Chopper, a 2-year-old, 59-lb. pit bull mauled the girl on Powder Horn Drive in Palm Coast and three days later was surrendered to the city’s animal control division.
Cops/Courts
Travis Heidinger, 44, of Palm Coast, Dies of an Apparent Overdose
Early Monday morning, Travis C. Heidinger, a 44-year-old resident of Palm Coast, was found dead in a bathroom in his mother’s house on Llanes Place.
Bunnell Takes Page From St. Augustine to Adopt Harshest Anti-Panhandling Rules in Flagler
Bunnell’s new ordinance prohibits panhandling within 20 feet of any business or commercial property, alongside drivers or diners, but limits penalties to fines.
In Last-Minute Plea Before Trial, Phillip Haire Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison For
Shooting at His Father and a Cop
Phillip Haire, 21, was facing three life-in-prison terms on 10 violent charges in the drive-by shooting targeting a sheriff’s sergeant and Haire’s father on London Drive in Palm Coast in May 2017.
From Surreal to Celebratory, Sheriff and Ricky Wheeler’s Mother Thank a Community For Finding Him
Sheriff Rick Staly presented commendations and certificates of appreciation to those who took part in the search that found Ricky Wheeler after he went missing five days in September.
DeSantis Win Paves Way for Most Conservative Supreme Court in Generations
Ron DeSantis’ narrow win in Tuesday’s election for governor will bring an unprecedented expansion of conservative Republican power in Tallahassee.
Dog Attacks 76-Year-Old Woman on Palm Coast’s Regent Lane, 3rd Pit Bull Incident in 2 Weeks
A pit bull mix that ran loose attacked a 76-year-old woman in her back yard on Palm Coast’s Regent Lane Monday, a day after a pit bull mauled a 9-year-old girl in the P Section.
Fire Flight Lands on Belle Terre Near Publix To Pick Up Man Injured in Motorcycle Crash
The man was traveling north on Belle Terre Parkway at 2:32 p.m. when, just south of Eastwood Drive, he lost control, his bike flipped and went airborne, sending him crashing.
Pit Bull Mauls 9-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl In Incident Similar to Attack on Pizza Man
For the second time in two weeks a pit bull slipped through the front door and attacked the person there, in this case a 9-year-old girl who was severely injured.
Palm Coast Woman, 35, Stabs Boyfriend In Latest Bout of Violence Involving Both
Monique Garcia, who pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence attack on Justin Campbell two years ago, is charged with stabbing him twice in a W-Section incident Monday.
Death For Dangerous Dog Cooper Likely as Judge Sees Scant ‘Legal Basis’ to Stop It
A circuit judge gave supporters of Cooper, the dangerous dog condemned to death, little hope today after a one-hour hearing in an appeal designed to commute the dog’s death sentence.
Seminole Woods Girl, 13, Fabricates Kidnapping Story After Her Phone Is Confiscated
A Seminole Woods girl’s claim of having been kidnapped provoked a commotion, a lot of concern and a significant response from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office before she owned up to the fake claim.
Fight Escalates to Shooting in Espanola, Leaving Man With “Multiple Gunshot Wounds”
The shooting was called into 911 at 9:58 p.m. It took place at 98 Knox Jones Avenue. Traces of blood were reported outside the church near there.
Joseph Bova Scrawls Guilty Plea in Mobil Station Murder, But Is Judged Still Incompetent
Joseph Bova is accused of first degree murder in the execution-style shooting of store clerk Zuheili Roman Rosado at the Mobil convenience store on State Road 100 in February 2013.
Ex-‘Funworld Place’ Owner Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges as State Drops Its Own
Jerard Davis, 33, a resident of Palm Coast’s Buttonwell Lane, was originally arrested after a high-profile search of his business, from where police claimed he was selling drugs and counterfeit merchandise.
Stepped-Up Sheriff’s Patrols, New Sex-Offender App, Candy Buy Back: Halloween Game Plans
Flagler sheriff’s personnel will be conducting heavy patrols and providing crossing assistance at critical points for Halloween, the FDLE has a new safety app, and Flagler Dental is doing candy buy-back for 10 days afterward.
Alleged Armed Robbery Leaves Man Injured at Dakota Joe’s on Old Dixie Highway
Employees at Dakota Joe’s, a business at 2245 South Old Dixie Highway, were allegedly the targets of a violent armed robbery that resulted in a man’s hospitalization late Sunday night.
