Lake Wales Charter School Principal Arrested After Traffic Stop in Davenport, PCSO Says

iSkyNews and Media February 21, 2026

Chenia Thate / Polk County Sheriff’s Office

By Staff Reporter
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published February 21, 2026

Lake Wales Charter School Principal Arrested After Traffic Stop in Davenport, PCSO Says

DAVENPORT, Fla. — A Lake Wales Charter School employee was arrested following a traffic stop Sunday morning after deputies discovered she was driving with a suspended license and had an active warrant, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

PCSO says the stop occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, February 15, 2026, in the area of Ridgewood Lakes and U.S. Highway 27 in Davenport. A deputy initiated the stop on a gray Nissan SUV after learning the registered owner of the vehicle had a suspended driver’s license.

Deputies identified the driver as 47-year-old Chenia Thate of Orlando, who was confirmed to be the registered owner. She provided her driver’s license to the deputy, who informed her that it was suspended due to lack of insurance. Thate reportedly told the deputy she was unaware that her license had been suspended.

After running her information through law enforcement databases, the deputy learned Thate had an active warrant for failure to appear in court related to a prior citation for failure to maintain insurance. Thate told the deputy she did not recall signing a citation, but the deputy located the original notice to appear and confirmed she had signed the paperwork.

Thate was taken into custody on the warrant and later released after posting a $250 bond.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Thate is currently the principal at Hillcrest Elementary School in Lake Wales, which is part of the Lake Wales Charter School system.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the arrest, stating:

“This is disappointing, to say the least. Someone in a position of authority over schoolchildren should be setting the example for honesty, morals, and ethics.”

No additional charges were announced related to the traffic stop. The case remains documented through PCSO records.

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