Last November, Caisy Frank, a 40-year-old resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., was tried and found guilty of armed burglary, grand theft of a firearm, additional grand theft counts, and fraud, among 10 charges. On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Terence Perkins sentenced Frank to life in prison. The severity of the sentence is a reflection of Frank’s status as a prison-release reoffender.
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Carlos Rivera-Hernandez, 32, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison Over Child Sexual Abuse Materials
Ten years ago Carlos Rafael Rivera-Hernandez of Palm Coast served prison and was declared a sex offender on a conviction on statutory rape of a child. On Monday, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years on probation, and was declared a sexual predator, over possession of child sexual abuse material.
Fight at Dollar General Escalates to a Shooting as 2 Men Chase Each Other Through North Palm Coast
Victor Smith, 46, is at the Flagler County jail on $96,000 bond after a physical fight that escalated to a shooting in Palm Coast’s Matanzas Woods neighborhood at midday Sunday. The alleged victim is living with the woman to whom Smith is still married to, but from whom he’s been separated or five months.
Suspected Gas Station Armed Robber Who Was Shot By a Store Clerk in 2nd Incident Returns to Flagler to Face Charge
Qwinntavus Kwame Jordan, the 32-year-old man suspected of armed robbery at the Shell convenience store on State Road 100 in Palm Coast last April, and of another robbery in Georgia hours later, where a store clerk shot at him eight times, was booked at the Flagler County jail Wednesday, on no bond, to face a first-degree felony charge of armed robbery.
Defense Files Motion to Dismiss Manslaughter Charge Against Migrant in Arrest Followed by Deputy’s Heart Attack
Two weeks after all but accusing the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office of fabricating parts of the account surrounding the arrest of 18-year-old Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, the migrant’s defense attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the manslaughter count against him, calling it “legally insufficient” and arguing that there’s no connection between Mendez and what led to the death of Sheriff’s deputy Michael Kunovich of a heart attack after the arrest.
Stabbing at Econolodge: Money Issues for Homeless Family Staying There Escalate Into Violence
A juvenile girl apparently defending herself from being choked stabbed her mother’s boyfriend, 35-year-old Tyland Chambers, at the Econolodge in Palm Coast Sunday morning, before Chambers allegedly attacked another man who was trying to protect the girl. Chambers ended up hospitalized for treatment, and facing four charges, including two felonies. The girl was not charged.
Palm Coast’s Eric Galdabini, 56, Randomly Attacks and Stabs a Man After Attempting to Pick-Up His Girlfriend
Eric Philip Galdabini, a 56-year-old resident of 126 Birchwood Drive in Palm Coast, had circled by a couple walking in the B-Section and asked a 21-year-old woman if she wanted a ride before he stopped the car and rushed her boyfriend. The two scuffled, Galdabini slashed at the man with a pocketknife, and was later arrested on an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon count.
On His Trial’s Eve, Marshall Thomas, 17, Is Arrested for the 3rd Time in 18 Months, This Time for Distributing Porn to Kids
Marshall Thomas, 17, has twice been released on bond since his original arrest in July 2022, and both times has re-offended, getting charged with serious felonies. Now, on the eve of his trial in Flagler County on charges of molesting a girl at Matanzas High School, and on two counts of stealing firearms, prosecutors in Flagler County are asking that Thomas’s bond be revoked following his latest arrest, in Wisconsin, on charges of distributing child pornography to other children.
Palm Coast’s Noah Michael Urban, 19, Faces 14 Counts of Cryptocurrency Fraud in Federal Indictment
A federal judge in Jacksonville on Monday signed an order to have former Palm Coast resident Noah Michael Urban held in prison pending trial, and finding him at risk of fleeing if he were released meanwhile. Urban is alleged to have stolen virtual currency from five victims’ accounts by fraudulently obtaining their personal identifying information, managing to take control of their cell phone numbers, and gaining access to their online accounts and cryptocurrency exchange accounts.
