A charge of first-degree murder requires premeditation. Florida’s law charging first degree murder for causing a death by overdose does not. It relies on assumptions and entirely negates the user’s responsibility. The law was intended as a deterrent. But in Florida, overdose deaths have increased sixfold in 25 years. The law beings neither deterrence nor justice in a crisis that will not be solved by sending people to prison for life.
Cops/Courts
After Losing Her Mother and Grandmother, Crash Victim Extends Kindness to Driver as He Is Sentenced to Prison
Shana Sciortino, was 41 when she and her grandmother were severely injured and her mother Debra Ashrafi was killed in a head-on crash with a car John Garrison, 50, was driving just outside Bunnell two years ago. Garrison was sentenced to three years in prison today, a lenient sentence. Sciortino had agreed to the lenience, and today in court she spoke kindly to him even as she described the grief and loss he has caused.
Cody’s Corner Roundabout Now Open to Traffic as Flagler’s 3 Once-Deadliest Intersections Are Tamed
The $4.7 million roundabout at Cody’s Corner that started construction at the beginning of April is now open to traffic and is expected to significantly reduce fatal and grave crashes at what had been one of Flagler County’s three deadliest intersections. Cody’s Corner, named for a convenience store there, is the intersection of State Road 11 and County Road 304, 10 miles southwest of Bunnell.
Seminole County Judge Wayne Culver Faces Suspension Over Abusive Behavior in Court
In a long-running case, the Florida Supreme Court agreed to a public reprimand and 60-day suspension for a Seminole County judge because of events that took place in 2022. An investigative panel of the Florida Qualifications Commission in 2022 recommended similar discipline for Seminole County Judge Wayne Culver.
Ex-Gang Leader Brandon Washington Loses Latest Appeal After Claiming Undelivered Mail
Ex-Bloods gang leader Brandon Washington has nothing to lose: he’s serving four life terms in prison in Okaloosa. So he keeps trying to get a break on his sentence. And he keeps losing. His latest loss was earlier this month as a judge rejected his claim that he was unjustly denied an appeal because mail wasn’t delivered to him.
Revealed: Behind Closed Doors, Palm Coast Council Was Hoping to Lose Lawsuit Over Debt Referendum
The transcript of a closed-door session of the council, obtained by FlaglerLive, shows that a majority of the council, and the attorney they’d hired to fight the lawsuit, were rooting for the judge to rule against the city in a lawsuit to pull the proposed debt referendum from the ballot–or at least thought that to be the best case scenario for the city. The city’s primary aim was no longer hoping for any kind of electoral success for the measure (which failed decisively), but avoiding liability for the city.
36-Year-Old Flagler Beach Woman Accused of Abusing Her 4 Year Old and Attacking Her 71-Year-Old Mother
Elizabeth Bliss, a 36-year-old resident of South Daytona Avenue in Flagler Beach, is facing a felony child abuse charge and a charge of aggravated battery on a person 65 or older–a first degree felony–after she allegedly pinned her 4-year-old daughter to the ground and grabbed and slapped her 71-year-old mother.
Radar in Bunnell Could Vastly Improve Dangerous Weather Forecasting–If Only Forecasters Could Access It
Since June a 330-pound radar with an estimated value of $120,000 to $150,000 has sat atop a 100-foot monopole at the Emergency Operations Center in Bunnell, one of only three like it in the state. It could vastly improve forecasting of dangerous weather such as imminent tornadoes. Except that the National Weather Service has not been able to access its data.
Turtle Shack Cafe in Flagler Beach Sustains ‘Significant’ Damage in Early Morning Fire
Turtle Shack Cafe, the popular Flagler Beach restaurant operating for two and a half decades between 21s and 22nd Street on State Road A1A, was damaged in an early-morning fire, drawing firefighters from across the county. The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen, but is still under investigation by the Flagler Beach fire marshal.
Help FDLE Find Samantha Fiddler
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) continues to pursue leads into the 2016 disappearance of Samantha Fiddler and hopes the public can help solve the mystery. Fiddler was last seen in Bartow on November 19, 2016. She was 29 years old when she vanished.
