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4 Arrested In Shooting Of Winter Haven 12-Year-Old

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 31, 2008

An investigation into the shooting of a 12-year-old Winter Haven boy has yielded four arrests.

The boy was shot in the leg Monday afternoon as he and a friend unintentionally walked near two groups of people that were arguing, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. Caleb Brown was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center and is home recuperating, deputies said today.

He and a friend, Richard Goodwin, 15, were walking on Carefree Cove Drive in Winter Haven about 5 p.m. when they approached a group of teens in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, the sheriff's office said.

Several people then emerged from a nearby wooded area and shouted at the teens in the Jeep to leave, authorities say.

The people who walked out of the woods fired several shots at the Jeep, and Caleb was wounded by the gunfire, deputies say.

Detectives say Caleb was not the intended victim.

Investigators found Kerwin Farmer, 16, at his home late Tuesday or early today. He was charged with attempted murder.

Farmer told Polk deputies he was a shooter in the incident, according to a sheriff's office news release.

Three others were arrested Monday:

• Ethan Lucas, 16, of Lake Alfred, was charged with discharging a firearm in public, carrying a concealed firearm and violating probation.

• Rakeem Rivers, 17, of Winter Haven, was charged with tampering with evidence.

• Antonio Calloway, 15, of Winter Haven, was charged with attempted murder.

Detectives also are trying to speak to James Derek Crowder, 18, of Winter Haven, about the shooting. He has not been identified as a suspect. He is white, weighs about 150 pounds and is about 5 feet 4 inches tall. He has a tattoo on the left side of his neck.

Anyone with information about the case can call Detective James Trado at (863) 534-6200.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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