WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A pair of Winter Haven teenagers learned the hard way that construction zones aren’t just for orange cones after a Polk County Deputy spotted them abandoning a stolen car in the middle of a Highway 17 intersection early Tuesday morning.
The incident began around 3:24 a.m. on March 24, 2026, when a deputy stationed at the ongoing construction site at Highway 17 and Cypress Gardens Blvd. watched a 2011 silver Hyundai Sonata come to a dead stop. Two women jumped out of the car and bolted toward the AdventHealth Fieldhouse parking lot.
Winter Haven Police quickly converged on the area, catching 19-year-old Kayla Mary-Ann Krause and 18-year-old Zahira Layrue Shaw after a short foot chase. Both women were wearing masks at the time and refused to tell officers who they were or why they were running. However, the deputy who first saw the car stop was able to positively identify them as the pair who fled the vehicle.
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Back at the Briarcrest Apartments on Avenue K SE, the car’s owner was realizing her night was about to get much worse. She told police her Sonata was parked at 8:00 p.m. the night before, but by 2:45 a.m., it was gone. When she saw her car again, the steering column was mangled and a screwdriver—which didn’t belong to her—was sitting on the seat.
Investigators say the theft was a crime of opportunity. Shaw allegedly found the car, used a phone charger to bypass the ignition, and broke the steering column to get the vehicle moving. She then picked up Krause and drove off, only to stumble into the police presence at the Highway 17 construction zone.
Both women now face a laundry list of charges, including Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Resisting Arrest. Shaw faces an additional charge for driving without a license.
“The great coordination between agencies and swift actions of our officers resulted in the capture of this pair who had no regard for the hard-working public,” Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe said. “They will now have some time to think about their actions and hopefully make better choices in the future.”
The 2011 Sonata involved in the theft is one of several Hyundai models known for a software vulnerability that allows the engine to be started using a simple USB phone charger. Local authorities are urging owners of these models to contact their nearest dealership to receive a free software fix that was released to address the security flaw.
Here is the breakdown of the charges filed against both Kayla Mary-Ann Krause and Zahira Layrue Shaw:
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle: A third-degree felony involving the unlawful taking of the Hyundai Sonata.
- Possession of Burglary Tools: A third-degree felony for the use of the screwdriver and phone charger to bypass vehicle security.
- Burglary of an Unoccupied Conveyance: A third-degree felony for entering the vehicle with the intent to commit a crime.
- Resisting Arrest Without Violence: Two counts of a first-degree misdemeanor for fleeing from officers on foot.
- Wearing a Mask or Hood on Public Property: A first-degree misdemeanor related to the suspects being masked during the commission of the crime.
- Criminal Mischief ($200 – $1,000): A first-degree misdemeanor for the physical damage caused to the vehicle’s steering column and ignition.
- Giving False Information to Law Enforcement: A first-degree misdemeanor for refusing to provide identification or truthful statements during the initial investigation.
- No Valid Driver’s License: An additional charge specifically applied to Zahira Layrue Shaw for operating the vehicle without legal authorization.
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