POLK COUNTY, Fla. – In unrelated incidents, two employees of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) were arrested by Polk County Sheriff’s deputies in unincorporated Polk County, a day apart.
The first arrest involved 47-year-old Evelyn Ross of Auburndale, who was involved in a single-vehicle crash near Saddle Creek Park in Lakeland around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 18, 2024. Deputies found Ross intoxicated at the scene, where her vehicle had collided with a utility pole.
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Despite admitting to drinking heavily, she failed field sobriety tests and was charged with DUI over 0.15 and DUI with Property Damage after her blood alcohol levels were recorded at 0.197 and 0.190, well over the legal limit of 0.08.
The following day, around 1:00 p.m., another DCF employee, 22-year-old Jayla Rae Robinson from Lakeland, was stopped and arrested on Highway 17 in Bartow for driving with a known suspended license.
Robinson, who had been stopped for the same issue just two days prior, was transporting a 15-year-old child to court at the time of her arrest. Another DCF worker was called to continue the minor’s transport.
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Sheriff Grady Judd emphasized the gravity of these offenses, particularly given the individuals’ roles in the community. “Driving children around for work after already being cited for driving with a suspended license is irresponsible, and driving under the influence sets a very poor example,” he stated.
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