Original Post: September 26, 2019 @ 10:00 a.m,
Last Updated: October 1, 2019 @ 9:30 a.m.

The Punta Gorda Police Department is currently investigating several vehicle burglaries and a vehicle theft that occurred last night in Punta Gorda Isles.

At approximately 2:45 a.m. officers located a pickup truck behind Bal Harbor Plaza that had been listed as stolen out of Estero, Florida. At approximately 6:45 a.m. officers began responding to reports of several vehicle burglaries and a vehicle theft in the area of Ryan Boulevard, including St. Kitts Court, Carupano Court, and Aruba Court. Currently officers have responded to four vehicle burglaries. It is believed that these crimes and the vehicle recovered behind Bal Harbor Plaza are related.

All of the vehicles that had been burglarized had been left unlocked so no forced entry occurred. It has been reported that several small items or change had been taken from those vehicles.

The stolen vehicle, a 2018 white in color Volkswagen SUV, was taken from the 5000 block of La Costa Island Court. The vehicle is believed to have been unlocked with the keys inside the vehicle. The stolen vehicle was last seen in the Fort Myers area near Interstate 75 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

UPDATE (October 1, 2019): The Punta Gorda Police Department received reports of a total of thirteen vehicles that had been entered that night. The vehicle stolen from Punta Gorda was recovered in Fort Myers, Florida and has been processed for evidence. Also, a resident in the area caught the suspects attempting to open their locked vehicle on their security camera.

Detectives and Crime Scene are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information on these crimes are encouraged to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-780-TIPS or by visiting www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward for information leading to an arrest.

The Punta Gorda Police Department is one of only thirty-two agencies, in its category, nationwide awarded the Body Worn Camera (BWC) Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant funding of $67,019 will be used to offset the cost of the budgeted body camera program scheduled to be implemented in 2020.

The police department began working last year toward developing a body worn camera program and has budgeted $134,038 over the next five years to fully implement the program. The grant would cover 50% of the entire cost of the program, which is the maximum amount allowed under the grant specifications.

Body worn camera programs have been successful in agencies across the county and have proven to help improve the prosecution of criminal cases and can assist officers in de-escalating situations by neutralizing defiant attitudes and behaviors by individuals who know they are being recorded.

“We also believe that body worn cameras will help increase transparency and ensure that our officers continue to maintain the high level of professionalism that our community has come to expect,” says Chief Pam Davis.

Body worn cameras can also help agencies improve tactics, communication, and customer services by providing training opportunities and identifying areas where additional training may be necessary.

The police department has been researching several camera options and are currently testing the body camera by Axon Enterprise, Inc., the same company that developed Taser.

Original Post: September 7, 2019 @ 6:00 PM
Last Update: September 7, 2019 @ 9:40 PM

The Punta Gorda Police Department is attempting to locate twenty-three year old Luis Jose Fonseca, a missing and endangered adult who escaped from Riverside Behavioral Center in Punta Gorda around 3:45 p.m. this afternoon. Fonseca is 5’ 10” tall and was last seen wearing a gray “Cheech and Chong” t-shirt and black jeans.

There is no reason to believe that Fonseca is any danger to the public. It is believed that he has family in Port Charlotte and may be headed back to that area. If seen, please contact your local law enforcement agency. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the Punta Gorda Police Department at 941-649-4111.

UPDATE: The missing individual has been located and is safe.

Original Post: August 3, 2019

On Sunday, September 1, 2019 Officer Russell responded to an address on Mediterranean Drive in reference to a possible overdose. Upon arrival he found a 48 year old male slumped over on the couch, unconscious and barely breathing from a believed overdose of fentanyl. Luckily, just weeks ago, Officer Russell received training and began carrying Narcan® (naloxone) Nasal Spray, a potentially life saving medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Officer Russell administered the medication and the patient regained consciousness. The patient was treated by the Punta Gorda Fire Department and Charlotte County EMS before being transported to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

“With the increase of dangerous opioids such as fentanyl coming into the country, every community needs to be prepared for an increase in overdose cases.”

Pam Davis, Chief of Police

While Punta Gorda has not seen the large number of overdose cases that are all too commonplace elsewhere in Florida and across the United States, it is certainly not immune from the effects of the opioid epidemic. This is why, earlier this year, Chief Davis made the decision to begin a Narcan® program.

