SWFL.io - Local NewsWINK Investigates Reporter: Olivia Jean
•7/23/2026
LEE COUNTY, Fla (WINK) — Now more than 24 hours after a murder suspect brought Interstate 75 to a standstill in Lee County, questions remain not only about the criminal investigation — but also about how law enforcement manages a high-risk operation that impacts thousands of drivers during rush hour.
The suspect, identified by the St. Petersburg Police Department as Ladavion King, 43, remains in serious condition at an area hospital and is in the custody of the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
According to St. Petersburg police, King is accused of fatally shooting a 47-year-old City of St. Petersburg sanitation technician Wednesday afternoon while she sat inside her work vehicle. Investigators say the victim and King knew each other and that the shooting was a targeted attack.
Police say King fled south before Florida Highway Patrol located his vehicle on Interstate 75 in Lee County. The stop led to a lengthy standoff near Alico Road, shutting down both northbound and southbound lanes for hours and creating miles of traffic backups during the evening commute.
Florida Highway Patrol says its Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence is leading the investigation into the interstate incident. The agency said King remains hospitalized and that Florida Highway Patrol charges are forthcoming. All lanes of I-75 reopened around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
WINK Investigates asked Florida Highway Patrol a series of questions about the response, including:
Florida Highway Patrol has not yet responded to those questions.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office, which assisted during the operation, said a unified command was established with FHP to coordinate the response, including traffic diversions and tactical operations.
According to LCSO, deputies from its SWAT team used two armored vehicles and worked alongside the agency's Crisis Negotiation Team in an effort to safely take the suspect into custody.
The Sheriff's Office also said its Communications Division, command staff, and Real Time Intelligence Center all played roles in coordinating the response.
LCSO says incidents of this scale are routinely reviewed after they conclude.
The agency told WINK Investigates that the units involved — including Patrol, SWAT, Crisis Negotiation, Communications, Command Staff, and the Real Time Intelligence Center — will debrief the incident to discuss how the operation unfolded, how the teams worked together, and what lessons can be learned.
The Sheriff's Office added that law enforcement is "continually evolving" and that lessons learned from major incidents help shape future responses.
To better understand why highways are sometimes shut down during standoffs, WINK Investigates also spoke with retired FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko.
Kolko said law enforcement must balance competing priorities during these situations.
"Law enforcement had conflicting demands during this event," Kolko said. "Number one, the safety of the personnel, and number two, getting their highways back open."
He said when officers believe a suspect could be armed, public safety takes precedence.
"They knew the possibility this person was armed," Kolko said. "The best they could do was shut down the highway."
Kolko added that incident commanders must consider the safety of officers, nearby motorists, and the public before deciding when it is safe to reopen traffic.
As the criminal investigation continues, WINK Investigates is still waiting for Florida Highway Patrol to answer questions about the tactical decisions made during Wednesday's response and whether a formal after-action review will be conducted.