A Friday night in Lakeland ended with 54-year-old Deanna Kay Parks being handcuffed after a scuffle with an ex-boyfriend allegedly escalated into a late-night hit-and-run.
On May 1, 2026, detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested the Valleyview Elementary School instructor. The arrest arises from an incident that occurred around a week prior, just after midnight on April 26.
According to detectives, Parks targeted a vehicle parked near Yarborough Lane, which belonged to the woman who is currently seeing her previous lover.
When the victim returned to her car the following morning, she discovered it twenty feet from where she had left it. The rear bumper was smashed, and both sides of the vehicle were covered in new scratches.
Sheriff Grady Judd condemned the educator’s actions.
“Elementary teachers should never behave this way,” Judd stated. “Miss Parks earned herself a detention at the Polk County Jail, and she needs to relearn, ‘Keep your hands off of other people’s property.'”
After police examined the digital and physical evidence, the investigation moved quickly. Around the same time the automobile was being vandalized, Parks allegedly sent a text message to her ex-boyfriend that was both disrespectful and vulgar.
When deputies arrived at Parks’ residence, they discovered her black 2025 Jeep with damage that matched the victim’s car, including apparent paint transfer. Location data also indicated that her Jeep was in the vicinity at the time of the crime.
Things became more tricky during the interview. Parks first told detectives that her Jeep had no damage and that she had not been involved in any incidents. However, when investigators pointed out the damage on her front bumper, she changed her tale, claiming she had been in a small “fender bender” a few weeks before.
Parks is charged with third-degree felony criminal mischief.
Although she has been processed into the county jail, her future in the classroom remains uncertain. Polk County Public Schools officials stated that, while she is still technically an employee, the district is looking into the event.
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