For the first time in recent memory, and perhaps ever, a panel of the Fifth District Court of Appeal held oral arguments at the Flagler County courthouse this morning, hearing three cases, none local. One of the three cases centered on the meaning of theft, and whether a defendant had in fact committed a crime–grand theft–when she diverted business from her employer, even though she did not steal products.
Cops/Courts
Palm Coast Mayor Norris Sues Palm Coast, Seeking Councilman Gambaro Booted and Special Election Held
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris today filed an emergency suit against Palm Coast government and Council member Charles Gambaro, charging that Gambaro’s appointment last fall violated the charter. The suit seeks to have Gambaro removed through “a judgment of ouster” and a special election declared for the District 4 seat. Norris has been claiming that Gambaro’s appointment was illegal since soon after he was sworn-in late last November. The lawsuit was filed days after Gambaro made an unsuccessful motion for the council to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Norris from the council.
State Prison Inmate on a Work Crew in Palm Coast Is Arrested for Burglary
An inmate from the Putnam Correctional Institution, assigned to a prison inmate work crew contracted by the City of Palm Coast, faces charges of burglary stemming from when he was working in a Palm Coast neighborhood. He had previously been convicted on burglary- and theft-related charges and sentenced by a court to state prison.
Jeffrey Hutchinson Killed for the 1998 Murders of His Girlfriend’s Three Children
After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeals, Jeffrey Hutchinson was executed Thursday night at Florida State Prison for the 1998 murders of his girlfriend’s three children in Okaloosa County, according to the state Department of Corrections.
How Probation Fuels Mass Incarceration
On any given day, 1.9 million people are incarcerated in more than 6,000 federal, state and local facilities. Another 3.7 million remain under what scholars call “correctional control” through probation or parole supervision. That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally. Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated.
Need To Be Background-Checked? Flagler Sheriff Offers Service for $60 to $105
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is now offering comprehensive, nationwide background check services to Flagler County residents through ACCESS Background Check Services.
Stephen Cox, 15-Year Veteran of Flagler Beach Fire Department and Leader Before His Time, Is Named City’s Fire Chief
Stephen Cox, a nearly 15-year veteran of the Flagler Beach Fire Department who’s long represented its new generation, was appointed its fire chief earlier this month, from a pool of 15 candidates. He replaces Bobby Pace, who’d retired in February from the post he’d held for 12 years.
32-Year-Old Maine Resident Accused of Using Xbox to Threaten Palm Coast Boy’s Life and Family
James M. Maynard, a 32-year-old resident of a Bunnell-size town in inland Maine that gave birth to two of that state’s governors, was arrested and jailed there on a Flagler County warrant after a local investigation determined he was the alleged source of continuous death threats against a Palm Coast boy and his family through Xbox, the networked video game console.
Seaplane on Student Flight from Flagler Airport Flips and Crashes in Crescent Lake; No Injuries
A flight-school seaplane reported to have taken off from Flagler County Executive Airport this morning flipped and crashed in Crescent Lake, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. There were no injuries. The crash took place as a groundbreaking ceremony was unfolding at the Flagler airport.
2025 Tunnel to Towers 5K Raises Over $15,000 For 1st Responders and Troops
The City of Palm Coast proudly hosted the 4th Annual Tunnel to Towers 5K on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Central Park in Town Center, marking its largest turnout yet. With over 500 registered participants ranging in age from 4 to 89, the event brought the community together in a powerful show of support for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s mission to honor first responders and military service members.
Flagler County Assist, the County’s Unique Emergency Management Support Organization, Marks 40th Year
Flagler County Assist (FCA) is celebrating 40 years of service to the people of Flagler County. Since 1985 Flagler County Assist has supported numerous events and provided assistance during emergencies including wildfires, hurricanes, storms small and large public events as the 4th of July in Flagler Beach and the annual Pink on Parade 5 K race.
Sheriff’s Court and Detention Division Chief Engert Graduates from Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy
On April 25, Court and Detention Services Chief Daniel Engert graduated from the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy during a ceremony at the University of Florida/Institute of Food Agricultural Sciences extension in Bunnell.
Brendan Depa Appeal: Court Abused Its Discretion By Imposing State Prison Instead of Juvenile Sanctions
The long-expected appeal in the case of Brendan Depa argues that Circuit Judge Terence Perkins abused the court’s discretion last summer when he imposed a five-year, adult prison sentence and 15 years of probation rather than what would have amounted to two years in a juvenile prison. Depa, who will be 20 in August, was a 17-year-old Matanzas High School special education student when he attacked then-teacher aide Joan Naydich after he got angry for being disciplined over the use of a Nintendo game. Surveillance video of the attack circulated around the globe, turbocharging the case’s visibility.
