Circuit Judge Terence Perkins sentenced Michael Cummings, 48, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal killing of his ex-wife Faith Cummings in their Point Pleasant home in Palm Coast two years ago.
Cops/Courts
Flagler Cats Bingo Business Shut Down on Allegations of Operating as Illegal Gambling Parlor
Flagler Cats Bingo, opened last year in Flagler Beach as a fund-raising arm of Flagler Cats, was raided and shut down by the sheriff’s office after 48 gambling machines were seized. Owner Mari Molina says she was not aware of any gambling.
Why Dorothy Singer, Convicted of Murdering Her Husband, Was Back In Court Today, Set for Re-Trial
Dorothy Singer was convicted in a trial last year of murdering her husband Charles at their West Flagler home, but an appeals court granted her a new trial because of an error trial judge Dennis Craig committed.
A Convicted Attempted Murderer Freed 13 Years Ago Will Go Back to Prison on Sex Charges Involving 15-Year-Old Cousin
A jury took just 20 minutes to find Elijah Jackson, 51, guilty of sending a lewd picture of himself to his 15-year-old cousin and luring her for sex while he lived with his adult girlfriend of 12 years.
Roy Longo Honored for 504 Missions on Fire Flight, 30 Years as Flagler Rescue Paramedic, and that Dolphin
Roy Longo, who became a local hero after saving a dolphin in distress with a county ambulance in 1999, was honored for his 30 years of service tonight, the last seven as a medic on Fire Flight, the county’s emergency helicopter.
Prosecution Seeks To Take Picture of Defendant’s Erect Penis. Judge Says No. Twice.
51-year-old Elijah Jackson’s trial began in Bunnell this morning. He faces accusations of transmitting an image of his penis to his 15-year-old cousin. The prosecution on two occasions sought to have Jackson’s penis photographed while erect, for comparative purposes.
Fight at FPC Over Student’s Clothing Turns Into Brawl, But No Charges Are Filed
Sheriff’s deputies concluded the Dec. 11 fight had started within the school, then spilled into the parking lot by the Auditorium, involving dozens of students, and briefly continued in the parking lot near Olive Garden and through SnapChat.
Crime Rate in Flagler and Palm Coast Continues Steep Drop in 1st Half of 2019
The crime index in Flagler County and Palm Coast dropped in the first six months of 2019, continuing a steep decline of the last two years, falling 15.1 percent compared with the first six months of 2018. The declines were especially steep in Flagler Beach and Bunnell.
Calling It Terrorism, Judge Finds FPC Girl Guilty of Threatening to Kill Teacher; She’s Appealing
Circuit Court Judge Chris France, applying an extremely broad definition of terrorism, today found a 17-year-old former Flagler Palm Coast High School student guilty of threatening to kill her teacher through written messages to a fellow-student a year ago.
Johnnie Thomas Jr. Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for ‘Cold-Blooded’ Killing of Robert Emmanuel
Johnnie Spydale Thomas Jr., a 26-year-old Bunnell resident with a long record of crime and incarceration, was sentenced to 25 years in prison this morning for bludgeoning 60-year-old Robert Emmanuel during a crack deal outside Emmanuel’s Bunnell home two years ago.
Watch The Station Sparkle: Palm Coast Firefighters Release Another Fire Truck Light Show
This is the second year in the row the Palm Coast Fire Department released a holiday entertainment video to help create a larger audience for their general messages of community involvement and Fire safety around the holidays.
Bistro Café and Mr. Pancho Mexican Grill on Palm Coast’s Utility Drive Targets of Overnight Burglaries
The burglars stole some $4,000 in cash from one business and $150 from another, causing about $600 in damage along the way and the loss of about $500 worth of food that had been stored in a fridge they’d left open. The burglars are at large.
Man and Woman Severely Injured in T-Bone Crash at Bulldog Drive and SR100; No Students Involved
Two people were severely injured in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Road 100 and Bulldog Drive–or Aviation Way, the road that leads to the county airport–at 1:41 this afternoon.
Amicus Curiae: The 16-Year-Old FPC Girl Was Racist. She Was Stupid. She Was Not Criminal.
In the case of an FPC girl who wrote bigoted threats about her teacher last December, the prosecution is making outlandish claims that it was act of terrorism, stretching the meaning of a 2018 law passed after the Parkland massacre. The law does not apply, as even the prosecution acknowledged the case’s weaknesses.
School Deputies Now Equipped With Ankle First Aid Kits and Bullet-Proof Rifle Plates
The Flagler County Sheriff’s school resource deputies are now all equipped with rescue tactical ankle medical kits and rifle plates in case of traumatic incidents. The ankle kits were acquired through a grant, the plates through sheriff’s funds.
Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging Juvenile Solitary Confinement
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a 21-page order Friday that cleared the way for the case to continue. Walker wrote that the plaintiffs have “alleged sufficient facts” to bring the lawsuit.
Flagler Beach Officers Punch and Tase Man To Subdue Him During Domestic Violence Incident
The incident with the 26-year-old Flagler Beach resident was a culmination of loosely related altercations involving Hobbie that had progressively become more violent. He’s being held at the county jail on $120,000 bond.
