Justin M. Wallace, a 21-year-old new Flagler resident, from Massachusetts, faces three second-degree felony counts involving a minor who’d been visiting Flagler Beach with her parents.
Cops/Courts
Flagler County Fire Rescue Lt. Andrew Keppler of Storied Local Family of Firefighters Retires
Fire Rescue Lt. Andrew Keppler recently retired after a 28-year career that began in 1993 with the St. John’s Park Volunteer Fire Department, which is now Flagler County Station 71.
Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help Locating Fugitive in Grand Theft Case
The FCSO General Assignment Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Gonzalez-Merlo. Gonzalez- Merlo has a criminal history in Duval County. He’s been previously charged with Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle and Resisting Officer Without Violence.
Robert Batie, Accused Rapist of 16-Year-Old Patient, Was Employed By Practice Working With Flagler Schools
Therapist Robert Batie was arrested on four charges of molesting and raping a 16-year-old patient at his office on Hargrove Grade in Palm Coast. He had worked with Palm Coast Counseling, engaged by Flagler schools since 2020 to provide mental health services to students at the practice or elsewhere.
James Harris of Jimmy’s Hang 10 Will Remain in Jail Pending Trial as Judge Denies Motion for Bond
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins this afternoon denied a motion by James Harris’s attorney to release Harris from jail, on bond, pending trial on three charges of molestation involving his stepdaughter over what she says is a period of five years. She is 14. Harris is the 61-year-old owner of Jimmy’s Hang 10, the Flagler Beach restaurant, who was arrested on July 2.
A Man Is Killed in 2-Car Crash on Royal Palms Parkway at Point Pleasant Drive
A two-vehicle crash just past midday at Royal Palms Parkway and Point Pleasant Drive in Palm Coast resulted in the death of one of the drivers, according to authorities. The Palm Coast Fire Police shut down Royal Palms Parkway at Belle Terre Parkway to the west and Town Center Boulevard to the east.
Crisis at the Border: Sheriff Staly’s On-the-Ground Report on a ‘Failed Immigration Policy’ Affecting All Communities
Earlier this month Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly took part in a fact-finding trip along the Texas side of the border with Mexico with several other law enforcement officials and U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla. “The border crisis,” he argues, “is coming to you whether you like it or not.”
Changing Crime Reporting Practices to Do Less Harm
Acknowledging that journalism can inflict wounds unnecessarily, AP will no longer name those arrested for minor crimes when the news service is unlikely to cover the story’s subsequent developments. Often, such stories’ publication hinges on an odd or entertaining quirk, and the names are irrelevant. Yet, the ramifications can loom large and be long-lasting for the persons named.
Sheriff’s K-9 Unit Named Trailing Team of the Year For 2nd Year in a Row
K-9 Holmes joined the FCSO in April of 2018 and began working with Commander Gimbel. The K-9 Unit made national news after FCSO requested the help of the community in naming the first bloodhound the Agency has had in decades.
63-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Dies in 2-Vehicle Crash at West Hampton Drive and Pine Lakes Parkway
A 63-year-old Palm Coast resident died in a two-vehicle car crash at West Hampton Drive and Pine Lakes Parkway just past 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The death, however, appears to have been the result of a heart attack.
17 Cats and Dogs Rescued from Near-Death in U-Haul Truck; Two Owners Face Animal Cruelty Charges
Jason Donellan-Sparks, 29, and Shawna Doud, 23, were traveling in a U-Haul from Tennessee when they parked in Palm Coast Wednesday morning and a witness noticed the condition of the animals in back of the truck, alerting sheriff’s deputies.
Seminole Woods Man, 26, Arrested on Aggravated Domestic Violence Charge After Beating and Terrorizing Mom
Oleksandr Podolskyy, a 26-year-old resident of Seminole Woods in Palm Coast, is at the Flagler County jail on two felony counts, including aggravated domestic assault, following a violent ordeal through which he allegedly humiliated, threatened and repeatedly beat his mother, days after firing off weapons in his yard.
Domestic Violence 911 Calls Increased During Lockdown, but Police Reports and Arrests Declined
Stay-at-home orders disrupted traditional abuse-detection processes and support systems. A real increase in domestic violence indicates that this disruption occurred at a particularly damaging time. Better measures need to be put in place in order to protect victims during future outbreaks and keep everyone safe during lockdowns.