Cowpen Fire in West Flagler Jumps to 250 Acres in Hours Before Firefighters Contain 90%
A fire that started about 3 p.m. Thursday (April 24) on the west side of Flagler County quickly grew from 7 to 250 acres in a matter of hours, reflecting the brittle conditions resulting from increasingly dry ground. The blaze, identified as the Cowpen 2 fire, is still burning but is 90 percent contained this morning.
No Plea Offers in Jermaine Williams’s Death-Penalty Trial for Murder of His Wife, Yolonda Williams, in Bunnell
The death penalty case against Jermaine Williams, the 52-year-old Bunnell resident accused of stabbing his 50-year-old wife Yolonda Williams in the couple’s South Pine Street driveway last August, will not be tried until fall or perhaps next year, Assistant State Attorney Jason Lewis told the court today. The defense told the court that numerous depositions have been conducted, and numerous depositions still remain. The prosecution and the defense have not discussed a plea. That remains a possibility, though anything less than life in prison is unlikely.
Florida Sues Snapchat, Alleging Social Media Platform Is Not Blocking Minors
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit alleging that the operator of Snapchat is violating a high-profile 2024 law aimed at keeping children off some social-media platforms. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Santa Rosa County circuit court, came after a federal judge last month rejected a request by tech-industry groups for an injunction to block the law. In a federal-court filing Monday, attorneys for the state said Uthmeier “expects that additional investigations and enforcement actions will commence soon.”
46-Year-Old Woman Faces Arson Charge After Allegedly Torching Husband’s Girlfriend’s Car
Ebony Chevonne Williams, a 46-year-old resident of Central Landings apartments in Palm Coast’s Town Center, is facing a pair of felony charges, including second-degree arson, after allegedly torching a car when she got angry about her then-husband’s supposed acts of infidelity.
(Located Safe) Public’s Help Sought Finding Autistic Child Missing in Palm Coast’s P Section
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding 8-year-old David Zuniga, an autistic child and resident of Poppy Lane in Palm Coast, who went missing this morning.
20-Year-Old Student Kills 2, Injures 6 in Shooting at Florida State University
Two people were killed and six others were injured Thursday after a shooter, the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy, opened fire around lunchtime at Florida State University. The shooter, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, also was shot after confronting police officers, authorities said during a late-afternoon news conference. News reports identified Ikner as an FSU student. Ikner is accused of using a handgun that was an old service weapon of his mother, a school-resource officer.
Palm Coast Bans Homeless From Sleeping on Public Grounds and Will Seek Potential Alternatives with County
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance aligning the city with a state law that prohibits local governments from allowing the homeless to sleep or encamp on any public grounds, including parks, public buildings and rights of way. Flagler County enacted a similar ordinance last November. The bill, signed by the governor in March 2024, allows local governments to designate certain grounds as encampments. But that process is onerous and expensive. The city will look for alternatives with the county.
Cop’s Son Pleads to Hit-and-Run Death of Shaunta Cain and Could Face Little or No Prison
Jayden Jackson, 22, pleaded today to the hit-and-run death of Shaunta Cain, 51, in November 2022 on U.S. 1. When he is sentenced in May, he could also end up being sentenced as a youthful offender, and if the prosecution fails to prove that alcohol was involved in the crash, he could face less than four years in prison and possibly to no prison time at all, but a combination of house arrest and probation.
Michael Jennelle, 53, Is Sentenced to ‘Lifetime in Prison for the Lifetime of Memories He’s Left Us’
Michael Jennelle, the 53-year-old former resident of Palm Coast convicted in a March trial on seven counts of raping and molesting his granddaughter over several years, when she was between 7 and 9, was sentenced to life in prison today. One of his two victims described it as “his lifetime in prison for the lifetime of our memories that he’s left us.”
Shrimp Boat That Ran Aground in Beverly Beach Is Towed as Appeal for Help Is Issued
The term “mayday” (as in “mayday! mayday!) comes from the French for m’aider–help me. That’s what Capt. Corey Thomas is pleading since his shrimp boat, the Miss Montie, ran aground in Flagler Beach Sunday. The 50-foot steel-hull boat broke down, lost its anchor and drifted 20 miles north before beaching in the sands near the Si Como No Inn, just south of Osprey Drive.
Released from Prison Weeks Ago, Felon Is Arrested After Causing I-95 Crash with 3rd DUI
Released from sate prison weeks earlier and driving on a suspended license, Ryann Rae Davis, a 38-year-old resident of Whitehall Drive in Palm Coast and a convicted felon, faces two new felonies following an alleged drunk-driving crash involving two other vehicles on I-95 last Thursday. She’s now being held on $100,000 bond.