Parents Jailed on 6 Felony Counts of Child Neglect Over Abject House Conditions as DCF Takes 3 Children
Michelle Sofia, 35, and Willie Lee London, 41, are facing three felony child neglect charges each in connection with Bunnell police discovering their three children living in abject conditions at 811 Hymon Circle, with no food, running water or sanitation. The children are an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy.
Man Who Killed Victim’s Dog Is Jailed for Aggravated Stalking After Sending 48 Texts Violating No-Contact Order
Ellory Thomas “Tommy” Buehl, 33, is at the Flagler County jail on a felony aggravated stalking charge after he sent 48 texts to his ex-girlfriend in violation of an injunction and a no-contact order. To dissimulate his identity, Buehl would allegedly get new phone numbers after sending texts. Prosecutors have filed a motion asking the court to deny Buehl bond because of the danger he may pose otherwise, and a history of violence toward the victim, including the killing of her dog.
Graffiti on Bridges in Palm Coast C-Section Concern Residents and Prompt Talk of Surveillance Cameras
Residents of Palm Coast’s C-Section are concerned about recurring graffiti that’s been re-appearing on bridges on Colorado Drive and Colchester Lane, after city crews painted over a spate of graffiti there last year.
Palm Coast Woman Accused of Using Her Pitbull as a Weapon as Ex-Boyfriend Is Mauled
Jennifer Estella Flores, 34, a resident of the Palm Pointe Apartments in Palm Coast, is accused of siccing her pitbull, Wasabi, on her ex-boyfriend after the two got into an argument over his other relationships. She faces four felony charges and is being held at the county jail on $50,000 bond.
Hit-and-Run on U.S. 1 in Bunnell Caused Death of 2 Women and Critically Injured a Man; Driver Faces Charges
Charges are pending against Melvin Adona, a 51-year-old Palm Coast resident, in the hit-and-run collision with three pedestrians early Sunday that caused the death of two women and critically injured a Bunnell man on U.S. 1, just north of State Road 100.
Sheriff’s Deputies Investigating a Death in Palm Coast’s L-Section, Likely Self-Inflicted
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a death outside of a house in Palm Coast’s L Section, on Lewis Drive, this morning. The death was very likely self-inflicted, Sheriff Rick Staly said.
C.J. Nelson, Father to 22-Year-Old Accused in Shooting Death of Toddler, Faces Tampering and Obstruction Charges
In mid-November, 22-year-old C.J. Nelson Jr. was charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his 18-month-old niece. Today, Nelson’s father, C.J. Nelson Sr., 46, was arrested on two charges of tampering with evidence in connection with the shooting, and two charges of providing false information to police during the investigation.
Prosecution Considers Man Who Fondled Girl at Walmart Too Dangerous To Be Let Out on Bond
The prosecution argued before a judge today that Robert Goldstein, the 64-year-old Palm Coast resident who briefly fondled an 11-year-old girl at Walmart while her mother was not looking, is too dangerous to be let out of jail on bond pending trial. But a decision is not expected until Jan. 17, giving Goldstein time to bail out.
21-Year-Old Man Is Found Dead at Belle Terre Park of Apparent Overdose
Calvin Alexander Stull, 21, who had bicycled into Belle Terre Park the previous day was found dead Wednesday morning, of an apparent drug overdose. The park is adjacent to Wadsworth Elementary school, but school is not in session this week.
Face-Recognition Software Leads to Man Accused in Pair of Disturbing Incidents Involving a Woman and a Girl
Robert Elliot Goldstein, a 64-year-old Palm Coast resident, is at the Flagler County jail on felony charges stemming from a pair of disturbing assaults that took place within 72 hours, one involving a health care worker at AdventHealth Palm Coast, the other involving an 11-year-old girl Goldstein allegedly accosted and fondled at Walmart.
