News and Investigations

Three suspects from south Florida have been arrested and charged by the Polk County Sheriff's Office for attempted murder, and other charges, after they attacked a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Officer who was on duty in Lake Wales.

According to their affidavits, just before 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2021, the Officer was patrolling along the fence line on Avon Park Bombing Range property, investigating possible illegal hunting on the property, when he observed two all-terrain vehicles across the fence on River Ranch Hunt Club property, and heard a firearm being discharged.

The Officer told them to drop their weapons, which they did, and he went over the fence to investigate. While he was speaking with them, Lazaro Milian, DOB 06/12/70, of Miami, got onto a yellow ATV and began to flee, yelling in English that he had "nothing to do with it" and then yelling in Spanish.

Michel Amalfi, DOB 08/09/75, of Miami, began climbing onto the other vehicle, a two-seated Polaris, despite the Officer's commands to stay at the scene. Amalfi was joined by the third suspect, Rodrigo LaRosa, DOB 05/14/93, of Hialeah, and together the two of them began beating the Officer. They then climbed onto the ATV, and struck the Officer with it as they fled.

The Officer confiscated three firearms, then retreated back over the fence to his agency-issued truck, where he called for help. The following agencies responded to assist with maintaining the perimeter, rendering aid to the Officer, and searching for the suspect:

PCSO
Highlands County Sheriff's Office
Osceola County Sheriff's Office
Auburndale Police Department
Lakeland Police Department
Lake Wales Police Department
Winter Haven Police Department

At sunrise, PCSO deputies and FWC Officers found Milian and Amalfi at a hunt camp on River Ranch property, and took them into custody. Later that day, they were able to positively identify LaRosa, and obtain a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested at an apartment complex in Hialeah the next morning.

The suspects' charges are:

Milian: 

Attempted murder of a LEO (F2)
Resisting arrest (F3)
Tampering with evidence (F3)
Keeping a nuisance injurious to health (M2) Unauthorized possession of crate (M1) Miami-Dade warrant for VOP - grand theft (M2)





Amalfi:

Attempted murder of a LEO (F2)
Resisting arrest (F3)
Tampering with evidence (F3)
Keeping a nuisance injurious to health (M2)








La Rosa:

Attempted murder of a LEO (F2)
Resisting arrest (F3)