News Update for 4/3/25
A 29-year-old Lake Placid man’s crime spree has finally come to an end. Akinkawon Hawthorne, who had been wanted since New Year’s Eve, was arrested Monday night after leading deputies on a high-speed chase and stealing a work truck. Hawthorne had already racked up nine felony charges, including aggravated battery, child abuse, and kidnapping. His latest arrest added grand theft auto, burglary, and fleeing with damage to the list. Deputies caught him after he got stuck off-road and tried to run. Hawthorne is now being held without bond in the Highlands County Jail.
A Highlands County man has been arrested on aggravated child abuse charges after accidentally shooting a juvenile while intoxicated. Deputies say 41-year-old Ruben Pena mishandled a loaded firearm, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries to the victim, who was treated at Lakeland Regional Hospital. The juvenile identified Pena as the shooter, stating it was unintentional but due to Pena being drunk. Aggravated child abuse is a first-degree felony in Florida, carrying penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
A Lake Placid man is facing 555 child pornography charges after detectives uncovered incriminating evidence on his computer. 43-Year-Old Ryan Christopher Bass, was already in jail on a domestic battery charge when authorities executed a search warrant at his home on March 28th. Investigators say Bass attempted to wipe his hard drive, but a forensic examination revealed enough evidence for the new charges. Bass is also facing multiple other charges, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His bond is set at $2.83 million dollars. Authorities remind the public that all suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
Governor Ron DeSantis has the public on his officer-recruitment-bonus program. During an event yesterday at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala, DeSantis said Florida has awarded more than 78-hundred recruitment bonuses to new law enforcement officers since the program launched in 2022. The five-thousand-dollar bonuses benefit officers and deputies who relocate to Florida for work and residents who get into law enforcement for the first time.
A new housing development is coming to Sebring, as the City Council recently approved the 29-home project on Youth Care Lane. Developer Stonehenge Land Development plans to extend Beverly Drive and build Beverly Estates, featuring single-family homes instead of the originally planned duplexes. The homes, around 1,300 square feet each, will be priced between $240,000 and $260,000. Council members praised the project as a good fit for the neighborhood, with construction expected to begin within the year.