Nicholas W. Catalfamo, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:52 a.m. Saturday. Sheriff’s detectives believe he jumped from the roof of the eight-story Surf Club 3 tower at Matanzas Shores.
Cops/Courts
Congress Has Created An Average of 50 New Crimes Per Year for the Past Decade
In just the five years Congress created 439 new criminal offenses for a of 4,889 federal crimes. That’s in addition to the growing number of state and local crimes for which Americans can be prosecuted.
Cesar Rojas Is Killed in Hit-and-Run on SR100; Driver and Passenger Have a History
Both men in the vehicle that struck Rojas have a record of driving on suspended licenses. One of them, Christopher Layer, later called in the collision to 911, but only to report that a man had been struck–not that the driver had struck him. He subsequently called again to say he’d turn himself in.
Traffic Stop for Tinted Windows Leads to Arrest Over Assault Weapon and Pot Stash
Steve Romet, 32, was driving on I-95 north when a traffic stop resulted in his arrest on the use of a weapon while committing a felony, a first degree felony.
Sgt. Michael van Buren is Named Flagler County Deputy of the Year for 2nd Time
Sgt. van Buren was cited for saving a 4-year-old child from a locked car in July heat and controlling and averting a suicide-by cop with an armed woman in Palm Coast in September.
Christmas With a Deputy Returns for 8th Year as 100-Child Convoy Targets Shopping Spree
Since Sgt. Larry Jones (ret.) thought up the idea at his kitchen table in 2008, the number of poorer children getting to Christmas-shop with $150 with a cop has grown from 14 to 100.
Man Accused of Shooting at Second Chance Rescue Attempts Suicide With a Handgun
Three days after his arrest on an aggravated assault charge for shooting to his neighbor’s property, David Gilmore apparently tried to shoot himself with a .22-caliber gun in his yard.
17-Year-Old Tackles Would-Be Burglar in Palm Coast’s P Section; Suspect Flees
Joshua J. Ortiz, 17, was home alone at 89 Pheasant Drive Sunday evening when he realized his house was being burglarized. He tackled him and was cut on the arm by a knife before the alleged assailant fled.
Pinellas Sheriff’s Caution on Open-Carry Bill Triggers Duel of Furious Accusations
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says a Sarasota Herald-Tribune blogger “absolutely mischaracterizes” his concerns about open-carry, as the blogger and Florida Carry, the pro-gun lobby group, claim the sheriff would threaten to shoot concealed carriers.
4-Year-Old Critical After Being Slammed to The Ground; Palm Coast Man, 22, Arrested
Christopher Craig Williams, of Palm Coast’s E-Section, was angry with the child and allegedly, picked him up above his head by his arms and slammed him to the carpeted concrete floor, causing severe head injuries, bleeding and seizures.
Special Treatment for Firefighters With Cancer? Florida Among Few States That Say No
Florida lawmakers have introduced bills that would make Florida the 34th state to offer special protection to firefighters, but the measure faces obstacles in large part because of local governments’ opposition.
Sheriff Dispels Rumors of ISIS Targeting Palm Coast as FDLE Re-Launches See-Say Campaign
The “If you See Something, Say Something” campaign–prompted by renewed but discredited rumors of Palm Coast being in ISIS’ crosshairs–is not, however, license for harassment, bias or vigilantism.
“I’m Against It,” Sheriff Manfre Says of Open-Carry as Bill Picks Up Momentum
Opponents of open-carry, including a number of Florida sheriffs, Flagler County’s Jim Manfre among them, warn that people who openly display guns could get hurt as a result, either by criminals or law enforcement.
To Elude Cops, Woman Jumps Into Intracoastal With Crack, Pills and $2,000 Cash in Tow
Nichole Headley, 25, a Palm Coast probationer, swam across the Intracoastal to evade cops but was caught after an alleged burglary, and was found with the cash and drugs on her.
Six People Hospitalized, Including 6-Year-Old Girl, After 3-Car Wreck on SR100 and Colbert
Seven people were injured, among them a 6-year-old girl, and six of them taken to Florida Hospital Flagler following a three-car wreck at the intersection of State Road 100 and Colbert Lane in Flagler Beach just before 7 p.m. this evening.
Shooting Beer Cans or Threatening Neighbors at Second Chance Rescue? A Man Is Arrested
David R. Gilmore was arrested on aggravated assault charges after Second Chance Rescue’s Debbie Root accused him of pointing his shotgun at a 16-year-old girl on her property.
Sheriff’s Lost Computer Files Are Recovered, But County Faces a $1.1 Million IT Fix
Some $600,000 was budgeted ahead of the October crash. But $500,000 was not. The county commission will have to find that money. And that’s just for this year as the county and sheriff catch up on neglected information infrastructure.
