After deliberating just under two and a half hours today, the all-white jury of four women and two men found Benjamin Allen not guilty of the murder by gunshot of 17-year-old Elijah Rizvan two years ago on a W-Section street during a drug deal.
Cops/Courts
Benjamin Allen Sobs, ‘It’s Pointless,’ as Jury Watches His Interview Before His Arrest for Murder
In the last day of trial before closing arguments, the jury watched a 56-minute interview between Benjamin Allen, who is accused of murder, and detectives, in the presence of his parents. He maintained his innocence, and broke down once the handcuffs were on.
A Day of Testimony Unravels Three Witnesses’ Fleeing and Eluding Questions in Benjamin Allen Murder Trial
The three witnesses who were in the car with Benjamin Allen the evening Elijah Rizvan was shot and killed testified today in Allen’s trial on a first-degree murder charge, revealing to what extent they each lied and eluded both detectives’ questions then and attorneys’ questions today.
Palm Coast Man, 44, Is Killed in Motorcycle Crash on I-95 North of Old Dixie Highway
A 44-year-old Palm Coast man was killed in a collision with an SUV this morning on I-95 as he rode his motorcycle two miles north of the intersection with Old Dixie Highway.
Benjamin Allen’s Lawyers Drill Holes in His Accusers’ Stories, Sowing Grave Doubts About Who Killed Elijah Rizvan
The prosecution in the trial of Benjamin Allen, 18, who is accused of murdering Elijah Rizvan in Palm Coast’s W-Section in 2019, had a bad day Tuesday as its witnesses proved more helpful to the defense, undermining the claim that Allen was the shooter.
Joe Mullins Responds to Lawsuit’s Claims of Fraud and Breach of Contract With List of Denials
Responding through his attorney, Joe Mullins denies the allegations of a $2.4 million lawsuit and moves for a partial dismissal. The motion argues that the claim fails to state a fraud claim or that RICO was violated.
Jury Seated in Trial of Benjamin Allen, Now 18, in 1st-Degree Murder of Elijah Rizvan in W-Section 2 Years Ago
Benjamin Allen was 16 when he was accused of shooting dead Elijah Rizvan outside a house in the W Section in July 2019. He is being tried as an adult and faces life in prison if convicted. An all-white jury was empaneled today.
Palm Coast Man, 55, Accused of Propositioning a Woman then Stabbing her and Her Boyfriend When She Said No
Rene Laso, 55, of Palm Coast, faces two felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing a woman and her boyfriend when she refused money and sexual advances.
Man Enraged By Motorcyclist’s Speed in P-Section Is Arrested on Charge of Attacking Him
William Markert, 69, got into a physical fight with a 21-year-old motorcyclist on a P-Section street after flagging him down over his speed. He was booked at the county jail and faces a misdemeanor battery charge.
Flagler County Celebrates Emergency Medical Services Staff for EMS Week
Nothing shed light on the important role that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff undertake in “Caring for Our Communities” – the theme of the 2021 EMS Week – like the coronavirus pandemic did.
Flagler Fire Rescue and Others Set WaterSafe 2021 Event at Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club June 5
WaterSafe 2021 will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 5, at the Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club, 73 Patricia Lane, Palm Coast. The typically annual event was not held in 2020 because of Covid, and this year’s event will be socially-distanced and masks will be required as a precaution.
West Flagler Resident Faces Kidnapping and Other Felony Charges in Domestic Violence Incident With Ex
Benjamin Murray Brittle, 59, was briefly booked at the Flagler County jail over the weekend on a first-degree felony charge of kidnapping, two third-degree felony charges and two out-of-county warrants for misdemeanors. He was released 36 hours later on $17,000 bond.
Sheriff Gualtieri: Cop “Who Shoots and Kills Another Is Not a ‘Victim’” and Cant’ Invoke Marsy’s Law to Hide Name
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and the Miami Civilian Investigative Panel last week said they plan to file friend-of-the-court briefs at the Florida Supreme Court in a dispute about whether a 2018 constitutional amendment known as “Marsy’s Law” can prevent the release of officers’ names.
