News and Investigations

On Sunday, December 14, 2025, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 64-year-old Stephen J. Phillips of Mulberry following a road rage incident. Phillips is an optician in Lakeland.

At approximately 11:38 a.m., detectives responded to Mary Holland Park located at 2015 Shumate Drive, Bartow, FL in response to the incident. 

Detectives learned that the victims, which included a 3 year old child, were traveling southbound on Harden Boulevard near Pipkin Road when they encountered Phillips driving a Hyundai Santa Fe. The victims reported that Phillips was driving erratically and performed a “brake check” on their vehicle. After passing Phillips’ vehicle, both cars came to a stop side by side at a traffic light.

At that time, Phillips displayed a silver semi-automatic firearm and pointed it towards the victims with his finger resting on the trigger. According to the victims, he also made repeated racial slurs, placing them in fear for their life.

Phillips originally denied displaying a firearm but later admitted to pulling it, claiming that he did not believe he pointed it at the victims. The victims provided detectives a photo of the encounter, which showed Phillips holding up a .22 caliber Phoenix Arms HP firearm.

“Brandishing a firearm at innocent people—especially a child—is unacceptable. Road rage that escalates into violence will not be tolerated, and my detectives acted quickly to put this man behind bars.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.

The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3) and improper exhibition of a firearm (F1).