Man Who Dislocated Flagler Deputy’s Shoulder During Arrest Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison
The judge’s sentence was much lighter than then 30 years or more it could have been based on the initial charges against Pitter: in February he’d faced a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a first-degree felony.
Thousands of Palm Coast Residents in P, R and E Sections Lose Power After Car Crash Knocks Out Power Pole
Some 3,000 residents in Palm Coast’s P, E and R Sections lost power after midnight this morning following a car crash that knocked out a power pole on Royal Palms Parkway.
Pit Bull Boxer Mix Attacks Pizza Delivery Man in Palm Coast’s P Section
John Iles, a 76-year-old Palm Coast resident who delivers for Napoli Pizza, ended up at Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach after being attacked in the face by a pit bull boxer mix at one of his delivery destinations.
Phillip Haire Turns Down Plea Even His Attorney Recommended, Risking Life in Prison If Convicted of Shooting at His Dad and a Cop
Phillip Haire is accused of 10 charges, including 3 counts of attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a Flagler sheriff’s sergeant and at his father in a drive-by shooting at his Palm Coast home in May 2017.
For 4th Time Since 1995, State Attorney Drops Criminal Charge Against Ex-Dr. Fruehan, But ‘Further Proceedings’ Possible
Even though his office filed the charge a day before the two-year statute of limitation expired, Fruehan was not served until after the date passed.
Licensed Palm Coast Realtor and Broker Is Arrested on a Shoplifting Charge
Pauline Flores, the 42-year-old owner of Realty Central, the real estate firm in Palm Coast, was arrested and charged with shoplifting at Kohl’s. The State Attorney’s Office followed up by filing its intention to prosecute.
D’Marcus Boyd, 22, Is Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison and 5 Years’ Probation Over Rape of Ex
D’Marcus Boyd, released from prison two and a half years ago, pleaded guilty to raping his then-fiancee and burglarizing his father’s house in Palm Coast’s P Section.
Court Hearing in Notorious Case of Dangerous Dog Cooper Scheduled for Day Before Election
The owner of Cooper the dog wants a judge to overrule a Palm Coast hearing officer’s death sentence so the dog can be exiled to a refuge for dangerous dogs on Florida’s west coast.
New Cell Tower Near Plantation Bay Grows from 199 to 320 Feet in Deal With Volusia
The new tower is one of six–three of them exceeding 300 feet–Flagler County government is building to modernize its emergency communications system, on which all local governments and cities depend.
Massage Therapist Justus Scott Accused of Taking Video Of Woman Undressing for Session
Justus P. Scott, a 35-year-old resident of Pineland Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on Oct. 19 and charged with a felony count of video voyeurism after footage came to light indicating that he’d allegedly videotaped a woman undressing for a massage therapy session.
Is The .08 Threshold for DUI Too Lax?
Traffic safety advocates and a federal highway safety agency support the change to .05 and have been recommending it for years.
Jury Finds Jonathan Canales Guilty of Attempted Murder of Ex; He Faces Mandatory Life in Prison
A jury believed the prosecution’s argument that Jonathan Canales had attempted to kill his then-girlfriend and made up innumerable stories, claiming she had attempted suicide.
How Fentanyl, in 56% of Florida’s Overdose Deaths, Changes the Opioid Equation
With lethal amounts of fentanyl showing up in heroin and other drug supplies throughout the country, active drug users are at a greater risk of dying than ever before.
“If I Was To Shoot Tiffany, Do You Think I Would Use a .22 When I Have an M-4 Laying Right Next To Her?”
Jonathan Canales, accused of attempting to murder his ex with a rifle shot to the neck, said he’d have used a more powerful weapon if he really wanted to kill Tiffany Norman, and left her dead.
Princess Williams, 21, Arrested in White Star Drive Shooting, a Drug Deal Turned Armed Robbery
The shooting early Tuesday morning in Palm Coast’s W Section left 19-year-old Carl Saint-Felix in critical condition. Williams is accused of robbing him to avoid paying him for marijuana.
Who Shot Tiffany Norman? In Attempted Murder Trial, Her Ex Is Shown as Dissembling Narcissist
Jonathan Canales, shown through body cam and interrogation videos, couldn’t keep his story straight or mask his misogynistic hatred of the victim as the trial entered its third day.
2 Palm Coast Men Arrested on Child Abuse Charges in Separate Incidents
Two Palm Coast men were arrested on felony child abuse charges in separate incidents Tuesday. The children involved were 16 and 9.
