News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Mar 29, 2019

PCSO investigating deaths of two involved in mobile home fire

Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, PIO

Around 3:48 a.m. on Friday, March 29, 2019, the Polk County Sheriff's Office Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received several 911 calls in reference to a single-wide mobile home on fire at 4630 Fighter Road in Bartow. Polk County Fire Rescue and PCSO deputies were dispatched.

According to the investigation so far, one of the three occupants of the structure, 50-year-old Richard Rogers, heard a noise that woke him up, then smelled smoke, alerting him to the fire. He yelled for both of his roommates - 81-year-old Joan Koch and 72-year-old Bernard Johns - to wake up but got no response. He called 9-1-1. He was able to get out of the mobile home.

Each of the three residents rent rooms in the mobile home - they are not related to each other. Ms. Koch and Mr. Johns were found deceased inside. PCSO is conducting the death investigation, and autopsies will be conducted to determine their exact causes of death.

The State Fire Marshal will investigate the cause of the fire.