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Lakeland commissioner candidate Sara Roberts McCarley appears victorious

Candidates Bill Watts and Patrick Shawn Jones combined won about 25 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.
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LAKELAND, Fla. — Sara Roberts McCarley likely will fill the seat left vacant by a former Lakeland city commissioner facing a charge of second-degree murder.

McCarley appears to have won the race for city commissioner to represent the southwest district with 5,858 votes with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results Tuesday on the Polk County Supervisor of Elections website.

Bill Watts garnered 1,130 votes and Patrick Shawn Jones earned 907 votes.

In a video detailing her candidacy, McCarley said she will work to make Lakeland a place where kids can come home to and give back to the community. She has helped to run the Randy Roberts Foundation and is a former executive director of Polk Vision.

"We have so much to offer in Lakeland," McCarley said. "I think we have a great entrepreneurial spirit where kids can come back and build businesses."

She could not be immediately reached for comment. 

Former commissioner Michael Dunn resigned his seat in late October 2018 after being charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Christobal Lopez.

Police say Dunn shot and killed Lopez at his Vets Army Navy Surplus Store at its entrance. Investigators reported Dunn admitted to shooting the man twice because he was stealing; police later said Lopez tried to take a hatchet.

RELATED: Man shot by former Lakeland official was legally drunk, autopsy found

Attorney Mark O’Mara, who represented George Zimmerman during his trial and was helping Dunn, told the judge overseeing bond that Dunn was fighting for his life after feeling threatened by Lopez.

Dunn was not protected under Florida's "stand your ground" law. 

After posting bail to be released from jail, Dunn ran from reporters and into a car.

RELATED: WATCH | Former Lakeland commissioner accused of murder runs to car after posting bond

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