With a Nod to the Memory of a Special Agent, Sheriff Marks Fallen Officers Ceremony After a Year of Heavy Losses
Community members and law enforcement gathered to create a sea of blue-lit candles in memory of those lost in the line of duty at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s annual fallen officers memorial Thursday evening in front of the county courthouse.
Wanted Felon in 2-Hour Standoff With Deputies Had No Gun, But Was Very Concerned About His Phone’s Safety
Joshua R. Siedel, the 27-year-old Bunnell resident who took Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies and Bunnell Police Department officers on a brief chase down U.S. 1 then was at the center of a two-hour standoff, threatening suicide, surrendered peacefully but faces numerous charges from that encounter and four additional felony warrants that had caused his Buick’s license plate to trigger a fugitive warning in midafternoon Wednesday.
Deputies Peacefully End Standoff With Suicidal Man at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were in a standoff with a 28-year-old man on U.S. 1 starting at midafternoon today, in the area of Cemetery Road near the county line. Traffic on U.S. 1 in both directions was shut down for 90 minutes, when the man was taken into custody.
57-Year-Old Army Veteran and Palm Coast Resident Faces Charges of Raping 7-Year-Old Girl
Monserrate Teron, a 57-year-old Army veteran and resident of 8 Edwin Lane in Palm Coast since June 2018, was arrested and booked at the Flagler County jail Monday on charges of raping and molesting a 7-year-old girl with whom he had a familial relationship. The alleged assaults started when the girl was in kindergarten. She is now 9.
For Operator of Flagler Beach’s City-Owned Golf Club, Criminal Trials He Faces Next Week Are Barely Half the Story
Terry McManus, who’s run Flagler Beach’s Ocean Palm Golf Club since 2016, faces felony fraud and DUI trials and a civil breach of contract suit, and is once again facing questions about the club’s financial state from the Flagler Beach City Commission.
Deputies’ Rapid Response Averts a Suicide After Man Had Gun to His Head, the Second De-Escalation in 7 Days
Flagler sheriff’s deputies on Friday afternoon faced a man with a gun to his head, intent on suicide, but with rapid movements and non-lethal weapon managed to disarm him and take control of the situation, the second time in seven days that they’d prevented a suicide by gun.
Federal Judge Dismisses Suit by 5 Inmates Claiming Constant Bright Lights at Flagler Jail are ‘Human Torture’
Inmates filed suit over bright lights being on 24 hours a day at the Flagler County jail. A federal judge dismissed the suit on a technicality–the jail is not an entity that could be sued–but the jail administration had previously sought to address the issue with eye masks and is exploring other possibilities.
Ex-Congresswoman Corrine Brown’s Conviction for Fraud Is Overturned and New Trial Ordered
Brown, 74, was a member of the U.S. House from 1993 to 2017, where she represented parts of Flagler County for several years, after serving in the state Legislature. The Jacksonville Democrat was convicted on fraud and tax charges related to her role in using contributions to the One Door for Education charity for personal expenses and events.
Chief Justice Lifts Some Courthouse Restrictions, But Masking and Physical Distancing Remain
Members of the public will be able to enter and move through courthouses across the state, including the Flagler County courthouse, while in-person court proceedings will continue to have mask requirements and social distancing.
Fire Rescue, Emergency Management and Growth Management Departments Hold Open House June 17
The open-house style event scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. June 17 at the Hidden Trails Community Center in Daytona North will provide information about the various programs and services available to residents.
Man Who Rushed Mayor During Palm Coast Council Meeting Is Trespassed, and Says He Will Sue
Mark Phillips, a frequent presence at city and county meetings who aggressively rushed the dais during the Palm Coast City Council meeting Tuesday to confront Mayor Milissa Holland, was trespassed from City Hall the next day, records show. He has the right of appeal.
Flagler Sting and Arrest of 2 Catalytic Converter Thieves Highlights Widespread and Profitable Racket
Catalytic converters, the pollution-control devices on all gasoline-powered cars and trucks, can be more valuable contraband than drugs–easier to acquire, easier to sell, and less punishable if caught. The sheriff’s office arrested two men in a local sting operation targeting converter thieves.