‘That Was My Home’: The Homeless Are Being Purged Out of Their Encampments
More than 653,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness in 2023, a 12% increase from last year. Among the people experiencing homelessness, 64% are unsheltered. As tent encampments continue to dot urban landscapes — strewn around parks, along sidewalks, lining highways or sometimes abutting schools — many cities have increased their sweeps, some governors have announced funding to clear encampments, and several states have outlawed the tent communities altogether.
17-Year-Old Palm Coast Boy Killed in Mudding Crash in Flagler Estates When SUV Flips Into Waterlogged Ditch
A 17-year-old Palm Coast boy was killed and another injured in a mudding crash in isolated and unlit Flagler Estates shortly after midnight this morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Four other youths in the vehicle escaped injuries.
Matanzas Teacher Anthony Zaksewicz Is Reinstated after Agreeing to Plea and Restitution Deal in Walmart Thefts
Anthony Zaksewicz, the Matanzas High School teacher arrested in early December on charges resulting from a long-running shoplifting scheme at Walmart, has been reinstated at Matanzas High School following a plea deal and pre-trial intervention program that, if abided by, may lead to the dropping of all charges in a year. Zaksewicz pleaded before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins on Wednesday.
Belle Terre Elementary School Teacher Found Alcohol-Impaired in Classroom at the End of School Day
Cara Plummer, a first-grade teacher at Belle Terre Elementary School, was found impaired from alcohol at the end of the school day on Monday, and refused district personnel’s request for a drug/alcohol test at an urgent care clinic.
Debris From Fishing Boat Lost Off Georgia Coast Washes Up at Jungle Hut Road
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office confirmed this morning that debris from a fishing boat that disappeared on Oct. 14 with three men aboard was found washed up on the beach at Jungle Hut Road, mirroring similar recent finds in St. Johns and Volusia counties and adding to the near-certainty that the men have perished. The Coast Guard suspended its search on Oct. 26.
Palm Coast’s Tyler Perkins, 27, Dies in Single-Vehicle Crash on Old Kings Road
Tyler Perkins, a 27-year-old resident of Palm Coast, died in a single vehicle crash on Old Kings Road when his pick-up truck went off the road and struck a tree Sunday afternoon.
First a Machete Swing Then a Shotgun and a Pulled Trigger During a Domestic Dispute Lead to Jail for Palm Coast Man
Randall Martin, a 79-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s B-Section, is accused of striking his wife with a machete, pulling a shotgun trigger as he pointed it at her during a domestic dispute, then violating the terms of his pre-trial release by ignoring a no-contact order hours after he was released from jail.
FWC Admits Error and Changes Policy in Response to Palm Coast Outrage Over Gruesome Killing of a Pet Deer
A trio of Palm Coast residents indignant at the euthanizing of a domesticated deer by throat-slitting in early October addressed the Dec. 5 meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and got what appeared to be an immediate response: FWC, one of whose officers was responsible for killing the animal, has changed its euthanizing policy to prevent similar outcomes in future.
Flagler Beach Property Owner Liam Mackin, 70, Identified as Anti-Semitic Hate Crime Suspect Just as He Flees
Flagler Beach police identified the man allegedly responsible for a series of hate crimes against local business on Nov. 19 and 20 as Liam Mackin, a 70-year-old resident and property owner with his wife at the Bridgewater condominiums in Flagler Beach, unit E101, since 2015. He has been a local resident for 30 years. But he has fled to Ireland. Mackin deliberately and very specifically targeted businesses that were either owned by Israelis or Americans of Jewish heritage, or had business or family affiliations with Jewish concerns.
Tony Zaksewicz, Honored Matanzas High Teacher, Arrested over Walmart Theft Scheme Stretching Over 6 Months
Anthony Zaksewicz, a 45-year-old resident of Lema Lane in Palm Coast and a veteran history teacher at Matanzas High School honored last year with a state award, was arrested on felony charges in connection with an alleged thieving scheme at Walmart that stretched over six months and aggregated thefts of nearly $3,200. Zaksewicz has taught in Flagler schools for 17 years.
