A 44-year-old Lakeland man who spent months avoiding an active warrant was taken into custody on Sunday after deputies found him waiting for an Uber at a Winter Haven gas station.

Arrest Details

Shaun Robert Wiley was arrested around noon on June 14 at the RaceTrac on Havendale Boulevard. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, multiple deputies arrived at the location and detained Wiley before his requested ride could pick him up.

Authorities had been searching for Wiley since March 16, 2026, when a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. The warrant was issued because Wiley failed to appear at a pre-trial conference related to a petit theft charge. Law enforcement noted that he had been successfully avoiding arrest for the last few months.

During the arrest on Sunday, deputies searched Wiley and found methamphetamine and a syringe in his possession.

He was transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and booked on the outstanding warrant. Along with the original failure to appear warrant, Wiley now faces additional charges for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violation of probation related to a previous domestic felony battery charge.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.