Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland in court filings alleges ex-Flagler Sheriff Chief Deputy David O’Brien repeatedly raped her while she was unconscious in 2013, shortly before their separation.
Cops/Courts
Owner of Group Home on Palm Coast’s Braddock Lane Faces 5 Felony Counts for Elderly Neglect
Two residents at the group home had to be hospitalized and three evacuated from a house where the air conditioning hadn’t worked for two days, and the indoor temperature hovered around 91.
Plane Forced to Land in Field Off County Road 304, Two People Escape Injuries
A single-engine plane was forced to land in a vacant field off of County Road 304 at 10:45 this morning, with two people on board. Neither was injured.
Armed Robbery at Space Coast Credit Union on Palm Coast’s Leanni Way; Robber Gets Away
The man who robbed the bank got away, either on foot or in a vehicle, triggering an intense search localized around the Bank and Palm Coast’s B-Section.
Flagler Beach Again Offers Free Parking And Shuttles On and Off Island All Day July 4
Flagler Beach made arrangements to provide free parking at the Food Lion on SR100 and free shuttle service in and out of the city from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4, with additional free parking at Santa Maria del Mar Church.
Apparent Double-Suicide Uncovered in Progress in Palm Coast’s R-Section: Woman Dies, Man Survives
Katherine Goddard, 52, was dead when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office units arrived at 29 Red Clover Lane just after 7 p.m. Bruce Haughton, 52, was unconscious but breathing.
Third Road Death in 2 Days on Flagler Roads as Motorcyclist Is Killed On State Road 11
Leslie Esteves Ramos, 32, of Titusville, is in critical condition. The name of the motorcyclist who died has not yet been released. The crash took place at a curve that’s been the scene of a serious crash previously.
Palm Coast Man Killed, 2 Injured in T-Bone Crash at Belle Terre and Near Town Center Publix
The collision at the Belle Terre intersection and Central Avenue near Publix was caused by one of the two drivers going through a red light, a preliminary indicates. It was one of two deaths on Flagler roads in 15 hours.
Lawyer For Phillip Haire, Accused of Shooting at Cop and Parents, Suggests Mental Incompetence
Phillip Haire Jr., 19, faces 10 charges, including attempted murder charges, in a May 2 shooting on Palm Coast’s London Drive. His lawyer revealed Haire is not being cooperative with his own defense.
Justices Appear Skeptical of Prosecutor’s Claim of Absolute Discretion in Death Penalty Cases
Even the Supreme Court’s more liberal justices grilled the lawyer for Aramis Ayala, the state attorney stripped of two dozen cases by Scott after she said she’d not seek capital punishment for defendants.
Stark Revelations of a Broad Crisis at Domestic Violence Summit, and a Steep Challenge for Task Force
A summit convened by Sheriff Staly produced an unrelenting kaleidoscope of perspectives on one of the most persistent criminal and behavioral problems in Flagler County. It’s now up to a task force to find solutions.
Chilling Details in Saturday’s Attempted Murder as Suspect Speaks of “Lizard People,” Visions and Ecstasy
Levi Ovenshire, the 19-year-old attempted murder suspect in the shooting of Marco Salazar, 19, in Palm Coast’s F Section Saturday, described the shooting but appeared to be hallucinating as he spoke with deputies afterward.
23-Year-Old Is Victim of 2nd Shooting in 24 Hours in Flagler During Espanola Party
Jean Geral Isenader, 23, of Sergeant Court in Palm Coast, was shot in the abdomen after 1 a.m. on June 25 during a large party at the Espanola Community Center. No suspects was found.
Raul Zambrano, Redoubtable Alumni of Flagler Bench, Will Be 7th Circuit’s Chief Judge
Feared and respected, and a former felony court judge in Flagler, Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano was elected Chief Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Man Is Killed as Car Fishtails and Crashes Through Guardrail on I-95, South of SR 100
A man was killed early Saturday morning when his car veered off I-95, crashed through the guardrail, and rolled into a ditch between the southbound and northbound lanes.
Sheriff’s Deputies Looking For Palm Coast Man Who Ran Over Deputy’s Foot and Fled Traffic Stop
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for Jimmie Lee Belle III, a 24-year-old resident of 30 Ryker Lane in Palm Coast, after he ran over a deputy’s foot and fled during a traffic stop Saturday (June 24).
19-Year-Old Shot In Palm Coast’s F Section, Suspect Caught After Chase in R-Section
The suspect, Levi Evan Ovenshire, 19, fled in a car after the shooting at 12 Fulton Place, and was apprehended after 21-minute a chase through the R Section.