Willie Gardner Is Spared More Jail Time After All in Dog Abuse Case, But Is Barred from Contact With Animals
Willie Gardner was released from jail in late morning today, a few hours after a sentencing hearing before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, who withheld a further jail sentence after all on animal abuse charges Gardner faced. Gardner had served 30 days since his arrest on a probation violation. Perkins earlier this month had wanted 90 days.
Sheriff Hopes New Facial Reconstruction of Murder Victim Found Near SR11 in 1980 May Lead to Identification
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit has received a new facial reconstruction depicting the victim of a 1980 cold case. On May 28, 1980, skeletal remains were found near a canal/culvert on State Road 11 about 2 miles south of the Bunnell, Florida city limits.
Palm Coast Man, 19, Accused of Beating Teen and Smashing Car’s Windshield
Christian Anthony Betancourt, a 19-year-old resident of Farmbrook Lane in Palm Coast, faces a felony count of throwing deadly missiles at an occupied vehicle following a Nov. 21 confrontation at the Fairfield Inn hotel on Old Kings Road in Palm Coast. Betancourt was allegedly upset that he’d been found cheating on his girlfriend.
At Least 3 Locations in Flagler Beach Are Target of Anti-Semitic Graffiti; Police Looking for Offender
At least three business locations in downtown Flagler Beach were the target of anti-Semitic graffiti in Flagler Beach between Sunday and Monday. Flagler Beach police have surveillance footage of the individual, and are looking for the public’s help to identify him.
Road Rage Incident Over Hurled Cup of Coffee Lands Palm Coast Man in Jail on 3 Felonies
An argument between the occupants of two vehicles that started at Chick-Fil-A off Palm Coast Parkway escalated into a physical fight in which one of the occupants took out an unloaded rifle, and culminated in the arrest of 36-year-old Donavan Matthews on three felonies.
Palm Coast Man, 42, Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash on U.S. 1
A 42-year-old Palm Coast man died in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 1 just north of County Road 202 Friday afternoon. The man was at the wheel of a Ford F-150, driving north on U.S. 1. He lost control of the vehicle, veering onto the grass media, then overcorrected, sending the vehicle rotating counterclockwise across the highway’s two lanes before crashing into a tree.
Ex-Bloods Gang Leader Brandon Washington, Serving Life, Duels Again with Prosecutor in Losing Bid for Relief
Brandon Washington was once the local gang leader of the “East Coast Bloods.” He was tried in 2011 and found guilty of a 2007 home invasion robbery and murder on Palm Coast’s on Pheasant Drive, and is serving four life terms. Today, he dueled with the prosecutor who won that conviction as Washington and his attorney argued that he’d had ineffective representation at trial. He did not prevail, but appeared to enjoy himself greatly.
C.J. Nelson Jr., 22, Charged with Manslaughter in the Shooting Death of 18-Month-Old Girl at R-Section House
C.J. Nelson Jr., the 22-year-old Palm Coast man arrested on an unrelated charge the night of the shooting death of an 18-month-old girl at at 2 Ranwood Lane in September, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm for that death on Wednesday. The first degree felony charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Ex-Girlfriend Charged with Armed Home Invasion Robbery as Her 3 Children Waited in Car Before School
Kiarra S. Strickland, a 33-year-old resident of Slumber Path in Palm Coast, was arrested on a first-degree felony charge of armed home invasion robbery following a Nov. 14 incident when she entered her former boyfriend’s home, where she used to live with her three young children, and allegedly held him up at gunpoint and took between $50 and $100 before driving off with her children, who had been in the car.
Man Destroys a Room in Reckless Shooting Spree at Topaz Motel Before His Arrest at Gunpoint Blocks Away
A 35-year-old man who claimed he was being chased by assassins with AR-15 rifles fired numerous rounds through the door and windows of Room 214 at the Topaz Motel in Flagler Beach, facing State Road A1A, in a shooting spree that destroyed the room.