One Arrested, Another Surrenders in Mondex Shooting Involving Assault Weapons
Dakotah W. Clarke, 19, was arrested, Spencer Sarmento, 23, who reportedly fired 10 to 15 rounds at a Mitsubishi, is still being sought. Both face aggravated assault charges, and possibly additional charges. Both have previous jail records.
Two Rymfire Elementary Students Hurt as Car Backs Into Them in Parking Lot
Two Rymfire Elementary School students were slightly injured this morning when a car backed into them in the parking lot of Ralph Carter Park, next to the elementary school.
Deputies Looking for Man Who Shot Up a Car With an AK-47 in the Mondex in a Dispute
No one was hurt. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been searching for the man since, though it has not been an active pursuit, and it was awaiting a search warrant to enter the man’s house Monday evening.
County’s Coffey Calls Some of Palm Coast’s EMS Claims “Garbage” In Broad Rebuke
Responding to Palm Coast’s claim two weeks ago that EMS service can be more efficient and responsive, County Administrator Craig Coffey today rejected the city’s analysis, saying it would end up costing taxpayers a lot more.
In Light of Paris and San Bernandino, Smaller Cities Re-Evaluate Their Soft-Target Potential
People who don’t live in big cities typically viewed as likely terrorist targets may not think about terrorism affecting their communities or about devoting the resources to countering the possibility they could be hit. But they ought to.
Ex-Commissioner Pat McGuire, on Sex-Offender Probation, Granted Permission for Vegas Birthday Trip
Pat McGuire, a Flagler County commissioner between 2001 and 2004, served 52 months of a 60-month sentence for molesting two adopted daughter repeatedly when they were in elementary and middle school.
In 5th Incident Since September, Car Strikes a Student Biking Home From School
As in three previous incidents involving vehicles against students on their bike, the driver was at fault, while the student, an 8th grader at Indian Trails Middle, was following the rules of the road.
Kevin Clayton’s Death in Friday’s
West Flagler Fire Is Ruled a Suicide
A medical examiner’s autopsy confirmed that Kevin Clayton’s death in a Nov. 28 fire at 40 Kentucky Avenue in western Flagler County was a suicide. No foul play is suspected.
Man Charged With Aggravated Assault in Confrontation With Ex-City Commissioner
Ex-Bunnell City Commissioner Jimmy Flynt intervened to stop a brewing fight and cursing in front of First United Methodist Church, which led Joshua Meyers, 26, to allegedly threaten him with a knife.
Palm Coast’s Timothy Miller, 45, Critical After Early-Morning Crash on State Road A1A
Timothy Miller, a 45-year-old resident of Palm Coast, is in critical condition after a single-car wreck on State Road A1A early this morning (Nov. 28), a short distance from his home.
Man Found Dead and Bloodied Outside Drain Street House: Police Investigating Homicide
John Robert Stubbs, a 46-year-old resident of Hymon Circle in Bunnell, was found dead outside a house in Bunnell this morning, soaked in blood. City Manager Larry Williams described it as “what appears to be a homicide.”
Ex-Deputy Ruddell, Who Filed Wage Suit Against Manfre, Arrested in 3-County Pursuit
Daniel Ruddell, an ex-deputy who in February won a wage dispute with Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre, was arrested in St. Johns County Thursday night after an alleged robbery in Daytona Beach and a pursuit through Volusia and Flagler counties that ended in a wreck on I-95.
Felony Charges for 20-Year-Old Palm Coast Man for Throwing Eggs and Potato at Cops
Anthony Fennick, 20, faces four felony counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, among other charges, after he was arrested during an investigation of a suspicious incident on Richardson Drive.
Palm Coast Ties Emergency Communications System to Recent Crash–Falsely, County Says
City Manager Jim Landon says he’s concerned about maintenance of the countywide 800 mhz communications system, suggesting it could crash as parts of the sheriff’s computer system recently did–an inaccurate suggestion that deflects from other problems, the county retorts.
DUI Arrest Turns Into Violent Confrontation With Cops and Paramedics
Elisabeth Akers of Palm Coast faces two felony and two misdemeanor charges after allegedly spitting on paramedics and resisting arrest with violence in the Seminole Woods area.
Palm Coast Wants Changes to County-Controlled Ambulance Services in the City
The city wants to reduce the need for fire trucks and ambulances doubling up on EMS calls, and to lower overall costs. The county has its own ideas. The two sides will meet administratively to hash out possibilities.
Bunnell Woman Accused of Aggravated Manslaughter in Death of Her Disabled Uncle
Holly Norris, a 34-year-old Bunnell woman with a long list of criminal charges and penalties over the past 10 years, was charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of her uncle, John Satanoski, two years ago.
