Clifford D. Van Gorden, a 92-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s C Section, was found by the club’s old tennis courts with a gunshot wound to the head. He had left a note and was suffering from cancer.
Cops/Courts
From Valor to Badabing and הכלב הרע, Sheriff’s K-9-Naming Turns Into Onomastic Fiesta
When the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office asked for suggestions to name its newest K-9, it was flooded with what turned into a mirror of community desires, values, humor and sense of history. Valor won.
In Blow to Collective Bargaining, Court Upholds Scott Veto of Firefighters’ Pay Raises
Scott’s decision to veto the $1.57 million for state firefighters, including employees who fight forest fires, had drawn criticism even from Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam.
Flagler County’s Burn Ban Will Be Rescinded Monday, Thanks to Steady Rainfall
Recent rainfall and the prediction for more in coming days mean that Flagler County’s burn ban will expire on Monday, though restrictions have already eased. The burn ban has been in place since May 1.
Armed Home Invasion Robbery Targets Couple and 7-Year-Old Child in Palm Coast’s R Section
The couple and the 7 year old were ordered to the ground at gunpoint after a 45-year-old man was pistol-whipped for not immediately complying.
Scott Vetoes Money for Flagler’s 2nd County Judge, Bunnell Bypass, Flagler Beach Sewers
The more than $300 million in vetoes are to make up for money restored to Visit Florida, economic development, and a bump in per-student funding.
James Taylor Is Sentenced to Life In Prison on Molestation Charge; Appeal Immediately Filed
Attorneys for James Taylor, 39, of Palm Coast and Gainesville, said his trial was unfair and prejudicial in several regards, and the act itself no evidence of molestation.
Palm Coast Parkway Crash Slings Van Into Pond, SUV Overturns, 4 Hospitalized
Two vans collided on Palm Coast Parkway shortly after 5 p.m. today, sending one van into a deep pond and overturning the other. Four people, including two children, were hospitalized, none with life-threatening injuries.
Two 16 Year Olds Arrested in “Crime Spree”; Cops Searching For Blue-Mohawk Man
Tyrekk Reed, a student at Buddy Taylor Middle School, and Kenderrick Morton, both 16, were arrested Wednesday as detectives continue to look for additional suspects in what they’re calling a crime spree.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Threatening 17-Year-Old With Gun Arrested for 5th Time in 8 Months
Anthony Eason, a 35-year-old resident of Port Echo Lane in Palm Coast with a history of arrests involving weapons, threats of using weapons, domestic violence and hiding from police, was again arrested Sunday, hiding in his bedroom.
Bloods Gang Leader Brandon Washington Back in Flagler, Contesting Life Sentence
Brandon Washington was accused of leading a Bloods-affiliated gang in Palm Coast until his arrest in 2008 sentencing to four life terms without parole in 2011.
European Village Shooter Facing Up to 35 Years in Prison Is Termed an “American Hero” and Gets 7 Years’ Probation
Daniel Noble fired two shots from an assault rifle at European Village before being wrestled to the ground by three men in December 2014. His attorney pointed to his Iraq War service for leniency.
J. Marie Battenhouse, 19, Is Killed in I-95 Crash; Former Matanzas Student Is 20th Death on Flagler Roads This Year
Jirawadee Marie Battenhouse, a 19-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s C Section, died early Saturday morning (May 27) as a result of her injuries, hours after a two-vehicle crash on I-95 near Palm Coast Parkway.
3 Flagler Jail Deputies Quit While Under Investigation for Sexual and Other Misconduct
No charges will be filed against Bradley Gilyard, Julio Vazquez and Jonathon Vitale, who resigned before facing disciplinary action that may have included getting fired.
Palm Coast Woman Facing Murder Charge in Death of Her Husband Is Found Dead
Jan E. Sochalski was facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of her husband Henry last May. She was accused of suffocating him in his hospital bed.
In Flagler and Palm Coast, Hate Crimes Are a Rarity Even as State and National Stats Soar
Officials and experts cite many reasons why reported hate crimes are rare: there may be more harmony locally, but also more subjectivity, under-reporting and lack of awareness when hate crimes are committed.
Florida Hospital Flagler Honors County’s First Responders
This week, May21-27, is the 43rd Annual National EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Week.
Flagler Beach Pier Cleared for July 4 Fireworks, Which Will Go Off Even If Burn Ban Persists
Flagler County Fire Chief has cleared the July 4 fireworks for takeoff while an engineering firm certified the Flagler Beach pier’s safety for the event.