“With the increase of dangerous opioids such as fentanyl coming into the county, every community needs to be prepared for an increase in overdose cases,” said Chief Davis. The program, which has been implemented entirely through grant funding from the Florida Department of Health’s HEROS Grant, has allowed each patrol officer to carry Narcan® Nasal Spray on their utility belt so they will always be prepared when they encounter a potential overdose victim. Narcan® Nasal Spray is administered much like any other nasal spray so it can be administered by officers prior to the arrival of medical personnel.

Lieutenant Dylan Renz stated, “Our officers are often the first responders on scene and, in an overdose situation, every second counts. Being able to administer the medication right away may mean the difference between life and death.”

Overdose cases are also not limited to those using drugs recreationally. Patients who are prescribed opioid medications for legitimate health conditions, may inadvertently take an extra dose or may have an adverse reaction to a new medication or dosage.

The instance this weekend was the first time Punta Gorda Police Officers have administered Narcan® Nasal Spray since implementing the program last month. You can find more information on Narcan® Nasal Spray by visiting the manufacturer’s website at www.narcan.com.

Original Post: Friday, August 30, 2019
Latest Update: Saturday, August 31, 2019 @ 5:30 PM

August 31, 2019 @ 5:30 PM: The forecast for Hurricane Dorian continues to show the storm tracking to the east and well away from Southwest Florida. The Punta Gorda Police Department in continuing to prepare should we be called upon for assistance in any of the communities on the east coast that may be impacted by the storm.

August 31, 2019 @ 11:30 AM: This morning’s update brings more positive news for Florida. The current forecast shows Punta Gorda outside the five-day cone and the worst side of the storm missing Florida all together. While this means we can all breathe a little easier, it also shows how drastically forecasts can change. If you have not yet finished preparing or planning, we encourage you to continue to do so in case things change again. We are still not even midway through hurricane season, so even if we have little impact from Hurricane Dorian, you will be ready for the rest of the season.

August 30, 2019: Today the Punta Gorda City Council passed an Emergency Ordinance authorizing the City Manager to declare a “State of Local Emergency” for the City of Punta Gorda in preparation for possible impacts from Hurricane Dorian. City staff, along with police and fire department leadership, met this afternoon to review the current forecast and storm predictions and continue with preparations. They will meet again on Sunday afternoon to reevaluate conditions. Leadership of the police and fire departments also attended the emergency management meeting held at the Charlotte County Emergency Operations Center. Our residents can be assured that their public officials are doing everything possible to make sure that we are ready to serve our community and deal with any impact from this storm.

Important Information

• Residents can receive the latest storm information from the City of Punta Gorda by visiting www.cityofpuntagordafl.com or through any City of Punta Gorda or Punta Gorda Police Department social media outlet including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and NextDoor.
• Residents can register with the CodeRed emergency notifications system by clicking here.
• For specific needs please dial 2-1-1 or 941-833-4000. In the event of an emergency dial 9-1-1.
• Residents can follow Charlotte County Emergency Management to receive important emergency information by clicking here.
• Local radio stations: WCCF AM 1580, WIKX FL 92.9, WENG AM 1530, WBCG FM 98.9, WCVU FM 104.9, WINK FM 96.9, and WCKT FM 100.9.
• Local television stations: Weather-31, Wink-5, WBBH-2, WZVN-7, WXLT-10, WFTX-4, and SNN-6.
• Local newspapers: Charlotte Sun, Herald Tribune.
• Sand bags are being offered at the city-owned parcel on West Henry Street near the dog park. A limit of 10 bags per City of Punta Gorda resident are available to be self-filled.
• More information available in the City of Punt Gorda Weekly Highlights Report (see below).

While the most recent reports may seem positive for our area, there is still a great deal of uncertainty and we encourage all of our residents to continue making final preparations and ensure that they have a plan in place should the storm impact our area or an evacuation becomes necessary. All Floridians know that when it comes to hurricanes, you plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Original Post: August 16, 2019
Latest Update: August 29, 2019

The Punta Gorda Police Department is attempting to identify two females in reference to a distraction theft that occurred at a store in Fishermen’s Village on August 14, 2019. On that date the two females seen in these photos entered the store and were greeted by an employee. One of the females kept the employee busy while the other went into the employee’s purse stealing cash and several credit cards. The females then made several purchases of gift cards at local Publix Supermarkets totaling more than $1,200 before the victim even discovered that the credit cards were missing.

