{"id":96,"date":"2026-08-08T14:50:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/?p=96"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:53:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:53:59","slug":"zip-tied-iguanas-in-truck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/critter-crimes\/zip-tied-iguanas-in-truck\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Man Arrested in Winter Haven After Troopers Find 13 Zip-Tied Iguanas in Truck"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A routine traffic stop on Winter Lake Road in Winter Haven took a very strange turn when Florida Highway Patrol troopers discovered 13 live iguanas, five coolers of fish and a driver with a suspended license.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are ordinary traffic stops in Winter Haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then there are traffic stops involving <strong>13 live iguanas with their feet zip-tied behind their backs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This bizarre Florida arrest happened in <strong>Winter Haven, Florida<\/strong>, when Florida Highway Patrol troopers stopped a pickup truck traveling along <strong>State Road 540, also known as Winter Lake Road, near Thornhill Road<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What began as a stop over a trailer tag light eventually led to a K-9 search, five coolers of iced tilapia, 13 live iguanas and an arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The driver was ultimately charged with driving with a suspended license and booked into the Polk County Jail. Authorities said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was also investigating the handling and transportation of the iguanas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Traffic Stop on Winter Lake Road<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident happened around 6:30 a.m. on State Road 540 at Thornhill Road in Winter Haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s the <strong>Winter Lake Road corridor<\/strong>, an important east-west route through the Winter Haven area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Troopers stopped a Ford F-150 that was towing a utility trailer because the trailer did not have a working light illuminating its license plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The driver was identified as 32-year-old Rendon Casildo-Acdiel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A records check reportedly showed that his Georgia driver&#8217;s license was suspended. Troopers also found that he did not have a valid Florida driver&#8217;s license and had outstanding warrants from three agencies, although none of those agencies would extradite him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that point, the traffic stop was already more complicated than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then came the explanation for the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coconuts in Miami, Fish in Polk County and 13 Iguanas in Winter Haven<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Troopers said Casildo-Acdiel told them he was from North Carolina and had driven to Miami to pick up coconuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Miami, he said he was traveling to <strong>Polk County to get fish<\/strong> before heading back to North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s a lot of driving for coconuts and fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the explanation raised enough suspicion that a Polk County Sheriff&#8217;s Office K-9 was called to the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The K-9 showed interest in the truck and trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Investigators then searched the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s when they found the iguanas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">13 Live Iguanas Were Found in the Truck Bed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside the truck bed, investigators found <strong>13 live iguanas with their feet zip-tied behind their backs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also found five coolers containing iced tilapia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Florida wildlife officials and agricultural investigators were contacted, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took over the wildlife portion of the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The iguanas were eventually turned over to a local rescue shelter. Authorities had not announced wildlife-related criminal charges at the time of the reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch the Original Winter Haven Traffic Stop Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original video helps put this unusual Winter Haven traffic stop into perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Zip-tied iguanas discovered during Central Florida traffic stop\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zc2VHCjWkZ0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The video is especially interesting because nothing about the initial stop suggested that troopers were about to discover 13 live iguanas in the back of a pickup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It started with a trailer light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It ended with an arrest and a wildlife investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Arrest Happened in Winter Haven, Polk County<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This wasn&#8217;t an arrest somewhere vaguely described as &#8220;Central Florida.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It happened in <strong>Winter Haven in Polk County<\/strong>, along the Winter Lake Road corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For people familiar with Winter Haven, the location puts the incident on the eastern side of the city, near the areas around <strong>Cypress Gardens and Eloise<\/strong>. Winter Haven also includes communities such as <strong>Jan Phyl Village, Inwood and Florence Villa<\/strong>, along with the neighborhoods surrounding downtown and the city&#8217;s many lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That local geography matters when an arrest occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A person stopped on Winter Lake Road, arrested by Florida Highway Patrol and booked into the Polk County system isn&#8217;t dealing with some generic statewide process. The arrest moves into the <strong>Polk County criminal justice system<\/strong>, including the county&#8217;s detention and court system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that&#8217;s where knowing what to do next becomes important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens After an Arrest in Winter Haven?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A strange arrest story is entertaining to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Being the person sitting in jail is not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone is arrested in Winter Haven, the immediate questions are usually much more practical:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where was the person taken?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are they charged with?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has a bond been set?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much is the bond?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can a bail bondsman post the bond?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How quickly can the person be released?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What information does the bondsman need?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are looking for information about an actual arrest in Winter Haven, learn more about Winter Haven bail bonds and how the Polk County bail process works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Could a Suspended License Arrest Cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exact bond amount for this particular arrest was not confirmed in the news reports available at the time of publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s important because it would be irresponsible to invent a bond amount simply to make the story more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bond amounts can depend on the specific charge, criminal history, outstanding warrants and the court&#8217;s decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone you know has actually been arrested in Winter Haven, the best way to find out what the bond is and what it will cost to get the person released is to check the current booking information or speak with a licensed Florida bail bondsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need Winter Haven Bail Bonds?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your family member, friend or loved one has been arrested in <strong>Winter Haven or elsewhere in Polk County<\/strong>, Bail America Bail Bonds can explain the next steps and help you understand the bail bond process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bail America provides 24-hour bail bond service for arrests throughout Polk County, including Winter Haven, Lakeland, Bartow, Auburndale, Haines City, Lake Wales, Davenport and surrounding communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their Winter Haven bail bonds service specifically addresses arrests that enter the Polk County system and explains what families can expect after someone is taken into custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need Help With a Winter Haven Arrest?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t try to figure out the Florida bail process alone. Bail America Bail Bonds is available 24 hours a day to help explain your options and get the bond process started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bailamericainc.com\/locations\/winter-haven-bail-bonds-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get Help With Winter Haven Bail Bonds<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">At Least the Iguanas Are Safe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever was going on inside that pickup truck, the 13 iguanas were ultimately removed from the vehicle and taken to a local rescue shelter while the wildlife investigation continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The driver was arrested on the suspended-license charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And somewhere in Florida, there is now one more story that sounds completely made up but actually happened:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A trailer with a bad tag light.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A road trip from North Carolina to Miami.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coconuts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Five coolers of tilapia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A K-9.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And <strong>13 zip-tied iguanas in the back of a truck in Winter Haven<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About This Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article is based on reporting from Florida news outlets and information attributed to the Florida Highway Patrol and other authorities. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The wildlife investigation was separate from the reported suspended-license charge, and authorities had not announced wildlife-related criminal charges at the time of publication.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A routine traffic stop on Winter Lake Road in Winter Haven took a very strange turn when Florida Highway Patrol troopers discovered 13 live iguanas, five coolers of fish and a driver with a suspended license. There are ordinary traffic&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-critter-crimes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96\/revisions\/104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridamanbailbonds.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}