Traffic Tickets as a Sleigh to Christmas Come True: Yes Virginia, There’s Santa Cop
The Flagler Beach Police Department is issuing “toy waivers“ with warning citations for certain offenses to help Christmas Come True, Nadine King’s annual fund-raiser for poorer children that’s considerably short of its $40,000 goal this year.
Crime Rises 2.4% in Flagler in Mid-Year Report, First Increase Since 2009
A spike in burglaries and larcenies sent Flagler County’s overall crime rate up 2.4 percent in the first six months of 2015, in contrast with crime in Florida as a whole, where it has fallen 2.2 percent.
Palm Coast Seeks to Bail on County-Wide Communications System It joined in 2009 in Latest Clash With Flagler
Palm Coast and Flagler County governments are trading accusations of violating a 2009 agreement over the critical 800 mhz system as Palm Coast quit contributing its share of dollars to it and the county charges that the city is inventing an issue without a problem.
Palm Coast Moves to Restrict Bottle Clubs, Speakeasies that Skirt Booze Regulations
There are no bottle clubs in Palm Coast or Flagler County. Palm Coast wants to keep it that way after businesses complained of a place possibly opening at City Market Place.
School Board Member’s Home Among 4 Targeted for Burglaries in Central Palm Coast
Flagler County School Board member Janet McDonald’s house was among the four residences targeted in the B, C and Palm Harbor sections of Palm Coast on Nov. 6.
Sheriff Rethinks Joint IT Operations With County Amid Discord Over Computer Failure
Sheriff Jim Manfre wants to “transition” from the merger with the county’s IT operations less than two years after he and the county approved it as a signal of cooperation and efficiency.
Matanzas High Student Faces Felony After Accusation of Hitting Dean of Students
Charmia Mone Jackson, 18, of Palm Coast, is alleged to have struck the Matanzas High School dean of students in back of the head as she was aiming for another student during an altercation on Friday.
Palm Coast Resident and TSA Employee Sentenced to 15 Years For Raping Wife’s Minor Sister
Esteban Alejandro Rodriguez, a 30-year-old resident of Palm Coast, had been raping and sexually abusing the girl since she was in 6th grade. Two other minors lived in the household at the time of his arrest.
Sheriff Reveals Breadth of Computer Failure and Safety Lapses, and Sharply Blames County
Sheriff Manfre, in a terse letter to County Administrator Craig Coffey, says the failure was one of several, it jeopardized officer safety and may have wiped out 20 months of critical data, and he asks for answers.
Palm Coast Taxi Driver Arrested on Trafficking and Other Charges After Drugs Are Found in Cab
James Mabry, a 53-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s W-Section who drove an Alliance Taxi, was arrested in his Taxi on Nov. 5 as he weaved across the Palm Coast Parkway bridge over I-95, and found in possession of several prescription drugs, controlled substances and marijuana, which were stored in the cab, according to his arrest report.
Palm Coast Sheriff’s Precinct Cmdr. Mark Carman T-Boned in Cypress Edge Collision
Mark Carman, the long-time captain–now commander–of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Palm Coast Precinct, was t-boned by a 23-year-old driver but not seriously injured in a crash as he drove on Cypress Edge Drive last week.
23 lb. and a Gun: 2nd Pot House in Three Years Is Busted on Palm Coast’s Wheatfield Drive
Ex-FPC football player Daniel Epler, 21, was arrested after 23 pounds of pot, $9,000 in cash and a Cobra handgun were found in his bedroom at a duplex on Wheatfield Drive in Palm Coast.
Palm Coast Will Study Raising Town Center’s Crawl-Paced Speed Limits On Some Streets
Palm Coast drivers have been complaining of Town Center’s low speed limits for years. It took council members eight days of actually having to drive those streets to ask for a more “rational” change.
Deputies’ Dispatching System Edging Back to Life, But Some Sheriff’s Data May Be Lost
The CAD system went offline on Oct. 29 and had been only fitfully operational since after a server failure that may have erased significant data with it. CAD was offline again this morning, but was working this afternoon.
Court Uphold 45-Year Sentence for Inmate Convicted of Rape and Robbery When 15
Continuing to grapple with decades-long sentences for juveniles who commit serious crimes, a divided state appeals court refused Monday to order a new sentence for Thomas Kelsey, now 28, but asked the Supreme Court to take up the question.
William Dillow, Serving 45 Years for Raping 2 Pre-Teen Flagler Beach Girls, Is Murdered
William Dillow, 29, was sentenced in April to 45 years and was serving at the Jefferson Correctional Institution near Tallahassee when he was killed by a fellow-inmate. He’d been arrested in February 2014.