Year-Long Cabal of Claims Against Holland Comes Down to Wrist-Slap Over 2 Errant Emails as Ethics Commission Rules
A 15-month drumbeat of sound and fury over allegations of corruption, cover-ups, cabals and criminal acts, a drumbeat that influenced two elections, a city manager’s career and the mayor’s own, among others, tarnishing the reputation of a leading private company in the county, came down to a minor rebuke over an email misuse Holland long ago acknowledged and apologized for. Nothing else.
Florida Sheriffs Task Force “Operation Breaking Chains” Nets 363 Arrests in 16 Counties
“Amplifying the safety on our roads and waterways is crucial for all Floridians, including our children, and those who visit the Sunshine State,” said FSA President and Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz. “The dedicated enforcement of state laws that deal with businesses suspected of human trafficking and online operations will help to keep us all safe.”
Same Suicidal Teen Who Teetered on Palm Coast Parkway Overpass in June Tries Again, and Is Again Stopped
The 17-year-old girl who caught Palm Coast’s attention on June 20 when she walked outside the grille of the Palm Coast Parkway overpass above I-95 and threatened to jump was again on the overpass just past noon today, and was again rescued by firefighters and law enforcement after a 45-minute ordeal.
Flagler Records 99 Covid Infections Sunday, County Jail Outbreak Hits 37, AdventHealth Palm Coast Has 45 Hospitalized
The numbers across the community continue to point toward more gravity than relief, with infections still on the upswing, with few people and fewer organizations–including governments–returning to safety protocols essential to slowing the spread, such as masking and social distancing.
As Flagler Beach Grapples with Tawdry Pro-Trump Gatherings, City’s Wink to Surveillance Cameras Raises Questions
The weekly pro-Trump demonstrations featuring profane language in the heart of Flagler Beach has city commissioners concerned about the city’s image and the administration and police eying surveillance cameras they insist will not target the demonstrators, but be used as a tool in case of criminal activity. Others see a Pandora’s box.
Jamal Nejame, Ex-Flagler Beach Candidate, Arrested on Felony Charge of Shooting Into House With Children
Jamal K. Nejame, 72, a three-time candidate for mayor and city commission in Flagler Beach, where he was known as Jamie, was arrested on a felony charge of shooting into a dwelling. It is the third time Nejame has been charged criminally in Flagler in the last 12 years.
17-Year-Old Lifeguard in Flagler Beach Is Seriously Injured in Diving Accident While Training
A 17-year-old lifeguard was seriously injured during training on the beach around 2nd Street South in Flagler Beach Monday morning, injuring his spine. The lifeguards were practicing dolphin dives into the surf, running in from the beach, a routine exercise.
Former Florida Chief Justice Kogan: Why Florida Should Abolish the Death Penalty
In a compelling new interview conducted by attorney and filmmaker Ted Corless, the late Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan lists the numerous reasons why he believed Florida’s death penalty should be abolished.
Contrary to Viral Posts, Head Injury to 13-Year-Old Boy in Palm Coast’s R-Section Attributed to a Fall
A social media post that went viral about a 13-year-old boy getting severely hurt near Rymfire Elementary Friday was traced to an injury to Jacob D. Pelton, a resident of Palm Coast’s P Section, who told authorities he fell off his bike, but in murky circumstances.
FPC’s Shauntiana Stafford, 17, Killed Herself in 2019. Her Mother is Suing Flagler Schools, Charging Wrongful Death
Seemingly the first such lawsuit in recent decades in Flagler, the case opens a rare window into bullying issues behind normally restrictive student privacy laws, potentially revealing in detail the psychological and mental context of a student in the weeks and months leading up to her death, her relationship with school staffers, and the district’s responses in all its intricacies.
Their Boat Sank in Minutes 10 Miles Offshore of Flagler Beach: How 4 Men and 2 Boys Kept Their Cool Until Rescued
A group of six Palm Coast boaters off on a snapper fishing trip Saturday (July 10) rapidly sank two hours into their trip, 10 miles offshore. Quick action, level heads and a series of fortunate events led to their rescue by another fishing boat, then the Coast Guard. here’s their story.
Palm Coast’s Joseph Carroll, 42, Indicted on 1st Degree Murder in Overdose Death of Michael Burnett Jr.
Michael Burnett Jr. was 31 when he overdosed on drugs allegedly sold to him by Joseph Carroll, 42, and Allyson Bennett, 39, in 2018. Bennett this week pleaded to manslaughter, and faces up to 15 years in prison. Carroll was indicted on the first-degree murder charge, a capital felony, on Tuesday.