Flagler Humane Society Volunteer Injured and Hospitalized After Attack by Pitbull Terrier
A dog at the Flagler Humane Society attacked a volunteer on Thursday (Dec. 5), severely injuring the volunteer, who was hospitalized at Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach. The dog, a pit bull terrier mix, was euthanized.
Bunnell Man Shoots Dog In Front of Its Teen Owners After Dog Had Mauled His Cat; No Charges
Nickolas B. Monroe, a 26-year-old resident of Walnut Avenue in Bunnell’s Mondex neighborhood, fired at and killed the animal as its owners, a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, had just been looking for it.
Girl Who Made Bigoted Death Threats About English Teacher at FPC Is Tried, But Judge To Rule Later
A circuit judge this afternoon tried a white, 17-year-old former Flagler Palm Coast High School student accused of making death threats laced in bigoted language against her black English teacher a year ago.
First of Two Christmas With a Deputy Events Tonight as Cops Donate Record $19,000 for Kids
For the 12th year of the event, there will be two Christmas with a Deputy in Flagler County, thanks to a Walmart grant and a record fund-raising drive by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s employees.
Association Opposing 240-Boat Storage Facility in the Hammock Takes Its Case to Circuit Court
The Hammock Community Association is challenging the Flagler County Commission’s decision to allow the Hammock Harbour project to go forward, claiming A1A zoning rules don’t allow for a warehousing-type facility. The county does not consider the planned development to be a warehouse.
FPC Student Faces Felony Charge After NFL Argument Escalates to Death Threat and Insults About Appearance
Two Flagler Palm Coast High School students arguing over the NFL had an altercation that led to one boy making written death threats against the other boy and his parents, on Instagram.
Night Fire on Selborne Path in Seminole Woods ‘Rekindles’ in the Morning, Destroying New Home
A house at 17 Selborne Path in Palm Coast’s Seminole Woods was fully engulfed in flames this morning, and keeping even emergency responders at some distance as explosions roiled the structure’s interior.
Belle Terre Elementary Principal Culver Under Criminal Investigation By FDLE as District Announces Interim
Belle Terre Elementary Principal Terence Culver is under criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Jessica DeFord was appointed interim principal at the school.
Unlikely Judge Orders Grinch to Community Service at Humane Society Food Drive and Pet Adoption
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has teamed up with the Flagler Humane Society to host the Santa Paws Food Drive and Adoption Event on Tuesday, December 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Flagler Humane Society, at 1 Shelter Drive in Palm Coast.
FDLE Lacked Oversight of Employees’ Text Messages and Use of Personal Devices for State Business
Florida’s top law enforcement agency did not have safeguards in place to ensure text messages sent and received by its employees were retained as required by state law, according to an audit released last week.
Cynthia Clark, 62, Is Killed, 2 Critical in 3-Vehicle Crash on I-95’s Overpass at State Road 100
Cynthia Clark, 62, of Atlantic Beach, was killed and two people were critically injured in a three-vehicle crash on I-95 at the north edge of the overpass over State Road 100 in Palm Coast Saturday afternoon.
One Man Is Found Dead of Suicide Behind Walmart. Another Attempts Suicide By Cop.
John Dean Purr, 46, was found dead of a gunshot wound near Walmart, and Craig Dolgin 48, allegedly attempted suicide by cop in a 24-hour period in Palm Coast Monday and Tuesday.
Judiciary Lets Down Its Robes as It Celebrates Flagler County Judge Totten’s Investiture
Flagler County Judge Andrea Totten’s investiture at Channel Side in Palm Coast drew more than a dozen judges and nearly as many ceremonial presentations and speeches advising the judge on her new course.
Kentucky Fried Chicken on Old Kings Road Target of Bomb Threat
The Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at 3 Old Kings Road North in Palm Coast was the target of a bomb threat Saturday evening, forcing the business to be evacuated and surrounding traffic rerouted for several hours. No bomb was discovered after a bomb squad from Volusia County searched the premises.
Richard Petkovsek, Decorated Sheriff’s Deputy, Is Arrested and Suspended Without Pay
Richard Petkovsek, a Flagler County Sheriff’s detective who just weeks ago received the latest in a series of commendations during his five years with the sheriff’s office, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest without violence outside a St. Augustine bar early this morning. The sheriff’s office then suspended him without pay, in accordance with agency policy.
Broken Taillight Leads to Sex Offender Out on Bond, In Possession of Weapons and Drugs
Christopher E. Raymond, 33, of 7 Burma Place in Palm Coast, who’d spent 10 of the last 15 years in prison, was pulled over for a broken brake light and was found in possession of weaponry and drugs.
Palm Coast Firefighters Host Mental Health and PTSD Awareness Training
The Palm Coast Fire Department is being proactive in taking steps to raise awareness to the effects of PTSD by participating in its first department-wide mental health training.