Palm Coast Man Faces Felony for Interfering in Custody of Missing Girl, 17
Christopher McMurphy faces a 3rd-degree felony charge following accusations that he interfered with the custody of a 17-year-old girl reported missing on May 21.
Sheriff’s “Taxi-Patrol Car” Cautions Against Drunk Driving Over Memorial Day Weekend
More than 400 deaths and 47,000 injuries are projected on U.S. roads over the Memorial Day weekend, prompting police agencies to heighten awareness campaigns.
Sheriff’s Request for 15 New Deputies Adds to Budget “Challenges” as Local Governments Begin to Haggle
Sheriff Rick Staly wants 10 new deputies from the county and five from Palm Coast. County government is facing $9 million in “challenges” as budget season launched this week.
A Man Is Killed in Fiery Morning Crash On Old Kings Road South of Graham Swamp
Joshue Rafael Venegas, 30, of Palm Coast, killed was speeding north at 3 a.m. on Old Kings Road, clipping a pick-up truck with three occupants before losing control.
Game Over: Lawmakers, Not Voters, Decide Whether To Allow Slot Machines, High Court Rules
The Florida Supreme Court squashed a broad expansion of slot machines in at least eight counties, saying the decision to allow pari-mutuels to add the lucrative games rests with the Legislature, not voters.
For Overworked County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens, $150,000 Worth of Help May Be Coming
Flagler County is not getting an additional county judge, but the money appropriated will pay for the equivalent of 428 days of service by retired judges brought back on a per-day basis to handle cases.
The Solemn and the Symbolic Mark Flagler Sheriff’s Ceremony Commemorating Fallen
In a departure from previous ceremonies, Thursday’s commemoration included a march and a riderless horse, symbolizing fallen officers, and the unveiling of a Wall of Heroes.
Citing Chronic Crisis, Sheriff Plans Community Summit on Domestic Violence and Task Force
Sheriff Rick Staly intends to call a community summit followed by a task force that would have a few months to produce a set of recommendations to enact. Other domestic violence initiatives are ongoing.
Flagler Grand Jury Indictments: Gore and Singer May Face Death Penalty, Haire Life in Prison
Dorothy Singer, accused of killing her husband, and Bobby Gore, accused of killing his son, may face the death penalty, and Phillip Haire, accused of shooting at a cop and his parents, may never see freedom again, if convicted.
Four Arrests in 4 Separate Violent Assaults in a 24-Hour Period Underscore Domestic Issues
Andrew J. Krupp, 20, of Palm Coast, Qwajon R. Laster, 20, of Bunnell, Raymond Amara, 54, of Palm Coast, and Jacob Robertson of Flagler Beach were all arrested on felony charges stemming from violent confrontations.
Sheriff Warns Against Misleading Medical Pot Scams “Popping Up All Over Palm Coast”
Yard signs in Palm Coast have popped up advertising “legal” weed, but the signs are scams, and a further reflecting of the confusion caused by lawmakers’ inability to agree to rules on medical pot, enabling scammers to fill voids.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Drugging and Raping 13-Year-Old Girl
Fredie Jiles Leon, who goes by the name of Fredie Leon, an 18-year-old resident of 5 Whittier Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested Thursday (May 11) on two counts of raping a 13-year-old girl after allegedly drugging her.
Cyclist Critical After He is Struck By Vehicle on Belle Terre and SR100 in Apparent Hit and Run
Kerry Milich, A cyclist, 57, was struck by a car at the intersection of Belle Terre Parkway and State Road 100 just after 4 p.m. Michael Bailey, the driver of the car, left the scene but was later located.
Wildfire Smoke Shrouds Flagler-Palm Coast From West as Officials Declare Fire Warning
A Red Flag Warning signaling a high-fire danger is in effect from noon to 8 p.m. today, and a 300-acre fire in Crescent City was sending thick smoke over Flagler-Palm Coast today, flooding the 911 center with worried callers.
Supreme Court Orders New Sentencing of Palm Coast Double-Murderer on Death Row
David Snelgrove has twice been sentenced to death for the murders of Glyn Fowler, 84, and his wife, Vivian, 79, on Bannbury Lane in Palm Coast in late June 2000, but never unanimously.
