LAKE WALES, Fla. – A road rage incident on State Road 60 near Lake Wales has resulted in the arrest of a 43-year-old Indian River County man on charges of attempted murder and other felonies.
Mitchell Gens, of Fellsmere, Florida, turned himself in to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) on March 23, 2025, following an investigation into a shooting that occurred on Friday, March 21, 2025, at approximately 11:45 a.m.
Gens is charged with Attempted Second-Degree Murder with a Weapon (F1) and Discharging a Firearm from a Vehicle (F2).
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The incident began when a semi-truck driver reported that a man, later identified as Gens, fired multiple shots at his truck. Four bullet holes were found on the semi-truck, which was disabled by the damage. The truck driver was not injured.
Dashcam footage from the semi-truck provided deputies with a clear image of the suspect’s vehicle: a gray Ford F-150 pickup truck with a distinctive Punisher decal on the rear window.
The PCSO’s Real Time Crime Center analysts used the photo to identify the potential suspect vehicle, and a detective subsequently identified Gens as the likely perpetrator.
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During a phone conversation with a detective, Gens admitted to driving on SR 60 and firing two shots at the semi-truck, claiming the truck driver had attempted to run him off the road. He also admitted to removing the Punisher decal from his truck’s rear window, anticipating law enforcement’s search.
However, the dashcam footage contradicted Gens’ claims, showing him passing the semi-truck in a no-passing zone, with no indication of the semi-truck attempting to run him off the road.
An arrest warrant was issued, prompting Gens to turn himself in to the PCSO.
According to deputies, Gens has a prior criminal history that includes arrests for animal abuse, criminal mischief, DUI, providing a false name to law enforcement, and driving with a suspended or revoked license (three times). He is currently held at the Polk County Jail.
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