Wauchula Driver Charged To Bid Out Taxing Wait With DUI In Insurance By TOM STAIK Bicycle Wreck Of The Herald-Advocate The City of Wauchula is By TOM STAIK age to the front right near the seeking health insurance bids Of The Herald-Advocate headlight, passenger side mir- ahead of a possible renewal A Zolfo Springs man is fac- ror was broken and hanging by next month of current health ing a felony DUI count after re- a wire, and the passenger win- care provider Florida Blue. portedly plowing into a dow was broken,” Tpr. Haus- The Wauchula City Commis- bicycler over the weekend. sler noted. sion voted unanimously to ap- Daniel Araujo, 28, was The sole occupant of the ve- prove issuing a request for booked into the Hardee County hicle, according to the report, proposals at a specially called Jail on Saturday, July 4, around was Araujo. meeting held electronically on 2 a.m. by the Florida Highway According to the report, Dep. June 29. Patrol on charges of DUI in- John Layport reportedly told Represented by agent Albrit- volving serious bodily injury the trooper that Araujo said he PHOTOS BY TOM STAIK and leaving the scene of an ac- ton Insurance, the city was Customers line the outside wall of the Hardee County Tax Collector last Thursday had “hit a deer near the area of cident involving serious bodily briefed on the proposal by Der- as they wait for a chance to see a clerk inside. 7-Mile Point.” ren Bryan. injuries. Both charges are Araujo reportedly had a “We will not be getting our felonies. slightly different version of renewal from our current car- According to arrest reports events when he spoke to the rier until the next two and a Polk Outage by the Florida Highway Patrol, trooper. half weeks or so,” Bryane said. the accident reportedly oc- “When I asked him where he “If we are going to check other Bringing Long curred at around 6:35 p.m. on was coming from, he stated a carriers we need to get it into July 3 near the intersection of friend’s house and told me he the market place now.” State Road 64 and Melear struck a deer on State Road Florida Blue, the current car- Lines In Hardee Dairy Road and involved a 66,” the trooper noted, adding rier, will still be able to partici- By TOM STAIK white colored flat-bed truck that the man’s sentences were pate. Of The Herald-Advocate that struck a cycler and then incoherent and hard to under- “Florida Blue can still partic- Customers faced stifling heat last Thursday as fled the scene. stand. ipate and can still give the re- they waited outside the Hardee County Tax Collec- Trooper Brett Haeussler was See WRECK A2 newal mid-process,” Bryan tor’s Office for a chance to conduct their business dispatched to the wreck more said. inside. than an hour and a half later at Bidders are being asked to “They are lined up all the way around the build- 8:06 p.m., according to the re- bid the city’s current benefit ing,” Jacki Johnson, Hardee County Tax Collector port. structure and provide an alter- told The Herald-Advocate by phone. While enroute to the acci- nate bid that would eliminate The longer-than-usual wait times, exasperated by dent, the trooper was redirected the city’s current deductible re- reduced capacity due to COVID-19 social distanc- to the area of State Road 64 quirement for all prescriptions. ing precautions, went into overdrive last week due and Brantwood Drive where “It would help employees to complications with the Polk County Tax Collec- deputies with the Hardee quite a bit,” Bryan said. tor’s computer network. County Sheriff’s Office had Under the existing Florida “We have a lot of people coming down from Polk Using tax bills as makeshift fans, cus- stopped a white flat-bed truck Blue plan, individual emplyees County,” Johnson said. tomers wait in the summer sun last matching the description of the must meet a $2,500 deductible The Polk County Tax Collector began week for the opportunity to pay their vehicle involved in the wreck. See INSURANCE A2 See WAIT A2 taxes. “The vehicle had body dam- Araujo WEATHER Lanier Promoted To County Public Works Director DATE HIGH LOW RAIN 06/30 93 74 0.00 By MICHAEL KELLY ment and had worked ex- Mike Thompson voted 07/01 92 71 0.00 Of The Herald-Advocate tensively with private sec- against the confirmation, 07/02 91 72 0.00 07/03 93 71 0.00 The new director of tor developers and stating he felt Lanier was 07/04 92 71 0.00 public works will be a fa- construction companies less than forthcoming with 07/05 91 72 0.15 miliar face after County before taking the job with information regarding the 07/06 91 71 0.72 Manager Lawrence Mc- the county. delayed bridge projects Rainfall to 07/06/2020 - 20.05 Same period last year - 26.18 Naul decided to promote He was also one of six during a May meeting. Ten Year Average - 49.45 Noey Flores said he has Source: Univ. of Fla. Ona Research Center from within when nomi- finalist interviewed for the nating interim director county manager position known Lanier a long time INDEX Randall Lanier to take last year. and he supports him and over the position perma- McNaul said Lanier promoting from within be- Classifieds . .B3 nently. stood out over the other fore making a motion to Courthouse Report . .B9 County Commissioners two applicants seeking the confirm the appointment. Crime Blotter . .A8 confirmed the appointment position. Chairman Rick Knight Entertainment . B7 with a 4-1 vote during “Randall was selected told Lanier he had big Fort Meade Times . .B5 their meeting Thursday. based on feedback from shoes to fill when replac- Hardee Living . .B4 Lanier has been filling his peers, employees and ing Wheeler, who he said Information Roundup . .A3 the role on an interim basis the contractors I reached did a lot of positive things Obituaries . .A9 since the retirement of out to,” McNaul said. “The while working for the Puzzles . .B8 county engineer/public public and employees have county. works director Ken approached me supporting McNaul said the county Wheeler earlier this year. him.” will rely on contract engi- He previously served as He added Lanier was neering services instead of FILE PHOTO the project manager for the also the county employee hiring another county en- Randall Lanier Road and Bridge Depart- of the year two years ago. gineer. A2 The Herald-Advocate, July 9, 2020 THE HOOD erald- dvocate Continued From A1 H HARDEE COUNTY’SAHOMETOWN COVERAGE mouth before he pushed Ros- the report. highway and took him to her According to the report, the MICHAEL R. KELLY ales who then “fell into the The suspect, according to a home and called authorities, suspect “attempted to sit down, Co-Publisher and Editor bushes” and became “even witness statement, reached according to the report.