A Case of Bruising Corporal Punishment Is Deemed Child Abuse and a 46-Year-Old Father Is Jailed
Ramon Pardo, 45, faces a felony child abuse charge after school authorities alerted DCF of bruising on his 10-year-old son’s body, the result of a “spanking” with a belt because the child had allegedly lied.
Video Captures High-Speed Fleeing Through Bunnell and Capture of 2 in a Palm Coast Garage
Franklin Crawley, 37, of 34 Woodhollow Lane in Palm Coast, is accused of stealing his grandmother’s car before taking airborne and ground-based cops on a chase through Bunnell and Palm Coast. He and Christian Grasso, 37, were arrested. Both face felony charges.
Some 33 Pounds of Cocaine Wash Up on the Beach Near Surfside Condos in North Flagler
The dark gym bag was dark and covered in barnacles and seaweed, and the 15 bricks within were covered in sand and seashells, suggesting that the bag had been in the ocean a long time.
Children Speak Up in 2 Separate Cases of Alleged Child Abuse, Leading to Parents’ Arrests
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies responded to two separate incidents of alleged child abuse in a 24-hour period in Palm Coast, both of them resulting in the arrest of parents involved: Andrew Bass, a K-Section resident, and Teresa Berndt, a W-Section resident.
Sheriff’s Deputy Injured, New Charger Patrol Car Totaled, in Crash With Pick-Up in the Hammock
Flagler Sheriff’ deputy Kyle Gaddie was injured in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Road A1A and 16th Road in the Hammock late this morning.
Sharlyn Johnson, 60, Is Killed, in Two-Vehicle Crash at U.S. 1 and Eagle Rock Road
Sharlyn Johnson, 60, was killed Thursday evening in a two-vehicle t-bone crash at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Eagle Rock Road, just north of Plantation Bay. Christen Barney, 22, of Bunnell, suffered minor injuries.
Parent Who Allegedly Threatened to Burn Down Bunnell Elementary Over Racism Faces Felony Charge–and Potential Hate Crime
A 23-year-old parent of two children at Bunnell Elementary accused school staff of being racist and was heard allegedly threatening to burn down the school. The sheriff’s office forwarded a felony charge to the State Attorney’s Office and recommended a more serious charge under the state’s hate-crime law.
Michael Cummings Pleads to Murdering Ex-Wife at Palm Coast Home and Faces 30 Years to Life in Prison
Days from his trial on a first-degree murder charge, Michael Cummings, 48, pleaded to second degree murder in the death of Faith Cummings, 44, at their Point Pleasant home in Palm Coast in January 2018.
Solitary Confinement in Florida’s Prisons and Juvenile Detention Challenged in Court
In separate but parallel lawsuits, civil-rights and legal groups are challenging Florida’s use of solitary confinement in prisons and juvenile detention centers —- but are facing pushback from state agencies.
Investigation Shows Bullet Nearly Struck Woman as Felon Shot Into 2 Homes Over $10 Dispute
Wyatt Cunningham, 62, of west Flagler, is accused of firing a rifle several times into two homes, both occupied by several older people, over an argument involving a $10 bill for mowing grass.
Palm Coast Uber Driver, 53, Accused Of Molesting Deceased Girlfriend’s 11-Year-Old Daughter for 2 Years
Philip Frederick Martin, 53, of 95 Wedgewood Lane in Palm Coast, had been allowed to continue visiting with his deceased girlfriend’s daughter, who reported the alleged molestation took place over two years.
New Report Concludes Sheriff’s Operations Building ‘Should Be Ready for Re-Occupancy’ With Repairs
There are continuing issues at the sick, former Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell, but they are repairable, or treatable, a moisture and concrete evaluation report to the county concludes even as it lists a series of problems.
5 Children Split in Foster Care, 8 Pets Looking for Homes and Donations Sought as Result of Parents’ Negligence
With their parents, Betty Allen, 42, and Dennis Allen, 44, facing felony neglect charges the five children have been split between two foster homes and their eight pets, including four dogs, put up for adoption in the fallout from the discovery of a Bunnell house in a deplorable state.
Sheriff’s Deputy and Bunnell Police Officer Fall Violently Ill In Contact With Arrested Suspect’s Unknown Narcotic
The sheriff’s K-9 deputy Gibson Smith and the Bunnell Police Department’s Jennie Baker were briefly hospitalized after falling ill during an arrest of a known dealer of heroin and other drugs Saturday night.
From High School to $37,000-a-Year Firefighters: Flagler Hires 1st Three Recruits Out of FPC’s Fire Academy
Noah Dunaway, Dylan Cronk and Beau Kruithoff, all 18, are the very first Flagler County Fire Rescue recruits to be hired directly out of FPC’s fire academy. They were introduced to the Flagler County Commission this morning. They’ll be making $37,000 a year within weeks.
Squalor, Despair and Girl’s Talk of Suicide Land 2 Parents in Jail on Felony Charges of Neglecting 5 Children
Betty Nicolicchia-Allen, 42, and Dennis Allen, 44. of Daytona North were jailed after authorities found their five young children in deplorable conditions in their house, which had been deeded to them years ago by Habitat for Humanity.