Sheriff: Two Florida Department of Children and Families Employees Arrested in Polk County

Two Florida Department of Children and Families employees arrestedPhoto byPolk County Sheriffs Office

By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC)
Publish Date: August 22nd, 2024

Polk County, FL — Polk County Sheriff's deputies have arrested two employees of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) in separate and unrelated incidents, both occurring within 48 hours of each other in unincorporated Polk County.

The first arrest took place in the early hours of Sunday, August 18, 2024. At approximately 2:00 a.m., deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single-vehicle crash on Saddle Creek Road near Saddle Creek Park in Lakeland. Upon arrival, they discovered 47-year-old Evelyn Ross of Auburndale at the scene. Ross, who was behind the wheel of the crashed vehicle, had collided with a utility pole. Her car was still running when deputies made contact.

According to authorities, Ross appeared to be intoxicated. Deputies noted her bloodshot and watery eyes and detected a strong odor of alcohol. When questioned, Ross admitted to having made a poor decision and consuming a significant amount of alcohol. After failing field sobriety tests, she was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Ross was subsequently released from the hospital and booked at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Processing Center without further incident.

Ross' blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels were recorded at 0.197 and 0.190—well over Florida’s legal limit of 0.08. She now faces charges of DUI over 0.15 (M2) and DUI with Property Damage (M1).

The second arrest occurred on Monday, August 19, 2024, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Highway 17 in Bartow. Polk County deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle after discovering that the vehicle's registered owner, 22-year-old Jayla Rae Robinson of Lakeland, had a suspended driver's license.

When asked to present her license, Robinson acknowledged that she was aware of the suspension. She told deputies that she had been cited for the same offense just two days earlier. Deputies arrested Robinson on charges of Knowingly Driving While License Suspended or Revoked (M2) and transported her to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Processing Center.

Robinson was not alone in the vehicle at the time of her arrest. Deputies reported that she was transporting a 15-year-old child to court. Another DCF worker was contacted to escort the child to their destination following Robinson's arrest.

“We take DUI and DWLSR offenses very seriously, especially when the suspects are people in a position of trust in the community. Driving children around for work after already being cited for driving with a suspended license is irresponsible. And driving and crashing a car under the influence of alcohol sets a very poor example.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has referred any questions regarding the employment status of Ross and Robinson to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Both cases remain under investigation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Two Arrests, One Day Apart: Both DCF employees were arrested within 24 hours in separate incidents in Polk County.
2. DUI Crash: Evelyn Ross was arrested for DUI after crashing her car into a utility pole, with blood alcohol levels more than twice the legal limit.
3. Driving with Suspended License: Jayla Rae Robinson was arrested for driving with a suspended license while transporting a child to court.
4. Community Trust at Risk: Sheriff Judd emphasized the importance of responsibility, especially for those working with children.

Photo byiSkyCreations - News & Media

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