Asbestos Found in Window Caulking at Sheriff’s Future Palm Coast Precinct; Opening Delayed
Modest amounts of asbestos were found in the building the county recently bought and is renovating into a Palm Coast substation for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Overlooked Evidence Between Blood Spatters Undermines Prosecution in Canales’s Attempted Murder Trial
The prosecution’s first day unwittingly revealed that a crime scene investigator missed key evidence in the shooting of Tiffany Norman in Jonathan Canales’s trial on an attempted first-degree murder charge.
A Man Is Shot in a Car on Palm Coast’s White Star Drive, Assailants Flee
A man in his car was shot early this morning in the chest in front of 46 White Star Drive in Palm Coast by assailants who immediately fled.
Man Stabs Himself on I-95 Near Palm Coast Parkway and Claims to Have Harmed Companion
A man brought I-95’s southbound traffic to a standstill during rush hour Monday morning in Palm Coast after he repeatedly stabbed himself in his pick-up truck and claimed he had earlier harmed his companion in Jacksonville.
Saying Scott ‘Exceeded His Authority,’ Supreme Court Rules Next Governor Will Appoint 3 Justices, Not Scott
The winner of the Nov. 6 election between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum “has the sole authority” to fill the court vacancies, the court ruled.
Flagler County Emergency and Rescue Teams Part of Big Response as Panhandle Reels from Hurricane
Flagler County’s contributions includes Health Department Administrator Bob Snyder and Emergency Chief Jonathan Lord, among others sent to regions that have no functioning government structure.
Judge Rules Prior Allegations of Threats and Violence Admissible in Jonathan Canales’s Trial for Attempted Murder of Ex
Jonathan Canales, 31, goes on trial Monday on attempted first-degree murder of his ex-fiancee, Tiffany Norman, four years ago in the Mondex. Today’s ruling was a blow to his defense.
Bizarre Burglary at Palm Coast Airbnb in W-Section Rattles Vacation for Two Swedish Teens
The two 18-year-old Swedes had rented the house on Woodlawn Drive through Airbnb when Leonard J. Tadeo, 58, allegedly smashed a window to gain access to the garage Tuesday morning.
Nearly 400,000 Without Power as Florida Shifts to Search and Rescue in Michael’s Wake
The Category 4 storm created storm surges up to 14 feet in areas, inflicted damages across Tyndall Air Force Base east of Panama City and spawned at least two “devastating” tornadoes in Gadsden County.
Flagler Sheriff’s Kershaw and Sabatini Win National Award For Bridging Gap Between Cops and Citizens
Brittany Kershaw and Shannon Sabatini of the sheriff’s public affairs office were recognized for a series of videos intended to bridge the agency’s ranks with the community.
SUV Flips, Traps and Injures Woman, 21, in Crash With Flagler County Ambulance on Old Kings Road
Gabrielle Julia Connors, 21, of Palm Coast, crashed into a Flagler County Fire Rescue ambulance that was making an illegal U-turn at Farnum Lane on Old Kings Road early the morning of Oct. 6.
Pedro Emilio Marin, 79, Is Killed in Single-Car Crash Against Utility Pole on U.S. 1 Near Whiteview Pkwy
A man was killed on U.S. 1 at 9:30 this morning when his car veered off the road and slammed into a concrete, high-power-line utility pole on the west side of the road.
Two Construction Workers Are Electrocuted and Killed As Boom Strikes Power Line in Seminole Woods
Two construction workers working on a house at Selma Trail and Sesame Boulevard in Palm Coast’s Seminole Woods were killed around 9 a.m. when their equipment struck a power line, electrocuting them both. They died instantly.
Several Multiple-Vehicle Crashes and Semi Fire Shut Down I-95 South at Palm Coast Parkway; 1 Death
A multiple-vehicle crash on I-95 near Palm Coast Parkway before dawn this morning led to a manhunt for one of the drivers and a shut-down of I-95 south and two lanes of I-95 north.
Brian O’Dell, 35, of Palm Coast’s P-Section, Faces 5 Counts of Unlawful Sex With 16-Year-Old Neighbor
The victim was a friend of O’Dell’s daughter, would often spend time at his house, and he would walk her to and from her school bus stop regularly.
Validating Mold Fears, CDC Points to ‘Water Intrusion’ And Calls For Look Behind Walls at Sheriff’s Operations Center
An interim CDC report on the sheriff’s possibly sick operations center appears to vindicates fears that mold may be growing behind walls and within the building’s “envelope.”