UPDATE TUESDAY 11:30 AM
Friends, family members, and fellow deputies gathered in a Lakeland church this morning to say a final goodbye to Polk County Deputy Blane Lane, who was killed in the line of duty last week when he and three others tried to arrest Cheryl Williams on a felony warrant for failure to appear on a drug charge. In his remarks, Sheriff Grady Judd said Lane will never be forgotten. "Blane will be remembered for the greatness of his heart, his nobility of spirit, his infectious smile, and his positive attitude," Judd said. "I will remember Blane for his valor. He rose up against the wicked, so the lands would be safe."
Lane had often said he wanted to be sheriff one day, and with that in mind, Judd posthumously promoted him to honorary sheriff "for all eternity."
UPDATE FRIDAY 12:30 PM
Details are being released about the memorial service for Polk County Deputy Blane Lane, who was killed in the line of duty this week while attempting to serve a warrant.
The memorial will be held at 10 AM on Tuesday, October 11 at Victory Church in Lakeland. There will not be a public viewing or gravesite service. Law enforcement honors will take place outside the church following the service.
The 21-year-old deputy lived in Fort Meade, and became a detention deputy in May, 2021. He was sworn in by Sheriff Grady Judd as a deputy in January, and was assigned to the Northwest District patrol team.
46-year-old Cheryl Williams is facing 13 felony charges, including murder, in connection with the deputy's death.
UPDATE 4:50 PM
Friendly fire claims the life of a 21-year-old Polk County Sheriff's deputy, who was with three others early this morning trying to serve a warrant on a drug suspect who'd skipped a court date.
Sheriff Grady Judd says Deputy Blane Lane was positioned outside a mobile home as his colleagues went in to find 46-year-old suspect Cheryl Williams, who came at the deputies with a realistic-looking BB gun. They fired, hitting her twice. And one of the bullets passed through the metal and struck Lane. Judd says deputies Johnny Holsonback and Sgt. Michael Brooks are "devastated."
"Words can't adequately explain the absolute grief we feel," Judd said in an afternoon news conference. "But it's our job to be at our very best in the very worst of times. And this is the very worst of times for us."
As for Williams, Judd says she will be charged with felony murder in what he says was obviously a "suicide by cop" attempt. "She created this entire event," Judd said. "She forced this shooting."
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For the second time in the past couple of weeks, an area sheriff's deputy has been killed in the line of duty.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says a 21-year-old deputy was among four who were attempting to arrest a suspect on an outstanding warrant in unincorporated Polk City early this morning. "They entered the trailer successfully," Judd said in a preliminary briefing. "Shots were fired, and one of our very young deputies, 21 years of age, he's been with us a short period of time, died at Lakeland Regional Medical Center."
Neither the deputy's name nor that of the suspect has been released at this point.
Judd is expected to provide more information later this afternoon. Just yesterday, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office laid Deputy Michael Hartwick to rest after he was killed in the line of duty last month.
photo: Polk County Sheriff's Office