Six Illegal Guatemalan Immigrants Charged in Polk County Fatal Hit-and-Run

In Polk County, Florida, six Guatemalan nationals living in the U.S. illegally were arrested following a fatal hit-and-run incident at a large party in the Willow Oak Mobile Home Park. A 21-year-old man was found dead inside his home with injuries consistent with being run over by a vehicle and subsequently dragged inside. Witnesses reported that 52-year-old Ponciano Cinto-Ramirez backed a van over the victim before fleeing the scene, despite partygoers shouting at him to stop. When deputies arrived at the nearby residence where Cinto-Ramirez and others were located, the suspects initially refused to cooperate and some provided false identification. Charges include leaving the scene of a crash involving death, driving without a license causing death, resisting arrest, and providing false information, with all charges enhanced due to the suspects' illegal status. Sheriff Grady Judd noted that ICE has placed holds on the suspects for potential deportation, emphasizing the serious felonies involved and the tragic outcome of what began as a neighborhood party.