Lake Wales Man Arrested After Gunfire Endangers Deputy and Bystander

iSkyNews and Media August 26, 2025

31-year-old Jonatan Omar Amaria / Polk County Sheriff

By: Ciara Perez | Investigative Journalist | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published August 26th, 2025

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Lake Wales, FL — A Lake Wales man is facing multiple charges after allegedly firing a handgun behind his home, endangering a deputy and a nearby resident, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

On Saturday, August 23rd at approximately 5:35 p.m., deputies responded to reports of gunfire near Walk-In-Water Road and Cypresswood Drive, southeast of Lake Wales. The first deputy on scene reported hearing rounds fly overhead and immediately took cover.

During the investigation, deputies discovered a Chevy Tahoe parked on Cypresswood Drive with two bullet holes. The vehicle’s owner stated he was reaching into the open tailgate when he heard the rounds strike his SUV. He was not injured.

The gunfire was traced to 8854 Oakwood Drive, the residence of 31-year-old Jonatan Omar Amaria. Amaria was reportedly uncooperative and falsely claimed he had only been using a pellet gun. Deputies interviewed four men hired to remodel Amaria’s home and obtained a search warrant for the property.

A .45 caliber pistol was recovered from Amaria’s van, along with multiple shell casings found throughout the area. One witness reported seeing Amaria shoot into a nearby body of water.

31-year-old Jonatan Omar Amaria / Polk County Sheriff

Amaria was arrested and charged with:

Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle (F2)
Tampering with Evidence (F3)
Discharging a Firearm in Public (M1)
Resisting Without Violence (M1)
Culpable Negligence (M2)

The investigation remains ongoing.

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