12-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl Faces Felony Over Death Threats in Fight Over a Boy
A week after an 11-year-old Virginia boy was sentenced in county court for making a series of threats that disrupted multiple schools for several days running, a 12-year-old Palm Coast girl was arrested on charges of threatening to kill another child in a dispute over a boy, using SnapChat to convey the threats. No school was involved in the latest incident.
Drug Court Graduation During Addict’s Murder Trial Draws Thin Line Between Abyss and Recovery
Four participants in Flagler County’s Drug Court graduated Thursday in a ceremony presided over by Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols, with Retired Judge Terence Perkins, in unique circumstances: the ceremony took place in the same courtroom where a murder trial was ongoing, with the jury deliberating over the fate of a drug abuser and dealer, whose shot of fentanyl killed another man. The juxtaposition of the two events sharpened the thin line between loss and recovery for substance abusers.
Palm Coast Fire Department Wins Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant
The Palm Coast Fire Department is now better equipped to keep community members safe thanks to a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant. The $34,881 grant was used to purchase Polaris Ranger Crew XP1000 with Light Kit, Siren, PA System, Skid, Poly sport roof, and accessories fulfilling a critical need within the department.
Found Guilty, Brian Pirraglia Is Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brian O’Shea’s Death by Fentanyl, a First in Flagler
A jury found Brian Piraglia, 42, of Palm Coast, guilty of murdering Brian O’Shea, 39, whom he called his best friend, by injecting him with a fatal dose of fentanyl in 2022. Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols immediately sentenced him to life in prison–a first in Flagler County history for such cases. O’Shea’s mother and sister reflected on the trial and the loss of their son and brother afterward.
Now Up to Jury to Decide If Brian Pirraglia Deserves Life in Prison for Overdose Death of ‘Best Friend’
After three days of trial that ended short of a verdict this afternoon at the Flagler County courthouse, a 12-member jury will deliberate Thursday morning on the first-degree murder charge against Brian Pirraglia, 39, in the death-by fentanyl of 38-year-old Brian O’Shea in their B-Section house in Palm Coast in 2022. If convicted, Pirraglia faces life in prison.
Girlfriend Arrested on Aiding Flagler Jail Inmate Anthony Romine’s Escape in July
Following a 3-month investigation into the escape of Anthony Romine, an inmate who was in the hospital after he faked an injury and escaped from custody and was recaptured hours later, his girlfriend, Alicia Link, has been arrested for aiding in his escape.
From Car Break-Ins When He Was 16 to Facing Decades in Prison at 21: The Violent Life of Jebea Johnson
Jabea Johnson was 16 years old when he was among three juveniles arrested for a series of car break-ins in Palm Coast’s R Section, and for making fake crack cocaine in an attempt to sell it at profit. It was not his first arrest. It was far from his last.
Justin Maddox, 31, Indicted on Capital Murder Charge in Drug-Overdose Death of Jeremy Kocorowski
A Flagler County grand jury on Thursday indicted Justin Maddox, a 31-year-old resident of 51 Pepper Lane in Palm Coast, on a capital felony murder charge in the drug-overdose death of 40-year-old Jeremy Kocorowski of Bunnell in March. Kocorowski had a daughter.
Florida Supreme Court Lets Stand Lower Court Ruling on Granting Early Release to Some Sex Offenders
After hearing arguments last year, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday said it would not rule in a dispute about whether a man convicted of attempted sexual battery on a child is eligible to be considered for early release from prison.
Sheriff’s Office Investigating Discovery of Human Blood and Bullet at Hidden Trails, and Seeking Public’s Help
Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a suspicious incident that left a substantial amount of blood and an unused bullet at the Hidden Trails county park off Mahogany Boulevard in Daytona North, or the Mondex, early Monday morning.
8 Arrested, 3 from Flagler, in Sting Operation Targeting Men Soliciting Minors on Web
The Flagler County Sheriff today announced the arrest of eight men as a result of a four-month-long undercover sting, Operation Heartbreaker 2, focused on adults trying to solicit underage children for sexual encounters. The initial undercover operation was conducted from July 11 to July 14 but the investigation continued for 4 months and focused on individuals that were identified chatting online trying to solicit undercover agents they thought were juvenile females for sex.