Flagler Sheriff’s Office Awarded $355,000 Federal Grant to Develop Hate-Crime Prevention Initiatives
In its application for the grant, the Sheriff’s Office said it would “develop a comprehensive approach to addressing hate crimes committed in Flagler County through enhancing agency investigation and reporting capabilities, as well as by forming partnerships with community stakeholders… in identifying potential hate crimes and targeted violence prevention.”
Sheriff’s Traffic Stop in West Flagler Turns Into Arrest of Three Men on Drug and Other Charges
Sheriff Rick Staly turned patrolman Tuesday evening, pulling over a van that had crossed the double-yellow line on State Road 100 in the far western part of the county, and initiating a traffic stop that resulted in the arrest of three men, two of them on drug charges.
AdventHealth Surgeon John Cascone Charged with Child Abuse in 2nd Arrest in 4 Years
John Cascone, the AdventHealth Palm Coast surgeon who pleaded to a battery charge in a domestic violent case four years ago, was arrested again on Saturday (Nov. 4) on a felony count of aggravated child abuse involving a 15-year-old girl, and a felony battery count involving his wife. He was released the next day on $60,000 bond.
How a Reckless FHP Chase Almost Caused a Catastrophic Crash in Seminole Woods
On Oct. 26, Palm Coast resident Kendall Clark and her husband were driving in a residential Seminole Woods neighborhood to visit family when they were almost in a severe crash with a Florida Highway Patrol trooper chasing an alleged suspect who had committed no violent crime nor was wanted on a warrant.
Before Troopers Shot Her in Hammock, DeLand Woman Had A Short, Violent History of Confrontations
Jacqueline Faye Blank, the 37-year-old DeLand woman Florida Highway Patrol troopers shot several times in the parking lot of the Hammock Beach Resort on Oct. 25, is an army veteran who until August had a clean record. That quickly vanished with a violent confrontation with her girlfriend and cops in early August, and a violent confrontation with FHP elsewhere, not reported until now, just before the shooting.
Secret Camera Records Violence and Leads to Palm Coast’s Man’s Arrest on Child Abuse Charge
Pierre Betine Joseph, a 49-year-old resident of Rolling Sands Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony child abuse charge after video footage from a secret camera installed by the victim’s siblings showed Joseph whipping his middle school son 11 times with two different belts as the child screams in pain and pleads for mercy, leaving welts on the child’s legs.
It’s Not a Good Idea to Spit at the Court Ahead of Your Sentencing. Dacotah Clarke Now Faces Up to 17.5 Years.
Dacotah Wren Clark, 27, left a plea hearing and a pending prison sentence of 2.5 years by slamming the courtroom door and spitting in the elevator. He was then re-arrested days later on a dozen new charges. After a dressing down by Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, Clarke now faces up to 17.5 years in prison, without penalties for the spitting and door-slamming.
Latest FHP Chase in Flagler Ends with Death of Alleged Carjacker in Rear-End Crash on I-95
A one-mile stretch of I-95 from the State road 100 bridge south turned into a crash zone during a 90-minute period around midday, resulting in overturned vehicles but no injuries in the first crash and the death of a man who was allegedly fleeing in a chase yet again triggered either in Duval or St. Johns County and involving the Florida Highway Patrol. The fleeing man is alleged to have committed a carjacking.
Two Crashes Kill Three People In Deadliest Day This Year on Flagler Roads
In the deadliest day on Flagler County roads this year, three people died in two unrelated vehicle crashes barely two hours apart on Sunday in Palm Coast.
Flagler Playhouse Burns, Demolishing Home of County’s Oldest Theater Troupe and a City Landmark
The Flagler Playhouse, for 46 years a mainstay of the performing arts in the county, lost the rustic theater it has occupied and packed with audiences since 2006 in Bunnell as a fire destroyed it Sunday night into early Monday. Flagler County Fire Chief Michael Tucker said the building was irreparable.
Indian Trails Middle School Student, 14, Accused of Threatening Another With a Kitchen Knife
A 14-year-old Indian Trails Middle School (ITMS) student was arrested early Friday morning after pulling a knife on students and staff.