POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A targeted Memorial Day weekend traffic initiative conducted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office from Saturday, May 24th, through Monday, May 26th, led to 11 arrests, the agency reported. Among these, six individuals were charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and four of those arrested were identified as being in the United States illegally.
The initiative aimed to enhance road safety during the busy holiday period. Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the operation’s outcomes, stating, “If you drive drunk in Polk County, we will arrest you, and if you’re here illegally, we will turn you over to ICE. Our deputies worked hard this weekend to keep our roads safe—and we’ll keep doing it every day.”
Details released by the Sheriff’s Office highlighted several cases:
On Saturday, May 24th, at 1:38 a.m., Jose Cruz, 32, of Lakeland, was arrested after deputies observed a blue Chevrolet weaving on Reynolds Road. Cruz reportedly exhibited signs of impairment, including slurred speech and watery eyes, and admitted to consuming four to five beers.
His breath alcohol level was measured at .180, more than twice Florida’s legal limit of .08. Cruz, who did not possess a valid driver’s license or ID, also admitted to being in the country illegally from Mexico. He was charged with DUI (M1) and Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License (M1).
Later that evening, at 9:19 p.m., Francisco Hernandez, 50, of Fort Meade, was stopped on Broadway Street East at Hendry Ave for driving without headlights. Deputies noted Hernandez had watery eyes, a strong odor of alcohol, and difficulty maintaining balance. Hernandez, who presented a Mexican passport and stated he had no driver’s license, admitted to drinking 12 beers.
His breath alcohol content was .260, over three times the legal limit. He informed deputies he had been in Polk County unlawfully from Mexico since 2010. Hernandez faces charges of DUI (M1) and Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License (M1).
On Sunday, May 25th, at 9:13 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a possible vehicle crash on Alturas Babson Park Cutoff Road in Lake Wales. They located Leobardo Armenta-Marcial, 40, of Lake Wales, walking nearby, appearing disoriented and intoxicated. His vehicle had sustained heavy damage from striking a guardrail, and empty alcohol containers were found inside. After initially denying he was driving, Armenta-Marcial, whose boots matched footprints at the scene, admitted to crashing.
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He did not have a valid driver’s license and refused sobriety and breathalyzer tests. Records indicated Armenta-Marcial has four prior DUI convictions and has been previously deported due to his illegal status. He was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash (M2), Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License (M2), and DUI 4th or Subsequent Offense (F2).
The arrests continued into Monday, May 26th, when Guilherme Moreno, 32, of Orlando, was stopped for an expired registration. Moreno provided a DMV document and a picture of his driver’s license. However, deputies discovered his license had been canceled in March due to his non-US citizen status. Moreno was found to be in the country illegally from Brazil. He received a citation for the expired registration and was arrested and charged with No Valid Driver’s License (M1).
All suspects identified as being in the country illegally were placed on an ICE hold at the Polk County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that these arrests reflect their ongoing commitment to enforcing traffic laws and addressing illegal immigration in conjunction with criminal offenses.
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