He Served 5 Years in Prison for Robbing the Flagler Beach Publix. On Tuesday, He Tried Robbing It Again.
Daniel J. Fountain, a 57-year-old resident of Flagler Beach who served five years in prison for armed robbery of the Flagler Beach Publix, was arrested on a robbery charge stemming from his alleged attempt again to rob the same store on Tuesday. He was still on probation for the 2015 robbery.
A Mile-Long Veterans Day Parade of 1,000 Participants Unites Flagler’s Cities, County and Schools in Salute
After a Veterans Day parade of more than 1,000 participants representing all cities, the county and the School Board, among others, ambled through Bunnell in a mile-long procession, hundreds of people gathered at the Government Services building for the day’s ceremonies, including a Veteran Day essay by middle schooler Mellissa Ryon, a keynote speech by Randall Stapleford, and musical performances.
Cheryl Andrews, Aide at Indian Trails Middle, Arrested on Charge of Child Abuse Against Disabled Student
Cheryl Ann Andrews, a 69-year-old paraprofessional, or teacher’s aide, at Indian Trail Middle School and a resident of Rolland Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested Thursday on a felony charge of child abuse after video footage appears to show her hitting a disabled student and briefly adding to the abuse.
Flagler County’s New Ban on Homeless Sleeping in Public Ignores Allowance for Designating Safe Space
Since Oct. 1 it has been illegal for the homeless to camp out or sleep on public grounds in Florida. The law authorizes counties to designate a local government property for use as a public camping or sleeping space for homeless individuals for up to a year–essentially, a safe, regulated space. On Monday, the Flagler County Commission approved on second reading an ordinance that ratifies the state law, but without designating a safe space for overnight stays, though such de-facto campgrounds are well known to local authorities.
Car-Crash Death of Debra Ashrafi: 3 Years in Prison, 10 Years Probation, Lifetime Driving Ban for John Garrison
John Garrison was facing a minimum-mandatory nine-year sentence if he was found guilty of causing the crash that ended the life of 59-year-old Debra Ashrafi in a head-on collision on State Road 11 in Bunnell in 2022. In a significant reduction, he pleaded in exchange for a maximum sentence of three years in prison and 10 years on probation. The plea terms include a permanent revocation of Garrison’s driver’s license and driving privileges.
Ten Years in Prison for Palm Coast Man Who’d Filmed His Own Rape of Unconscious Girlfriend
Lloyd Allen Parrish, a 62-year-old resident of Radcliffe Drive in Palm Coast, is being held without bond at the Flagler County jail on a first-degree felony rape charge and a lesser charge of video voyeurism after his girlfriend of 17 years saw him on video sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious.
Mike Norris Is Palm Coast’s New Mayor, Ty Miller and Ray Stevens Win Council, Debt Amendment Defeated
Mike Norris will be Palm Coast’s new mayor, winning his election, against Cornelia Manfre handily while Ty Miller defeated Jeff Sieb and Ray Stevens was poised to defeat Andrew Werner for the two other seats on the Palm Coast City Council, as early but all but insurmountable results were announced this evening.
Daniel Rodriguez, 27, Rejects Plea, Opting for Trial and Risk of Life in Prison in Molestation of Young Boy
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols tried in several different ways and in the gentlest, most realistic and objective terms to impress on Daniel Rodriguez that the evidence against him is overwhelming, that perhaps a trial was not the best choice he could make. Rodriguez, who’d refused to be brought to court (he “wasn’t feeling well”) and spoke to the judge through a video connection, wouldn’t budge. He wants a trial on charges of raping and molesting a minor.
Renner, on His Last Day, and Staly on His 2,497th, Break Ground on Florida Guard’s Training Facility in Bunnell
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, who all but birthed the concept, and Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, joined with state and local officials this afternoon to break ground on the future $10 million Florida State Guard multi agency, regional training facility in Bunnell. The facility will serve the State Guard, which Gov. Ron DeSantis revived four years ago, but also all local police and fire agencies, and some regional law enforcement agencies as well in a more advanced training complex than they’ve known to date.
