Armed Standoff with Subject Barricaded in Vehicle

On July 7, 2021 at approximately 9 p.m., Deputy Ventura observed a suspicious vehicle driving without headlights in the parking lot of Pioneer Park.  A traffic stop was conducted, and as he approached the vehicle, he observed the individual frantically ingesting an unknown white powdery substance through their nostrils.

The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man for an attempted homicide that took place on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at approximately 12:30 p.m. in the area of Kelly Roberts Road in Zolfo Springs, Florida.

The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, under the administration of Sheriff Vent Crawford, is currently testing body-worn cameras for the first time in the agency’s history.

The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that took place on Monday, January 11, 2021 at approximately 4:40 p.m. in the area of Steve Roberts Special and Kelly Roberts Road in Zolfo Springs, Florida.

Wauchula, FL (December 7, 2020): Jose Garza, the suspect responsible for the recent shooting on Osprey Lane, has been apprehended and arrested in Polk County, FL.

Wauchula, FL (December 7, 2020): Christopher Guthrie, the juvenile involved in the recent officer involved shooting, has been arrested and all Hardee County Sheriff’s Office deputies involved have been cleared to return to duty.

Wauchula, FL (December 7, 2020): The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident that occurred early this morning at a residence on Chamberlin Boulevard where one individual was found deceased and another was hospitalized.

On November 26, 2020 at 7:57 p.m., the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call in regards to a suspected burglary on Vandolah Road in Wauchula, Florida.

On November 23, 2020 at 10:46 p.m., the Hardee County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call in regards to the shooting of a person on Osprey Lane in Wauchula, FL.

Text-to-911 is now available in Hardee County, which gives individuals the ability to make an emergency call via text message. The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office text-to-911 instillation process initially began in November of 2018, and was finalized last week, in October of 2020.

A recently arrested Wauchula man was found in possession of over 130 grams of methamphetamine, nearly 900 grams of marijuana and over $12,000 cash.

On Friday, March 27, 2020, at approximately 12 p.m., the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office received a call in reference to a possible burglary in progress in the area of Ona, FL.

On November 8, 2019 at approximately 12 p.m., the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office received information of a subject, who appeared to be covered in blood, erratically driving a white Jeep near Hardee Senior High School. A deputy observed a vehicle matching the description in the area of the school and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Jeep, which entered the school’s visitor parking lot and then exited on the road, trying to evade law enforcement, before ultimately crashing on the curve just south of Hardee Senior High School on Altman Road in Wauchula, FL.

The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force made an arrest stemming from a lengthy criminal investigation, which resulted in 24 charges.

Three individuals traveling together were nearly run off of the road and threatened with a firearm by a man in a vehicle when passing through Zolfo Springs, Florida.

Two juveniles are responsible for burglarizing the Hardee County Recreation Complex and the Hardee Senior High Baseball Complex in Wauchula, Florida.