04.29.16 PCTO by Plant City Observer

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 3, NO. 43

Jiu-jitsu competitors prepare for tourney.

Sports, page 16

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FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

“My biggest lessons, I think, were being patient and learning how to influence things to get something done. You don’t do things the same way with everybody every time. You have to do what works.” — retired Lt. Col. Carl Brosky

HOMETOWN HEROES EDITOR’S NOTE: Hometown Heroes is a recurring feature in the Plant City Times & Observer in which we profile veterans from Plant City. If you have a loved one currently serving or who has served in the past, please contact Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen by email at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com or by phone at (813) 704-6850. EMILY TOPPER STAFF WRITER

hen retired Lt. Col. Carl Brosky first joined the United States Army in

1985, he had dreams of becoming a pilot. It was just after his graduation from

Blueberry Fest Don’t miss it this weekend. Page 13.

Plant City High School. Brosky had been inspired to join the armed forces after serving in JROTC for three years and having encouraging leaders. “I had always had an interest in the military,” Brosky said.

Carl Brosky served all over the world while he was in the United States Army for over 25 years. Coutesy photo

Brosky retired in 2013 at age 44 after a career that spanned over 25 years and took him all over the world,

Congrats, grad

including Iraq, Germany and El Sal-

Above: Carl Brosky served in the military from 1985 to 2013. He currently resides in Walden Lake with his family.

vador. “It’s not for everybody,” Brosky’s wife, Patti, said. “It was a wonderful

Photo by Emily Topper

Right: Carl Brosky’s wife, Patti, has served as a military wife for the majority of her husband’s career. The couple has two children, Olivia and Jack.

life, definitely difficult at times. But overall, we really enjoyed it.” READ MORE ON PAGE 12.

City Commission candidate once found guilty of lying in workers’ comp case David Cook, a former Lakeland Police officer, is running in the runoff election May 3. medical treatment, Cook said he was going to be checked on in a couple of days. “If I start, you know, feeling any other soreDespite being a decorated former Lakeland ness or something, where you know I might’ve Police Department officer, current Plant City got spun around or whatever,” Cook said. Commission candidate David Cook had a Following the injuries, Cook filed a workers’ record of “untruthfulness,” “unlawful con- compensation claim. duct” and “conduct unbecoming” during During the course of the claim, his accounts his police career, according to investigations of what happened during the accident in done by the Lakeland Police Department. January 2008 changed. Cook’s story starts to Cook medically retired as vary in a court hearing for an officer with LPD amid the accident on March 14, those charges, which were 2008. During questionWHAT HAPPENED? later sustained by LPD ing, Cook said, once the n January 10, 2008: David in late 2015. He had been vehicle he fired at passed Cook, a now-retired Lakeland found of being untruthful him, “my radio was disPolice Officer, was involved in a during interactions with the engaged, my mouth was “lethal force” incident. City of Lakeland Risk Manbusted, my shoulder’s n Cook later filed a workers’ agement Department and busted,” as recorded in an compensation claim with the during a deposition regardLPD investigation report. City of Lakeland. ing a workers’ compensaCook also said, during n During the claim, Cook protion claim. the hearing, the van hit vided “untruthful” information The charges are related him. Previously, he had to the City of Lakeland’s Risk to a January 2008 incident, said the van passed him. Management Department and where Cook, at that time “I don’t remember “untruthful” testimony duran officer with LPD, was which part hit me,” Cook ing a State of Florida workers’ involved in a “lethal force” said in a statement during compensation deposition with incident. After a suspect the hearing. “Most likely Attorney Barbi Feldman, who in a van drove toward him, it was the rearview mirwas the attorney for the City of Cook fired his gun on the ror, or whatever, but that’s Lakeland and its workers’ comsuspect and bit his tongue when I got my tongue and pensation carrier. while the suspect passed mouth busted and my him, according to LPD’s shoulder.” official accident report. When asked if part of The only photo related to an injury included the van struck him, Cook then changed his in the official report is of the injury to Cook’s story again and said, “I don’t remember that. tongue. Everything was pretty fluid at the time.” According to an interview Detective Nona Cook’s story again differed when he had Dyess conducted with Cook after the inci- a deposition with a workers’ compensation dent, Cook said he had a “cut tongue” when attorney, Barbi Feldman, on May 23, 2014. asked about his injuries. SEE COOK PAGE 3 When asked if he had any other follow-up EMILY TOPPER STAFF WRITER

Emily Topper

David Cook

YOUR TOWN

Mr. and Mrs. Robert VandeSande, of Plant City, announce with great pride the graduation of their daughter, Spencer Brooke VandeSande, from Florida Gulf Coast University. Spencer VandeSande was a 2012 graduate of Plant City High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in communication with a concentration in communication studies. She will graduate cum laude. While at FGCU, Spencer VandeSande was a member of the Tri Delta Sorority, and she held the position of philanthropy chair in her junior year. She was also involved in the Dirty Birds and the National Society of Leadership and Success. Her future plans include traveling this summer and then pursuing a career with a nonprofit organization.

DANCING DARLINGS

Team performs at birthday party for friend with cancer. Page 10.