Almost 3 Years Late and $300,000 Over Budget, County Finally Opens Palm Coast Precinct for Sheriff
The Palm Coast Precinct at 14 Palm Harbor Village Way was originally supposed to open in 2018 but fell victims to delays and successive changes of plans before reverting back to its original intent.
Lauryn Darnell, 19, Will Serve 3 Years in Prison for Role in W-Section Conspiracy and Shooting That Left a Man Disabled
Lauryn Darnell, one of four co-conspirators in the armed robbery and shooting of Carl Saint Felix on Palm Coast’s White Star Drive in 2018, pleaded today to conspiring to armed robbery and principal to armed robbery and will be sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years’ probation.
Benjamin Allen, Now 18, Will Go on Trial May 24 for Murder of Elijah Rizvan, 17, in W-Section Shooting
Benjamin Allen, accused of shooting 17-year-old Elijah Rizvan to death in front of 7 Westford Lane in Palm Coast almost two years ago, faces life in prison if convicted. He previously turned down a plea deal requiring him to serve 30 years in prison, with a possibility of early release after 25.
Sheriff Staly and Deputies Chase Accused Armed Carjacker to Daytona, Where He’s Tased and Arrested
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and and Chief Mark Strobridge found themselves in the thick of a chase for an accused carjacker who’d just fled from a deputy after pointing a rifle at a passenger. The chase ended in Daytona Beach with the suspect’s arrest after he was tased.
Flagler County Makes a Little History With Its First Aerial-Ignition Prescribed Fire at Princess Place
A successful prescribed fire, sometimes also referred to as a “controlled” fire, removes the hazardous level of fuel in a given area. Unplanned wildfires have a greater risk of being destructive, because the accumulation of vegetation serves as the fuel for these hotter, faster moving fires.
‘Armed and Dangerous’ Felon Kyle Knever Is Found Following Two-Hour Search in W-Section
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies Saturday morning were searching in the area of Commerce Boulevard and Wells Place in Palm Coast for Kyle Knever, a 35-year-old felon considered “armed and dangerous,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Palm Coast’s K and Z Sections Targeted as Sheriff’s Detectives Investigate 20 Car Breaks, All Unlocked
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a rash of 20 car breaks, possibly more, that all took place in Palm Coast’s K and Z Sections Tuesday night into Wednesday. Every single vehicle that was broken into had been left unlocked.
Palm Coast Man, 28, Arrested on Charges of Soliciting a 14-Year-Old Girl by Computer for Months
Oleg Walker is accused of carrying out a relationship by text with a 14-year-old girl over months until his phone was confiscated by police. Law enforcement was tipped off by a friend of Walker’s.
Gaines Smith Jr. Arrested Over Bunnell Shooting Spree Targeting Two Women, With Children Present
Two Palm Coast women, ages 35 and 44, reported to police that Gaines Smith Jr. had allegedly threatened them and fired his gun, along with several other armed men, in the area of East Martin Luther King Avenue and South Moore Street in Bunnell. Children were near the women. No one was injured.
Two Elderly Men Stranded in a Jon Boat in Intracoastal Marshes for 7 Hours Are Rescued Near Bings Landing
Two men who’d gone fishing Friday afternoon in a jon boat spent seven hours stranded after the jon boat’s engine died and they proved unable to summon a tow, finally resulting in a late night rescue by public safety agencies.
A 17-Year-Old Boy Is Shot on Roxland Lane in Palm Coast, By an Assailant Said to Be Unknown
A 17-year-old boy was shot outside a house on Roxland Lane late Saturday night by a assailant said to be unknown, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said this morning. “At this time we do not believe that this was a random attack,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.
Flagler Sheriff’s Daniel LaVerne Gets Distinguished Victim Services Award
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Deputy First Class (DFC) Daniel LaVerne was awarded the 2021 Distinguished Victim Services Award during a virtual version of the annual Victim’s Rights Week Ceremony hosted by Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Flagler Jail Deputy Disciplined Over Alleged Use of N-Word Against Inmate, Which He Denies
Flagler County Sheriff’s detention deputy Cpl. Peter Descartes served a one-day suspension without pay last month following an internal investigation over allegations that he referred to a Black inmate by a racist slur in November. Descartes is himself Black, and denied using the term saying he used a different word that sounds similar.
