A man with ties to a rival business has been arrested in connection with an arson and shooting attack on a Lake Wales insurance office that stunned a quiet Florida community earlier this year.
Jason Roberts, 43, was taken into custody on July 17 in Jasper, Georgia, nearly four months after the March 20 attack on the Univista Insurance office on State Road 60. Authorities said Roberts is the brother of Regina Waldrop, the co-owner of a nearby insurance agency operating in the same commercial plaza.
According to police reports and witness accounts, the incident occurred just after 1:30am when a man approached the storefront and threw two Molotov cocktails through the lobby window. A firearm was also discharged, with a bullet traveling through multiple walls before becoming embedded in the building’s rear interior. The phrase “Civil War Trump” was discovered spray-painted on the glass, suggesting a possible political or ideological motive.
The suspect fled the scene, but surveillance footage captured images of a silver Toyota Prius near the property around the time of the attack. Investigators traced the vehicle to Sarasota Pathology, a medical courier firm where Roberts had worked. The company later confirmed that Roberts, then serving as a courier supervisor, had no scheduled work or reason to be in Lake Wales at the time.
Roberts resigned from his position without notice four days after the attack, raising further suspicion. After months of investigation, police in Lake Wales, in cooperation with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, located and arrested him in Georgia. He was taken into custody without incident.
He now faces a litany of charges, including armed burglary, arson, possession of firebombs, shooting into an occupied building, and criminal mischief. Authorities have not ruled out federal hate crime charges pending further review of the evidence and intent behind the spray-painted message.
German Portillo, the owner of the damaged insurance agency, expressed both dismay and forgiveness in interviews with local media. A licensed insurance agent and longtime pastor in the area, Mr. Portillo has operated the Univista branch since 2017 and is well known for his civic engagement.
“This has been deeply unsettling, not just for us, but for our clients and community,” Portillo told reporters. “But we remain open. We remain committed.”
In the weeks following the attack, members of the Lake Wales community rallied around the business, offering donations and moral support. Crime Stoppers has issued a $2,500 reward for information leading to any further arrests or prosecution in the case.
Police have not filed charges against Ms. Waldrop, and she has not commented publicly.
Investigators have not confirmed whether she had any knowledge of or connection to her brother’s alleged actions.
“This case is about more than vandalism,” said Lt. Dale Hampton of the Lake Wales Police Department. “It’s about safety, justice, and protecting the values of our community.”
Univista Insurance continues to operate as the investigation proceeds, standing, as Portillo put it, “not just as a business, but as a symbol of resilience.”