For Ex-Montessori School Owner Kerri Huckabee, 30 Days in Jail and 3 Years Probation Over Attacks on Neighbors
Kerri Anne Huckabee, the 55-year-old Flagler Beach resident and former Montessori school owner arrested 14 months ago on felony charges after attacking and destroying her neighbors’ surveillance cameras in the culmination of chronic hostility toward them, was sentenced today to 30 days in jail and three years on probation in a plea agreement that reduced the charges and closed the case.
81-Year-Old Man Killed in Car Collision on Royal Palms and U.S. 1 Was 5th Pedestrian Killed This Year in Flagler
An 81-year-old Palm Coast resident on foot was killed in a collision with a car as he was crossing the road at U.S. 1 and Royal Palms Parkway early Saturday morning. The 20-year-old Daytona Beach man driving the car suffered minor injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The victim is the fifth pedestrian killed on Flagler County roads so far this year, representing a third of all road fatalities.
Palm Coast Debt Referendum Will Be Counted as Judge Rules Ballot Language Unambiguous
Circuit Judge Chris France this morning issued an order denying a motion to nullify the Palm Coast City Council’s referendum that, if approved, would remove limits on the city’s borrowing and leasing authority. The decision is a victory for the City Council, sharply divided though it is about it and pyrrhic though the victory may end up being, if the referendum fails and sours voters on a subsequent attempt to pass one with less controversy and more clarity.
Judge France Will Rule on Whether to Nullify Palm Coast’s Debt Referendum Before Close of Election Day
With Election Day four days away, Circuit Judge Chris France today said he will rule before Tuesday evening after hearing arguments in a citizen’s challenge of a controversial ballot proposal that would remove borrowing limits on Palm Coast.
Texts Show Ed Danko Seeking to Recruit Resident to File Lawsuit Against His Own Council’s Debt Referendum
Dozens of texts Palm Coast Councilman Danko exchanged with a Palm Coast resident who was willing to be the plaintiff in a lawsuit show to what extent Danko was strategizing against the a referendum that would facilitate city debt. Texts show Danko predicating at least one council vote’s outcome on a lawsuit, discussed lawyers, sought information from his potential recruit and spoke of “our lawsuit.” A friend, Alan Lowe, eventually filed the lawsuit. Council member Theresa Pontieri says Danko’s involvement is a “blatant” conflict.
Flagler Government’s Former HR Manager Sues the County, Describing Hostile and Indifferent Environment
Samatha Whitfield, the former human resources manager for Flagler County government, is suing the county in a whistleblower action, claiming she was terminated last summer in retaliation for reporting violations of rules and misconduct by one of her colleagues, to which the county administration responded with indifference.
Two Flagler Beach Residents Prevail Over Veranda Bay’s Parent Company, Ending 5-Year-Old Defamation Suit
Sunbelt Land Management, the company affiliated with the Veranda Bay development on John Anderson Highway, has lost a defamation suit the company filed in 2020 against Sallee Aernoff and Ken Bryan, two Flagler Beach residents who spoke up about its land-clearing practices. Circuit Judge Chris France, in a strong opinion in defense of expression on public issues free of intimidation, granted the two residents’ motion for summary judgment last week.
A Different Kind of Road Rage: Man Accused of Threatening Work Crew with Machete
Miguel Angel Rodriguez, a 43-year-old resident of Seminole Woods in Palm Coast, faces a felony assault charge after allegedly confronting a work crew while brandishing a machete. He’d been upset about a delay on Belle Terre Boulevard.
Florida, in Turf War, Sues U.S. Attorney General Over Trump Assassination Investigation
In a dispute over federal law following the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
As Seminole Woods Soon Gets Its Own Fire Station, Emergency Response Times May By Cut in Half for Many
The Palm Coast Fire Department and city government officials hosted a groundbreaking for the $10.5 million Fire Station 26 in Seminole Woods, what will be the city’s sixth fire station. It is expected to drastically reduce emergency response time in Seminole Woods and Quayle Hollow when the building is finished in January 2026.
