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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 Carrie Horstman, Brian Bruchey, and Julianna Rivera. 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.
Oct 19, 2026
Lake Wales woman arrested for attempted 1st degree murder and other charges after intentionally hitting her ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey
Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested a Lake Wales woman Sunday evening, October 18, 2026 for attempted murder and other crimes.
30-year-old Taylor Renee Alderman was booked-in at the Sheriff's Processing Center on charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder (FC), Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon (F2), and Leaving the Scene of a Crash involving Injury (F3).
The incident began just after 3pm Sunday outside of a Lakeland residence, when Alderman arrived in her vehicle to drop off some property that belonged to her ex-girlfriend.
At that time, a disturbance began and Alderman reportedly started yelling racial slurs at the new boyfriend of Alderman's ex-girlfriend.
Alderman began driving away in her 2012 Ford Fusion, but she then made a U-turn and accelerated toward the man.
The Ford struck the man's hand as he jumped out of the way, and the Ford slammed into a parked vehicle.
Alderman then fled from the scene in her Ford.
The victim suffered lacerations on his hand.
After deputies located and took Alderman into custody, she denied hitting the victim with her car and denied crashing into another vehicle.
Witnesses at the scene however said that Alderman intentionally tried to hit the victim, and she also hit the parked vehicle, which subsequently caused her bumper to fall off.
According to detectives, Taylor Alderman has a prior criminal history that includes grand theft, resisting, trespassing, violation of probation, and drug possession.