News and Investigations

A deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was arrested for driving while impaired Saturday evening, October 30, 2021, and is no longer employed by the agency—he resigned after he was arrested.

26-year old Josiah Perry was charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Alcohol/Drugs (M2) and DUI with Property Damage (M1). He has since bonded out of jail ($500 bond per charge).

Perry initially told deputies that someone else had been driving, but then later admitted he was the driver.

“Perry has lost my trust and faith, as well as that of the community. He can no longer serve as a law enforcement officer as a result of his conduct and untruthfulness.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The arrest was the result of a single-vehicle crash on K-Ville Avenue near Pinter Road in the K-Ville area of Auburndale, at around 8:15 PM.

Perry had been driving a silver 2017 Ford Explorer when it drove off of the roadway and flipped.  He was uninjured.

In the arrest affidavit, it was noted by the responding deputy that Perry’s eyes appeared bloodshot and watery, and that Perry admitted that he had recently consumed a glass of vodka and cranberry juice. 

A field sobriety test was conducted and it was determined that Perry was impaired by drugs and/or alcohol, and was arrested.

At the Sheriff’s Processing Center, Perry provided two breath samples of 0.128g/210L and 0.129g/210L (breath alcohol content). The legal threshold is 0.08g/210L. 

Josiah Perry was hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on July 23, 2019. He resigned from PCSO effective immediately after his arrest. Had he not resigned, he would have been terminated.