Palm Coast Fire Department and Mayor Recognize Firefighters who Saved Teen
The Palm Coast Fire Department (PCFD) recently recognized the efforts of firefighters for their actions in helping to save the life of a juvenile who had climbed onto the overpass of Palm Coast Parkway & I-95 bridge on Father’s Day. The teen was having a mental health crisis and was a threat to herself.
Sheriff Requests 10 Additional Deputies for Palm Coast, a 28% Policing Budget Increase Posing Dilemma for City
The Sheriff is asking for 10 deputies from Palm Coast and 15 from the county in line with a staffing analysis he commissioned last year. But Palm Coast’s budget for next year includes other costly priorities and assumes a slight tax increase as it is. The Sheriff’s request is complicating the city’s math and council members’ already strained dynamics.
When It Absolutely, Positively Doesn’t Have to Lead to This: Gun-Toting Road Rage Incident Lands Man in Jail
A 32-year-old delivery driver for FedEx was making deliveries in Palm Coast Thursday afternoon when, passing by the Brass Tap in the Island Walk shopping center, his way was blocked by another vehicle idled in the middle of the road. The man blocking his way then allegedly flashed a gun.
As Condo Tower Death Toll Reaches 90, Renner Says No Need for Immediate Changes to Building Codes
Rep. Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican set to take over as House speaker following the 2022 elections, pointed to the inability of the Champlain Towers South condo association to quickly address safety and structural repairs needed for the once 12-story building.
Councilman Barbosa Under Federal Investigation Following Allegation of Kidnapping and Extortion; Sheriff’s Investigation Deems Him a Fugitive
Palm Coast City Council member Victor Barbosa may be a fugitive from justice in Costa Rica, where he has been “considered armed and dangerous on the charge of Kidnapping,” according to Flagler County Sheriff Chief Dan Engert, who has requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigate the matter.
James Harris, Accused of Molesting Girl For 5 Years, Is Seeking Bond Waiver and Release from Jail
James Edwin Harris, the 61-year-old owner of Jimmy’s Hang Ten restaurant arrested a week ago on charges that he’d been molesting his step-daughter, has filed for a motion to be released from jail without a bond.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Lentino Suspended Pending Investigation into Dating Violence Involving 21-Year-Old Woman
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Robert Lentino, 26, who has been with the agency three years, was relieved of duty–with pay–just before noon today pending an investigation of an allegation of dating violence against his 21-year-old girlfriend.
Florida Supreme Court Will Not Hear Constitutional Challenge to Mask Mandate
The Florida Supreme Court declined to take up a constitutional challenge to Palm Beach County’s decision last year to require people to wear masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jimmy’s Hang Ten Restaurant Owner Jim Harris Charged With Molesting 14-Year-Old Girl
James “Jimmy” Edwin Harris, the 61-year-old owner of Jimmy’s Hang Ten, the restaurant in Flagler Beach, was arrested on late Friday night on two counts of molesting an under-age girl. He’s being held at the Flagler County jail on no bond.
Life in Prison for Leon Wiley for Attempting to ‘Erase’ Step-Daughter Through 6 Years of Depraved Abuse and Sadism
55-year-old Leon Norman Wiley Jr.’s three-hour sentencing hearing today included victim impact statements of shattering details from the step-daughter he’d raped, impregnated and pimped out since she was 12, from her mother, and even from Wiley’s own parents, who had no illusions about the crimes he’d committed, though they asked for some mercy.
13-Year-Old Soccer Player Files Suit Against Florida’s Just-Enacted Ban on Transgender Girl Athletes
A 13-year-old Broward County soccer player and her parents are challenging a a new state law that bans transgender female athletes from participating on girls’ and women’s sports teams, arguing that it is unconstitutional and “ignores basic medical science” about trans students.
William Kitts, Troubled Man With Arrest on Grave Charge, and a Few Lenient Breaks, Arrested Again
William Kitts had a charge of raping an incapacitated underage girl reduced to child abuse and was recently rearrested over a confrontation at a Flagler Beach restaurant. On Monday, he admitted to stealing a car from a 7-Eleven, where the owner had run in to get a drink.
Leon Wiley Admits He Raped His Minor Step-Daughter for Years But Says Jury Was Wrong to Convict Him
Leon Norman Wiley Jr., 54, was found guilty by a jury of raping his stepdaughter since she was 12, but he argued today that he was owed a new trial because none of the abuse took place in Flagler County. The judge rejected the argument. Wiley is to be sentenced Friday to what may amount to life in prison.
