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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 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.
Nov 4, 2026
Single-vehicle DUI hit and run lands Winter Haven man in jail
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey
An early morning single-vehicle crash on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, resulted in a Winter Haven man going to jail with numerous felony and misdemeanors.
A deputy from the Polk County Sheriff's Office was dispatched at around 1:04 am to a reported crash at US 17 and State Road 540 in Eagle Lake.
When the deputy arrived at the scene, he found an abandoned gray 2020 Ford F150 that had struck a concrete barrier on a construction site. The truck was registered to 37-year-old Curtis Russell Hill. Hill's wallet was found in the vehicle.
Several construction workers witnessed the crash and watched as Curtis ran from the scene.
A PCSO drone located Curtis trying to conceal himself in a wooded area nearby and he was soon captured.
Inside Curtis' vehicle, deputies found an open container of beer and some methamphetamine.
Curtis told the deputies that he fled because he was scared and he was looking for his phone.
Curtis Hill was taken to the Sheriff's Processing Center and charged with Trespassing on a Posted Construction Site (F3), Possession of Methamphetamine (F3), DUI with Property Damage (M1), DUI (M2), Resisting without Violence (M1), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1), and Leaving the Scene of a Crash (M2).