Brandon Hubbert Acquitted of Armed Robbery at Palm Coast Staples as Evidence Falters
A jury took barely 20 minutes to acquit Brandon J. Hubbert of Bunnell, who’d faced between 10 years and life in prison had he been found guilty of a 2015 armed robbery at Staples off Old Kings Road.
6-Hour Manhunt Ends On Palm Coast Parkway As Felon, Just Out of Prison, Is Caught
The man had just served 96 months in prison, and was heard saying he doesn’t want to go back. The crash with the deputy was not serious, but he later crashed his truck more severely.
In Rare Joint Appearance, Flagler’s 3 Judges Speak Candidly About the Job’s Challenges On and Off Bench
Circuit Court judges Dennis Craig and R. Lee Smith and County Court Melissa Moore-Stens spoke of personal and professional challenges and addressed the Flagler bench’s workload.
Citizens’ Review Panel May Not Force Testimony From Cops, Florida Supreme Court Rules
The case stemmed from a complaint filed in 2009 alleging misconduct by a cop during a traffic stop. The Miami police department’s internal affairs division found insufficient evidence of misconduct.
Flagler’s Oddly Sunny Hurricane Matthew After-Action Report Draws Criticism From Its Own Emergency Staff
The much-anticipated report was written by the administration, not the emergency management staff, and conveys more of an error-prone, fluffy public relations approach than rigorous and factual analysis.
Same Driver, 2 Successive Hit-and-Run Crashes on Palm Coast Parkway
Daniel Reyes, 27, ran into the woods after a second crash that caused his Chevrolet to roll over off Palm Coast Parkway on Monday afternoon.
Where It’s Legal, Pot Leads To Fewer Traffic Stops, But Racial Disparities Remain
The drop means fewer interactions between police and drivers, potentially limiting dangerous clashes. But black and Hispanic drivers are still searched at higher rates than white motorists.
Court Allows ACLU’s Public Record Fight Over Police Tracking of Cell Phones
The ACLU requested the records from Jackson as part of a broader inquiry in 2014 into the Sarasota Police Department’s use of what are known as “Stingray” tracking devices.
Felony Charge Against Palm Coast Man Accused of Ordering Dog to Brutalize a Neighbor
John A. Benedetto, 37, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon–his dog–after allegedly ordering it to attack his neighbor, who was trying to stop Benedetto’s argument with two women.
Flagler Sheriff Arrests 5 Unlicensed Contractors in Sting Operation, Files Charges On 5 More
The Sheriff’s Office set up a sting operation at a house in Palm Coast’s C-Section, where the five contractors had come back to collect their deposits. Volusia County conducted a similar sting.
Man Provokes Head-On Collision Then Stabs Himself in Suicide Attempt on Flagler Beach’s A1A
Keefe Crawford, 37, intentionally plowed his SUV into a car driven by Lisa Osborne, with passenger Michael Osborne, before Crawford then stabbed himself several times. All survived.
Ex-Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks Rejects Plea Deal as Lawyer, Her 4th, Sets for Trial
The deal would have spared Kimberle Weeks prison on felony charges that she illegally recorded conversations, but would have meant probation, according to Kevin Kulik, her latest lawyer.
Flagler-Palm Coast’s Crime Rate Falls Modestly in 2016, But Domestic Violence Up 8.1%
The crime rate has been relatively flat for the past three years, and significantly down from previous years even as the county has been growing by about 2,000 people a year since the end of the recession.
Jody Hyde Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in DUI Death of 2 Women on County Road 304
Jody Allen Hyde, 28, had originally pleaded not guilty in the drunk-driving deaths of Elizabeth Jean Alley, 45, and Vada Stafford Delk, 72, on County Road 304 the night of October 20, 2014.
Saturday From Hell: 3 Stabbings, 8 Arrests Across Flagler As Domestic Violence Stresses Sheriff’s Initiative
Sheriff’s deputies in Palm Coast and police in Flagler Beach and Bunnell were seemingly overrun with violent incidents in barely a 24-hour period this weekend, two weeks from a domestic-violence summit.
A 26-Year-Old Iraq War Veteran In 3rd Suicide in 5 Days in Palm Coast
Justus Albert Leach, A 26-year-old Army veteran of the Iraq war, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his backyard at 71 Ft. Caroline Lane Sunday.
Palm Coast’s Daniel Torres, 37, Killed In Head-On Crash on Old Kings Road
Daniel G. Torres, 37, of Palm Coast, was killed in a head-on collision as he drove the wrong way south on Old King’s Road near Palm Coast Parkway early this morning. Two people in the other vehicle were injured.
A Man Is Found Dead at Palm Coast’s Abandoned Players Club in Apparent Suicide
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.
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.