Christopher Holmes, 41, Faces Assault and Robbery Charges Following Series of Bizarre Palm Coast Incidents
Christopher Holmes, 41, stopped his car in the middle of intersections and walked around, ranting, allegedly stole a phone from a motorist, and tried to run over someone else Thursday afternoon as he supposedly was searching for his daughter in Palm Coast.
Florida Supreme Court Rejects Recreational Pot Amendment from 2022 Ballot
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at allowing people to use recreational marijuana, saying it would be misleading to voters because it’s still illegal under federal law.
Sheriff’s Office Joins TikTok and Others to Discredit Vile but Viral Claim
The absurd claim is that laws against sexual assault would be suspended on April 24, enabling attacks or rapes without consequences.
Scenes of Disarray and Filth and 3 Neglected Children at West Bunnell Home Result in Arrest of Two Parents
Deputies and an employee from the Department of Children and Families witnessed scenes of extreme neglect in and around the house on County Road 75 this morning, after being called there by neighbors who kept hearing children wailing. The scene resulted in the arrest of the children’s parents.
Lawyers’ Group Sues DeSantis Over Protest-Crackdown Bill Two Days After He Signs It Into Law
Civil-rights attorneys are challenging a new set of state laws that establish a crime of “mob intimidation” and enhance penalties for riot-related violence and looting, arguing in a federal lawsuit that the measures unconstitutionally “seek to arrest the peaceful expression of free speech.”
Sheriff’s Ex-Detective Mark Moy Demoted to Civilian Status, Criminal Charge of Domestic Violence Dropped
Mark A. Moy, the long-time veteran of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested in mid-February on a domestic battery charge, was suspended without pay for two months, demoted to civilian status without any law enforcement authority, placed on disciplinary probation for a year, and will be required to re-apply for a sworn deputy’s position as if he were starting over, his corporal rank now lost.
Head-On Crash on Belle Terre Parkway Results in 3 Trauma Alerts as Vehicle Drifts Into Southbound Lanes
A two-vehicle head-on Belle Terre Parkway early this afternoon required extrications of patients from both vehicles, the hospitalization of three people and the closure of Belle Terre’s southbound lanes from the north end of the Parkview Parkway loop.
Joe Mullins Faces $2.4 Million Federal Lawsuit Alleging He Defrauded Company of Augusta Masters Golf Tickets
Joe Mullins, the Flagler County Commissioner and business owner, faces a $2.4 million federal lawsuit over allegations he defrauded a golf vacation-package company by delivering either invalid tickets to the 2018 Augusta National Masters tournament or failing to deliver tickets in 2018 and 2019, costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars and lost customers and ruining the company.
‘I Ain’t Going Peacefully,’ B-Section Felon Who’d Threatened Ex and Family Dares Cops in 3-Hour Standoff
Joseph Robert Bourke Jr., a 34-year-old resident of 130 Breeze Hill in Palm Coast and a felon several times over, had threatened to kill his girlfriend, put her family members in the hospital and intimated suicide by cop when contacted by a sheriff’s sergeant. A standoff ensued but ended peacefully with his arrest Saturday afternoon.
Facing Death by Lethal Injection, Derrek Perkins Pleads Guilty to Murdering His Wife and Gets Life in Prison
Derrek Perkins pleaded guilty to five charges, including murder, charges before Circuit Judge Howard Maltz in St. Augustine. The judge then sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The plea essentially spared Perkins his life–and spared prosecutors, defense lawyers and taxpayers years of litigation and appeals.
Flagler Beach Will Combine Prescription Drugs Take-Back Day With Golf Cart Registrations on April 24
Elected last month, Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston came up with the idea of combining a prescription drug take-back event with golf cart registrations. The city’s police chief will also go to the homes of those who prefer not to come out to drop off drugs.
Bill Criminalizing Or Increasing Penalties for Certain Protest Activities Heads to Gov. DeSantis
The sweeping proposal, titled “Combating Public Disorder,” would create a new crime of “mob intimidation,” enhance penalties for riot-related looting and violence and create an affirmative defense for individuals who injure or kill violent protesters.