Car slams into Haines City business, driver arrested

Shocking surveillance video out of Polk County shows a car slamming into a business in Haines City. Police say 19-year-old Cesar Mendoza Tapia Jr. drove his 2005 Ford Mustang into a downtown business Monday evening. An incident report from the police department says Tapia was turning left from Sixth Street South onto Hinson Avenue when he lost control of his car. He then crashed into the south window of Rent King on Hinson Avenue, police say. Thomas Lewis, the manager at Rent King, tells us he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the Mustang careen through his building. "I'm like thinking, Dukes of Hazzard - this dude just jumped through my building," Lewis said. "Standing behind the counter, the next thing you know we hear a big crash. This car comes running up through here. It just looks like a big cloud of smoke. Just got my cell phone out and started recording." Lewis says he and several employees had been working in the front of the building just moments before the crash. "Just painted the front of the building, so we were just getting some LED lights to put in this window right here," he said. "We had just gotten everything measured out and were going to get some tools." He says that's when the crash happened. Surveillance video shows the Mustang drive completely into the building before coming to a stop. Thankfully, police say there were no injuries. "This is an area that usually has a heavy pedestrian presence and we're so thankful that no one was hurt," Police Chief Jim Elensky said. Investigators say they determined Tapia was driving recklessly at the time of the crash and was going "well above" the posted 30 mph limit. According to police, Tapia had a Florida identification card but did not have a valid Florida driver's license. Tapia was charged with reckless driving and driving without a license. "Mr. Tapia was taken to jail, but this could have been much, much worse," Chief Elensky said. "We hope this serves as a lesson to him and anyone else who thinks it's OK to drive without a license or at high rates of speed." The owner of Rent King estimated the total cost of damage is more than $25,000. Code compliance checked the building and determined it was structurally sound.

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