A 24-year-old Bushnell man died after his car struck a tree at a rural Sumter County intersection early Feb. 28. Troopers say the Hyundai Elantra ran through the intersection; the crash is under investigation.

A federal jury in Tallahassee convicted Israel Ramos Portillo of attempting to entice a minor; sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2026. The case grew out of a spring 2025 undercover sting.

Manatee County says thieves have stripped copper from new streetlights in SMR, Moccasin Wallow and 44th Ave E, leaving costly repairs and cameras in their wake.

Federal prosecutors say a North Fort Myers man pleaded guilty after deputies found more than 50 firearms — some visible from the street — and hundreds of rounds. The case is now on the Middle District of Florida docket with a reported sentencing date in late May.

Manatee County deputies found a woman and two children dead inside a Lakewood Ranch home during a welfare check; detectives are processing the scene.

A third suspect has been arrested in the Riverview killing of Hiojaira Velez-Bonilla; authorities say he helped move and dispose of her body.

Deputies say a Riverview man used 100+ manipulated self‑checkout scans at Winn‑Dixie stores, siphoning nearly $10,000 over eight months; he’s now jailed on felony charges.

Two 16-year-olds were arrested after a stolen-vehicle chase in Tampa ended when the car crashed into a fence. HCSO says aviation units helped locate and arrest the suspects.

Clearwater police say two suspects used fraudulent credit-card information to buy four puppies from Sunshine Puppies Two, leaving the shop more than $11,000 short.

Hillsborough County is rolling out Axon Draft One to draft first-pass narratives from body-camera audio for non-criminal calls. Civil-rights groups warn the tool could complicate transparency and oversight.

Three of the five defendants in the 2024 ambush killing of rapper Julio Foolio asked a judge this week to be tried separately, citing publicity and conflicting defenses.

A Leto High teacher was arrested after detectives say he kissed a 17‑year‑old and showed an obscene photo. Authorities say he now faces multiple felony counts.

Federal prosecutors say a Palmetto man has been charged with illegally disposing of a body, but the announcement offers few details.