Florida Bill to Prevent Anonymous Complaints Against Cops Divides Law Enforcement
A bill that would withdraw citizens’ ability to lodge anonymous complaints against law enforcement officers sparked sharp disagreement between department leaders and rank-and-file officers. The bill (HB 317), sponsored by Miami-Dade Republican Tom Fabricio, is supported by groups representing law enforcement officers, such as the Fraternal Order of Police. Two of the most powerful lobbyist organizations in Tallahassee — the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association — are firmly opposed.
American Rendition: Rümeysa Öztürk’s Journey From Ph.D. Scholar to Trump Target Languishing in Louisiana Cell
30-year-old Turkish national Rümeysa Öztürk is a former Fulbright scholar in a doctoral program at Tufts University. Here’s how, though charged with no crime, she ended up in a crowded cell in Louisiana, part of a sprawling, opaque apparatus designed to deport the maximum number of people with minimum accountability. Her lawyers describe it as the story of a Trump-era rendition, a callback to the post-9/11 practice of grabbing Muslim individuals off the street and taking them to locations known for harsh conditions and shoddy oversight.
Palm Coast Man, 34, Arrested Over the Death of a Cat
On March 7, Atticus Robert, a 34-year-old resident of Pittston Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on a third-degree felony charge of false imprisonment following a heated argument with his live-in girlfriend of three years. On Tuesday, Robert was re-arrested, this time in DeSoto County, and charged with aggravated animal cruelty over the death of his girlfriend’s cat.
2 Matanzas High School Students Accused of Burglarizing Cars on Campus
On April 9, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two Matanzas High School students, MLR, 15, of Palm Coast, and AO, 14, of Palm Coast, for burglarizing vehicles on the school campus.
On Probation for Aggravated Stalking, Zachary Tuohey Kept Trying Judge’s Patience. He Now Risks 2 Years in Prison.
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols’s patience with Zachary Tuohey’s aggravated stalking case almost ran out in December. It did so on April 1, when she sent him to jail for contempt of court. On Tuesday, she warned his attorney that he is close to facing two years in prison.
Michael Tanzi, 48, Is Killed by Lethal Injection for Murder of Janet Acosta, 49, in 2000
Michael Tanzi was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison, almost 25 years after he kidnapped a woman on her lunch break in Miami and murdered her in Monroe County.
Brendan Depa Appeal Again Delayed as Court Warns No Further Extensions Will Be Granted
The Fifth District Court of Appeal is tiring of lawyers requesting extensions to file the appeal of a Flagler County judge’s decision last August to sentence former Matanzas High School student Brendan Depa to five years in prison for his brutal attack on a teacher aide in 2023. The appeal court has granted three extensions so far, the third one granted on April 4 with a caution against further requests for delays.
Flagler Cop’s Son in Hit-and-Run Death on U.S. 1 Rejects 4-Year Prison Deal and Risks Worse
Jayden Jackson, the 22-year-old son of a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy, had played down his responsibility when he struck and killed Shaunta D. Cain, 51, with his car as he drove north on U.S. 1 in November 2022. Today, Jackson rejected a plea deal of four years in prison followed by probation. His attorney, Josh Davis, told Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols that Jackson will submit to an open plea when he is sentenced next week, risking significantly more than four years in prison.
65-Year-Old Man Killed in Head-On Crash on Belle Terre Boulevard
A 65-year-old Palm Coast man was killed in a head-on crash caused by a 19-year-old driver crossing the yellow line early Monday morning on Belle Terre Boulevard at Kankakee Trail.
U.S. Rep. Wilson Seeks to Visit Miami Immigrant Detention Center Amid Reports of Mistreatment
Democratic U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson wants to examine conditions at a Miami immigrant detention center, saying she’s concerned about reports of people sleeping on concrete floors. Wilson, who represents part of Miami-Dade County, sent a letter Monday to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem requesting her help in arranging a congressional visit this month to the Krome North Service Processing Center.
Federal Judge Halts Florida’s New Law Targeting Migrants, Citing Overreach
Miami-based Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 14-page decision granting a request for a temporary restraining order against the law, which the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved in February. The law created state crimes for undocumented immigrants who enter or re-enter Florida.
Matanzas High School Student Lands a Punch on Deputy Breaking Up a Fight
N.L., a 16-year-old Matanzas High School student, faces a felony charge of battery against a law enforcement officer after landing what appears to be an inadvertent punch on a school resource deputy attempting to break up a fight between N.L. and another student.
15 Years in Prison for CJ Nelson Jr. in Shooting Death of 18-Month-Old Niece Ja’Liyah Allen
C.J. Nelson, the 24-year-old Palm Coast resident whose reckless gunplay caused the shooting death of his 18-month-old niece at a Ranwood Lane house in September 2023, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Family members and friends of Ja’Liyah Allen, the victim, and of Nelson–all members of the same family–filled several pews in the gallery.