86-Year-Old Woman Refuses to Sign Over Deed to Her House, so Granddaughter Abandons Her in Palm Coast
Amber Lynn Dodd, a 26-year-old Deltona woman who abandoned her 86-year-old grandmother at a Palm Coast gas station late Saturday night and drove on, is now facing a felony elderly neglect charge, though she has not been arrested.
Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 22 1/2 Years in Prison for Murder of George Floyd
The sentencing marks a significant milestone in the effort to get justice for Floyd, who died begging for his life under Chauvin’s knee for more than 9 minutes on Memorial Day 2020. Three other officers present also face charges in Floyd’s death, with trials scheduled for next year.
County Administrator May Have to Pay Sheriff’s Lunch Back as Operations Center Is Again Delayed, Almost a Year
The opening of the 51,000-square-foot facility is now seen no earlier than the end of 2022, instead of next November. By then, the sheriff will have been exiled from the former Sheriff’s Operations Center on State Road 100 for almost four and a half years–longer than a full term in office.
Veni Vidi Vinci: Flagler Beach Detective Is Named Officer of the Year by Florida Police Chiefs Association
Flagler Beach Police detective Rosanna Vinci, on the job at the city for seven years, is the Florida Police Chiefs Association winner of the Lee McGehee Award for small Law Enforcement agencies statewide. The Flagler Beach City Commission will recognize Vinci at its meeting this evening, at 5:30 p.m., the association will do so next week.
Three 14-Year-Old Boys Arrested on Grand Theft Charge; Car Owner Had Left Key in Glove Box
Three 14-year-old Palm Coast boys were arrested early Monday morning at Holland Park and charged with grand theft auto, a felony, after they admitted to stealing a car from a Cole Place driveway. The owner of the car had left the key in the glovebox.
Florida Prisons Want to Ban Most ‘Routine’ Mail, Replacing It with Communal Email. Families Are Outraged.
Florida prison officials’ plan to replace prisoners’ “routine” mail with digitized versions viewed on tablet computers or communal kiosks has sparked an outcry among inmates’ families and advocates, who argue that preserving bonds with loved ones while prisoners are locked up dramatically increases later chances of success on the outside.
No Acquittal This Time for For L’Darius Smith as Jury Convicts Him of Aggravated Assault in Race-Tinged Confrontation
Two brothers, 63 and 59, had allegedly called L’Darius Smith the N word in a confrontation that began with one of the men complimenting him for his Batman jacket. He picked up a baseball bat–and a conviction for aggravated assault that may now send him to prison. Four years ago he was acquitted of charges of molesting his sisters when they were young children. He still faces a burglary charge.
Quietly, and Without Voter Say, Flagler County Readies to Raise Sales Tax on Everyone. Palm Coast Says No.
The Palm Coast City Council today rejected a request by county government to support raising the local sales tax from 7 to 7.5 percent. The rejection deals a blow to county government, which is looking to increase the tax to pay for law enforcement and fire operations, but it also replays tensions from 10 years ago when the county’s approach on the sales tax was equally clumsy and unilateral.
Terry McManus, Who Runs Flagler Beach’s City-Owned Golf Course, Is Guilty of Felony DUI and Faces Up to 5 Years
McManus, who was immediately taken into custody at the Flagler County jail, faces another trial on a felony insurance fraud charge later this year, and is battling a civil suit in a breach of contract case involving the golf club’s management company.
Crime Dropped By Half in Staly’s 1st Term, Giving Flagler 4th-Lowest Rate Among Florida Counties of 100,000 or More
Flagler County’s crime rate in 2020 fell for the 11th straight year, though it’s never fallen as sharply as it has in the last three, when it fell by half since 2017. In 2020, Flagler had the fourth-lowest crime rate in the state for counties of 100,000 or more people, aided in part by the pandemic.
Felon Released from Prison Months Ago, Resentenced 6 Days Ago, Carjacks 70-Year-Old Woman and Flees Cops
Angelo Walsh, 38, had been found guilty of domestic battery–he’d pounded his girlfriend with both fists–four days before a Saturday incident in which he carjacked a 70-year-old woman and sent deputies on a chase through Palm Coast with reckless disregard for other drivers–a charge he’d faced on a previous prison stint.
Deputies and Firefighters Talk a Suicidal 17-Year-Old Girl Off the Ledge at Palm Coast Parkway and I-95
Four public safety agencies this morning cooperated in literally talking a 17-year-old Palm Coast girl off the ledge on the I-95 overpass at Palm Coast Parkway. The incident shut down I-95 northbound and the parkway’s eastbound traffic in the 6 and 7 o’clock hours this morning before it was resolved without harm to anyone.