Just Back from Open-Heart Surgery, Palm Coast Man Is Accused of Threatening His Wife With a Gun
William J. De Perrio, a 67-year-old resident of Easton Place in Palm Coast, allegedly pointed a gun at his wife’s head as she was trying to help him with his medication and threatened to kill her.
Deputy Richard Petkovsek Is CrimeStoppers’ Flagler Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
Richard Petkovsek, with the sheriff’s office just three years, was recognized for bravery, selflessness and an act of humanitarianism toward a homeless man.
Decriminalized Pot-Possession Program Will Advance in Flagler, But With Little Support From Sheriff
The proposal to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot possession in Flagler County has been in limbo for almost a year after a key judicial and law enforcement panel approved it last year, before the election.
Curt and Impassive in Appearance Before Judge, Dorothy Singer Is Held Without Bond in Murder Case
Dorothy Singer, 52, accused of shooting dead her husband, will be represented by Public Defender Ray Warren, a seasoned murder-trial lawyer who has represented recent high-profile Flagler defendants.
Wife Arrested on 1st Degree Murder Charge In West-Flagler Killing of Charles Singer
Dorothy Singer, 52, was attempting to flee the county when she was stopped on State Road A1A Monday. Investigators have uncovered an elaborate scheme to hide Charles Singer’s death and body.
Man Arrested Near Winn Dixie on Weapons Charges Invokes “Sovereign Citizen” Claim, Then Trouble Escalates
Michael Grube, 30, refused to be booked at the Flagler jail. The “sovereign citizen” movement is a cultish subculture of extremists whose members don’t recognize most laws or authorities,
Flagler Sheriff Says Arrests Are Forthcoming in Murder of Charles Singer, But Not Just Yet
Individuals at the Pine Tree Lane property, where Charles Singer was found shot and buried in April, were brought in for questioning, but nothing beyond that so far.
Accused Cop-Shooter Phillip Haire Claims Someone Else Is Trying to Kill Him and His Family
Palm Coast’s Phillip Haire, accused of shooting at a sheriff’s deputy Monday, said he was not the shooter and was safer staying in jail as someone is out there trying to kill him and shoot up his house.
London Drive Shootist Phillip Haire Turns Himself In, Faces Attempted Murder Charges
Phillip Haire, 19, is accused of twice driving by his own house on Palm Coast’s London Drive Monday afternoon and firing a gun at a sheriff’s deputy and his own parents.
Man Shoots at Deputy in Palm Coast’s L-Section And Flees After Carjacking
A man shot at a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy in Palm Coast’s L-Section late this afternoon, then fled in his own car, crashed it, and carjacked someone else before fleeing, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
As Details Emerge, Mother Describes Father’s Execution-Style Shooting of Son During an Argument
The victim’s mother described her husband Bobby Gore, 74, walking out to the porch, pointing his gun at her son Lucas Gore’s head, and firing two shots, killing him. Mother and son had been arguing.
Father Charged With 1st Degree Murder After Allegedly Shooting Son Dead In Flagler Beach
Bobby Gore is in police custody Sunday morning following the midnight shooting of his son in a domestic dispute at 1002 South Daytona Avenue in Flagler Beach.
‘Click It or Ticket’ Laws Are Becoming The Norm. But Do They Work?
Not everyone is convinced the tougher laws reduce fatalities. And some opponents say the laws are another example of government interference and can lead to racial profiling.
Palm Coast Girl, 12, Uses New Law to Secretly Record Alleged Assailant, 42, Over Sex Assault
The 12-year-old Palm Coast girl put to use a 2015 law to record Aaron Whitley, 42, apologizing and pleading with her not to reveal an alleged sexual assault he’d committed on her.
School Bus Driver Cited For Carelessness in Crash After “Clearly” Violating Right-Of-Way
Wilrick A. Woods, 60, got a $166 citation for careless driving after driving his school bus in the path of an SUV, whose driver suffered severe injuries in a crash Monday.
Retirement of Two K-9s, Repo and Reno, Highlights Sheriff’s Award Ceremony
The two K-9s had worked eight years and been deployed nearly 200 times, contributing to the arrests of some 40 individuals. Among the numerous awards, deputy Jeff Puritis was recognized for his control of a potential suicide-by-cop situation at the courthouse in March.
Flagler County Will Declare a Burn Ban Effective Monday and For Foreseeable Future
Flagler County is joining at least 21 other Florida counties with an open-ended burn-ban declaration, mostly as a precautionary measure as upwards of 100 fires burn statewide and the local drought index continues to rise.