Flagler Beach Quietly Signs On to Agreement with ICE, Deputizing Local Cops for Immigration Enforcement
Without discussion or mention of the agreement, the Flagler Beach City Commission last Thursday signed an agreement with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to deputize some of its police officers to enforce federal immigration laws.
Florida Agency Wants Emergency Management to House Migrants Awaiting Deportation
The executive director of the new State Board of Immigration Enforcement is pushing for the Florida Division of Emergency Management to house and transport immigrants awaiting deportation.
Deltona Homicide Suspect Ends Chase at Hammock Dunes Bridge with Self-Inflicted Gunshot
What started with the report of a shooting-death of a woman in Deltona early this morning ended after a police chase before dawn at the foot of the Hammock Dunes Bridge with a man apparently shooting himself after he crashed through the toll bridge’s arm and veered off the road.
Family of Six Loses House to Fire in Palm Coast’s L-Section, 21 Year Old Injured Trying to Save Pets
A family of six, including four children, lost their home to a middle-of-the-night fire on Longfellow Drive in Palm Coast early this morning, and a 21-year-old woman was taken to Halifax hospital with serious injuries.
Stephanie Raimundo, 48, Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Death of Calvin Stull as Mother Grieves
Stephanie Raimundo, the 48-year-old Palm Coast woman facing a combined 150 years in prison on 11 felony charges, including manslaughter in the drug-overdose death of 21-year-old Calvin Stull in January 2023, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Stull’s mother addressed the court and Raimundo.
Derrius Bauer, in a Shift, Agrees to Plea and 15 Years Instead of Life in Prison for Circle K Murder
Two days after he declined yet again to risk life in prison if convicted at trial, Derrius Bauer, 30, this morning signed a plea agreement and was sentenced to 15 years, a term that between time already served and gain time ahead, may have him out of prison when he’s 38. For the court, prosecutors and the Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives who cracked the case, the plea ends the longest and most expensive investigation in the Sheriff’s Office’s history.
Flagler County Sheriff SRD Nicholas Champion Takes National Association’s Top Honor
The National Sheriffs’ Association has selected Flagler County Sheriff Office Master Deputy and School Resource Deputy Nicholas Champion as the 2025 Law Enforcement Explorer Post Advisor of the Year.
30 Years in Prison for Tyrese Patterson in Killing of Noah Smith In Last of Lives Lost Over ‘Stupid, Senseless Act’
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols’s 30-year prison sentence for Tyrese Patterson closes the book on four cases that sent four young men to prison for long terms, one of them for life, over what the judge described as the “stupid, senseless” behavior that led to the killing of 16-year-old Noah Smith in a shootout in Bunnell in January 2022.
22-Year-Old J.T. Horovsky Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison and 10 on Probation for Molesting Child
When he was arrested last September, Joseph Thomas Horovsky, who turned 22 last week, faced life in prison if convicted on two charges of molesting a family member younger than 12 for several years. He pleaded last month, and this afternoon, walking into court a free man one last time, he was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by 10 years on probation. He will be designated a sex offender for life.
‘I’m Done,’ Judge Tells Derrius Bauer in Final Attempt to Win Plea; He’d Rather Risk Life in Prison
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols attempted again to convince Derrius Bauer, 30, to take a plea deal that would have him out of prison in eight and a half years rather than risk life in prison if convicted on a murder charge, as was his friend Marcus Chamblin last year in the same courtroom. Bauer was adamant against a plea. Trial will be set for late summer or early fall.
Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Florida Law Restricting Minors on Social Media
Senior U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee dismissed a challenge against the state’s law barring Floridians younger than 14 from using social media apps with addictive features filed by industry organizations NetChoice and Computer & Communications Industry Association representing companies including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
New $7 Million Fire Station 51 and Sheriff Substation on County Road 305 a Step Closer to Construction
Flagler County Fire Rescue’s new Fire Station 51 is one step closer to construction later this year as the county’s planning board recommended approval of its site plan to the County Commission. The commission is expected to ratify the decision within weeks, clearing the way for construction.
Flagler Sheriff Staly Exploring Deployment of Drones as First Responders: A ‘Much Cheaper Helicopter’
The parking lot of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Operations Center last week was transformed into a showplace for Axon, the Arizona-based technology company whose tasers, body cams, car cameras, simulators, interview rooms and real-time crime center equipment and software redefined policing in the past years. It continues to do so with new products–among them, the drone as first responder, which Sheriff Rick Staly is studying for possible deployment in Flagler County.