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Teens arrested in Pine Hills shooting that killed innocent bystander to remain in jail

Two teenage boys were arrested in Polk County Saturday in connection with a shooting last week at a Pine Hills gas station that killed an innocent bystander, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Jayvon Joachin, 16, and DeShawn Miller, 17, both of Orlando, are accused of stealing a Dodge Charger that was left running with the windows lowered outside a Winter Haven gas station shortly after 12:45 p.m., Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Donna Wood said.

Five hours later, the boys were spotted driving west on Interstate 4, deputies said.
After a 20-minute pursuit, deputies deployed stop sticks near Highway 557, causing the car to crash into a ditch, Wood said.
Investigators said the pair of teens drove in a stolen Nissan Murano from an apartment complex in the city to a gas station Wednesday.

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They are suspected of shooting Kendra Lewis, 27, in the face while she was sitting in a car with her 5-year-old daughter at a Citgo gas station across the street from Evans High School, Orange County deputies said. The school district would not confirm if the teens attended Evans High School.
Lewis, who was hospitalized at Orlando Regional Medical Center, died after being removed from life support Thursday afternoon.
Investigators said she wasn’t the intended target but merely an innocent bystander who was caught in the crossfire.
“This is an indication of an out of control crime wave,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

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During the arrest, Wood said Joachin had in his possession three window punches, a tool used to break windows.
Deputies also found a handgun near Miller, she said.
Detectives said that the weapon was stolen from the Tampa Arms Company Gun Shop during a burglary Nov. 29.
The suspects were taken to Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center in Davenport to be treated for minor injuries.
“Upon his arrest, Joachin confessed to the homicide and to stealing the Charger from Winter Haven,” Wood said.

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Deputies said Miller’s arrest history dates back to 2013 and includes 20 felony charges, 11 misdemeanor charges and one felony conviction.

Joachin's arrest history dates back to 2014 and includes seven felony charges, two misdemeanor charges but no convictions, investigators said.

Both were booked into the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow on a slew of charges, including homicide and grand theft. The teens have been ordered by a judge to stay in the juvenile detention center until they’re arraigned later this week.
Lewis' cousin Renee Jones said it was difficult to grapple with the ongoing violence in the Pine Hills neighborhood. 
"It's absolutely unreal because it's at our front door now," she said.
Something has to be done and it has to start with Pine Hills residents, Jones added.
"We can't leave it up to the sheriff's department. We can't leave it up to our government officials because they don't live here," she said. "We live here."
The teens will be extradited to Orange County.
State investigators told Channel 9’s Angela Jacobs that they’re working to confirm if a firearm found with Miller is one of the 35 taken from a smash and grab at a Tampa guns store two weeks ago.

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