POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake Wales man on felony probation is back behind bars after a series of DUI-related hit-and-run crashes ended in a school parking lot on Tuesday evening.
The chaos began around 7:10 p.m. on March 10 at the busy intersection of US Highway 27 and Cypress Gardens Boulevard. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a tan Toyota Camry slammed into the back of a silver Hyundai sedan waiting in a turn lane.
The impact caused significant damage to the Hyundai and left its driver with minor injuries. However, rather than checking on the victim, the driver of the Camry sped away from the scene.
The reprieve for local commuters was short-lived. Five minutes later, the same tan sedan struck a white Chevrolet sedan traveling west on Cypress Gardens Boulevard near Mahaffey Road. This second collision left the driver and two passengers in the Chevrolet suffering from neck and back pain. Once again, the suspect fled the area without stopping to provide aid or exchange information.
Witnesses at the second scene described a male driver with visible facial injuries behind the wheel of an older tan sedan. Shortly after the second crash, a bystander spotted the damaged vehicle parked in a closed lot behind Garden Grove Elementary School.
Deputies arriving at the school found 43-year-old Juan Medina still sitting in the driver’s seat of the running Camry. The car was tucked away near the school’s dumpsters, showing heavy front-end damage and a shattered windshield. Investigators noted that Medina had a large gash on his forehead and displayed classic signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, watery eyes, and a strong odor of alcohol.
A search of the immediate area turned up a brown paper bag sitting on top of a nearby dumpster. Inside was a nearly empty bottle of bourbon. Deputies noted that glass fragments on the bag and on Medina’s own clothing matched the shards from the Camry’s broken windshield.
Despite the evidence, Medina refused to answer questions about the crashes, his injuries, or his drinking. He also declined to perform field sobriety exercises or provide a breath sample. Records checks soon revealed that Medina was already under state supervision, serving a ten-year felony probation sentence for heroin trafficking that was set to run until 2031.
“This suspect made a series of dangerous choices that could have easily ended in tragedy,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “He put innocent people in danger and then drove onto school property while impaired. Thankfully, this happened after hours, but his actions were reckless and completely unacceptable.”
Medina was evaluated by EMS at the scene and subsequently booked into the Polk County Jail. He faces a long list of charges, including two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury, DUI with property damage, trespassing on school grounds, and violation of probation.
READ: Mulberry Man Jailed After Using AI To Create Explicit Photos Of Children
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