The suspects are described as black females in their late 20’s or early 30’s. One suspect was described as having a heavy build with short black hair wearing white pants with green and black colors. The other suspect was described as having an average build wearing a brown fedora style hat, blue jeans, and a butterfly pendant. The suspects were driving the maroon vehicle seen in the photos.

UPDATE: Additional security camera video and photos of the suspects are available.

If anyone has any information on this crime they are encouraged to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward to information leading to an arrest.

Published: July 31, 2019
Last Updated: August 28, 2019

On July 31, 2019, at approximately 8:45 a.m. the Punta Gorda Police Department responded to the Bank of the Ozarks (Bank OZK), located at 3855 Tamiami Trail, in reference to an armed robbery. Upon arrival officers encountered a subject walking away from the bank property who matched the general description of the suspect that had been provided and ordered him to stop. The subject fled on foot and was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. This subject, identified as Brian Lamar Davis of Fort Myers, was questioned, but there was no evidence tying him to the robbery. He was charged with Resisting an Officer Without Violence.

During the investigation bank employees stated that an unknown black male wearing a black, red, green, and yellow colored knit cap, a black bandana over his face, and a dark colored sweatshirt entered the bank, brandished a firearm, and demanded money. The suspect then left with an undisclosed amount of money.

UPDATE: The suspect is believed to have left the area in a black in color Lincoln Zephyr four-door sedan depicted in the attached photo.

Punta Gorda detectives and the FBI are continuing to investigate. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-780-TIPS. You may be eligible for a cash reward.

At approximately 11:41 a.m. this morning Punta Gorda Police responded to the Punta Gorda Nature Park, located at the intersection of Bal Harbor Boulevard and Aqui Esta Drive, in reference to a body that was discovered by individuals visiting the park. Detectives and Crime Scene are conducting an investigation and will be working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine cause of death. The name of the deceased will not be released until family can be notified. There is no reason to believe that there is any threat to public safety. More information will be made available when possible.

UPDATE (August 20, 2019) The victim in this incident has been identified as 66 year old Joseph Gary Griffin of Bal Harbor Boulevard in Punta Gorda. An autopsy was conducted and the Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the death a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

On July 30, 2019 at approximately 5:30 p.m. the Punta Gorda Police Department responded to the Chase Bank, located at 911 Tamiami Trail, in reference to a robbery. During the investigation bank employees stated that the suspect entered the bank and requested a withdrawal from his account. However, after providing the bank with his identification card and social security number, they were unable to locate any account for the suspect. At that time the suspect took out a piece of paper and wrote a demand for money before insinuating that he had a weapon. The suspect then left the bank in a green pickup truck with an undisclosed amount of money.

When officers arrived on scene the bank provided the information the suspect had given them as well as photos of the suspect from security footage. The suspect was known to officers as Jesse Lozano, who resides at 5468 Maze Drive in Punta Gorda. As his residence is located outside of the city limits detectives requested that the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office respond to Lozano’s residence to attempt to locate the vehicle. A short time later deputies advised that the green pickup truck was in the driveway and that they had made contact with Lozano. Punta Gorda Police detectives responded to the residence and observed that Lozano’s physical characteristics and clothing matched the suspect in the security footage. Lozano denied any involvement, but detectives recovered evidence related to the robbery in his home and vehicle. Lozano was arrested and charged with Robbery and Grand Theft.

Punta Gorda Police are attempting to identify the individual in these photos regarding a felony grand theft of groceries from the Publix, located at 3491 Tamiami Trail. This individual also attempted a theft at the same store several days earlier, but was deterred by employees. It is believe that this individual has also been involved in other thefts in the area. He is described as a white male with dark hair in his late 30’s or early 40’s. He may have left the scene in a dark orange in color Chevrolet HRR, but this has not been confirmed. If you have any information, please contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (1-800-780-8477). Callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.