Not-guilty plea entered in major Volusia case

The man accused of shooting a Volusia County deputy during a confrontation in Deltona has entered a not guilty plea, according to WESH. The case has become one of the county’s most serious recent public-safety prosecutions and continues to draw attention because it involves allegations of attempted murder against a law enforcement officer.

Luis Diaz Polanco, 31, is facing two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm. Authorities say Deputy Jose Rivera was shot twice during the incident, once in the leg and once in the shoulder area after a bullet was deflected. Rivera is expected to make a full recovery, a detail that has offered some relief in a case that could have ended much worse.

Countywide significance beyond Deltona

Although the shooting happened in Deltona, the case carries practical relevance across Volusia County, including for Edgewater residents. Incidents involving attacks on deputies often lead to heightened public attention, court hearings, and broader discussions about officer safety, emergency response and how violent felony cases are handled in the local justice system.

WESH reported that Diaz Polanco is scheduled to return to court as his attorney seeks to prevent release of his video confession. Prosecutors, meanwhile, said they planned to seek pretrial detention. Those procedural steps matter because they shape what evidence the public may see and how quickly the case moves through court.

Background from the report

The station’s report also noted that Seminole County court records show Diaz Polanco had previously been arrested in 2024 on battery charges involving a person 65 or older while working as a Lyft driver. Those charges were later dropped after the State Attorney’s Office filed a no-information notice. That history does not determine the outcome of the current case, but it adds context to a prosecution already under close scrutiny.

For local readers, the key facts remain the same: a deputy was seriously wounded, the suspect has denied the charges through a formal plea, and the court process is now moving into its next phase. Cases like this can take time, with hearings over evidence, detention and admissibility often stretching over weeks or months before trial decisions are made.

What Edgewater readers should watch

Residents in Edgewater who follow county public-safety news should expect additional hearings and possible new filings as prosecutors and defense attorneys argue over evidence. Because the case involves a Volusia deputy and a high-level felony prosecution, updates are likely to remain relevant even outside west Volusia.

The immediate takeaway: the suspect has formally denied the charges, Deputy Rivera is recovering, and the criminal case is now firmly in the hands of the Volusia court system.