A Winter Haven Police Department search for a man wanted on an active felony warrant ended with three people in handcuffs, a Taser deployment, and methamphetamine charges after officers say the suspect's mother physically attacked a sergeant trying to arrest him. Officers found 24-year-old Serge Nombre hiding under a mattress in a bedroom at a home on 5th Street Southeast, according to police.
Winter Haven Police Department officers had responded to the home while searching for Nombre, who had an active felony warrant for felony battery, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. When officers instructed Nombre to show his hands, he refused, and he was ultimately found hiding under a mattress on the floor of a bedroom before being placed in handcuffs, police said.
As officers moved to detain Nombre, he yelled for his mother, 53-year-old Mia Jones, according to the outlet's account. Jones then grabbed one of the officers from behind and grabbed the sergeant's hand, police said. A sergeant pushed Jones away, but she swung her fist at him, according to the report — and the sergeant deployed an agency-issued Taser before securing her.
Meth and a Glass Tube Turn Up at the Scene
Jones had allowed officers to search the home, and a clear plastic baggie was found in her possession; the substance inside later tested positive for methamphetamine, per the same account. She now faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting officers with violence, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was taken to Winter Haven Hospital, the outlet reported.
During the encounter, officers also recognized 23-year-old Reynaldo Garcia, who had recently been trespassed from the property, walking on the property toward officers, according to the report. A clear glass tube and a clear baggie containing methamphetamine were found in Garcia's front pocket. Garcia reportedly told police, per the police report, that the items were given to him to hold because he had to take the fall for everyone else.
Garcia was charged with trespassing, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, and was booked into Polk County Jail. Nombre was booked into Polk County Jail as well, on his outstanding warrant, the outlet noted.
What Florida Law Says About the Charges
Under Florida Statute 784.07, committing battery on a law enforcement officer reclassifies the offense from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, carrying maximum penalties of up to five years in state prison, five years of probation, and a $5,000 fine upon conviction, according to attorney Richard Hornsby. Separately, Florida Statute 843.01 classifies resisting an officer with violence as a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and prosecutors must prove the officer was engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty and that the defendant knowingly used or offered physical force, per Hanlon Law.
The methamphetamine possession charges facing both Jones and Garcia also carry steep collateral consequences. Under Florida Statute 893.13, possession of methamphetamine without a valid prescription is a third-degree felony carrying up to five years in prison, $5,000 in fines, and an automatic one-year driver's license revocation under Florida Statute 322.055, Hanlon Law notes. All three individuals will face a first appearance hearing within 24 hours of arrest, as required under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.130 for anyone booked in Polk County, according to the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court.
Booking Process and Department Background
Arrestees in Winter Haven are typically processed through the Polk County Sheriff's Processing Center at 7101 De Castro Road before being housed at facilities such as Central County Jail in Bartow or South County Jail in Frostproof, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The Winter Haven Police Department, headquartered at 125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, is led by Chief Vance Monroe, who was appointed in October 2024 to oversee the agency's sworn officers and civilian staff across three operational bureaus.
The department holds dual accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, according to the City of Winter Haven. Statewide, roughly 74 percent of surveyed Florida law enforcement agencies use a formal use-of-force continuum to guide officer decisions during suspect resistance and less-lethal force applications like Taser deployments, according to a study cited by ResearchGate.
All three suspects face pending criminal proceedings, and the allegations against them remain unproven until adjudicated in court. Bond amounts set at their first appearance hearings and any additional statements made during booking have not been detailed in available reporting.