Palm Coast Belies Its Own Council Members’ Statements As It Claims Debt Referendum Is ‘Clear and Unambiguous’
Sharply divided though it’s been over the matter, the Palm Coast City Council is opting to fight a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate a proposed charter amendment at the Nov. 5 election, filing an answer to the lawsuit that seeks its dismissal primarily on technical grounds. The city’s answer that the ballot language is “clear and unambiguous,” however, directly contradicts what a majority of the council has said about the language.
Federal Judge Cites ‘Legislative Privilege’ to Shield School Board Members from testifying in Book Ban Case
A federal judge has shielded Escambia County School Board members from having to testify in a legal battle about the removal of children’s books from school libraries. United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on Friday issued a 15-page order agreeing with the school board that members do not have to give depositions because of what is known as “legislative privilege.”
Civil Rights Groups Drop Challenge of DeSantis ‘Anti-Riot’ Law
The lawsuit civil rights groups filed against Gov. Ron DeSantis over the 2021 law imposing harsher penalties for protesters inciting violence is officially over.
54-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Wanted in Flagler Beach Shooting Found Dead of Apparent Self-Inflicted Gunshot
Yairton Garcia, the 54-year-old Palm Coast and Daytona Beach resident suspected by Flagler Beach police of shooting and wounding a man in Flagler Beach in the early morning of Oct. 5, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Lake Charles house in Palm Coast on Wednesday after Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies had surrounded the house and sent in a robot to investigate Garcia’s whereabouts.
After Closed-Door Meeting, No Sign Palm Coast Is Settling Ballot Referendum Litigation, Which May Go Past Election
Signals from Thursday’s closed-door meeting of the Palm Coast City Council suggest that the city appears not ready to settle the lawsuit over the ballot referendum on a charter amendment that would allow the city more freely to borrow money and enter into lease agreements. If the referendum fails, the case would be moot. If it succeeds, it won’t be the end of litigation: at least twice before courts have invalidated such referendums in Florida well after the vote was certified, and those challenging the measure intend to keep challenging it even if it succeeds at the polls on Nov. 5.
Miami Circuit Judge Alberto Milian Reprimanded
An investigative panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission recommended a reprimand for Circuit Judge Alberto Milian, according to documents posted on the Florida Supreme Court’s website in June.
Contracted Jail Guard Roberto Martinez of Palm Coast Accused of Pulling Gun on Fiancée
Roberto Martinez, a 34-year-old resident of Bannerwood Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge after allegedly intimidating his fiancée with a gun during an argument, and quickly changing into his guard uniform before police showed up, as if to gain favor with deputies.
Florida Court Rules It’s OK to Shoot a Dog in Stand Your Ground Situation
In a case stemming from a man who killed a pit bull when he and his Chihuahua felt threatened, an appeals court ruled Wednesday that Florida’s “stand your ground” self-defense law can apply to cases involving animals. A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal said a Palm Beach County circuit judge improperly denied a stand-your-ground immunity hearing for Cassanova Gabriel, who was charged with crimes including cruelty to animals.
Settlement Offer Gives Palm Coast Council Chance to Pull Embattled Debt Referendum from the Ballot
The Palm Coast City Council is holding a closed-door meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall to consider a settlement offer in the lawsuit challenging the veracity of the city’s debt referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot. The offer proposes that opposing sides agree to end the lawsuit and not count the results of the referendum, which will still appear on the ballot. The city would not owe the opposition attorneys’ fees.
Hurricane Milton’s Flagler Path in Pictures: Flooding, Beach Erosion, Damaged Roads and Roofs, but Nothing Disastrous
Hurricane Milton barreled through the midsection of the Florida Peninsula Thursday morning, lashing Flagler County with tropical-storm-force winds (and a few hurricane-force gusts) and up top 19 inches of rain in parts of the county. But damage overall was mostly minor despite floodwaters. Here’s an album in pictures and video.