Aside from Cox’s top award, winners included the Sheriff’s Senior Cmdr. Mark Carman, Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Jon Moscowitz and Bob Pickering of Emergency Management.
Cops/Courts
In “Fair Sentencing” Push, an Attempt to Reconsider Florida’s Get-Tough-On-Crime Laws
Fair Sentencing seeks to change laws of the 1990s, such as 10-20-Life, mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses and habitual-offender laws, as other states have done.
Flagler’s Family Life Center Now a Certified Rape Crisis Center, Ensuring Critical Services
Until Family Life took over the service in an arrangement with the sheriff’s office in March 2014, Flagler County had been without a reliable crisis center because the Children’s Advocacy Center had quit providing that service.
Justin Boyles Gets Life in Prison for Murder of Ed Mullener, Ending Hammock Love-Triangle Case of Torture and Killing
Former Hammock resident Justin Boyles, who with accomplice Charles “Danny” Massey, tortured, murdered and burned Edward Scott Mullener in June 2013, was sentenced today (Jan. 29) to two life terms in prison without possibility of parole.
Rookie Deputy’s Discipline for Latest Crash: 30 Days Without a Patrol Car and Reprimand
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Jonathan Kuleski will lose his patrol vehicle for 30 days and is the subject of written reprimand as a result of totaling a sheriff’s vehicle while on patrol last September, his second crash in four months.
Controversy Long Over, Flagler Beach Finally Gets Its $568,000 “Quint” Fire Truck
The truck purchase inflamed many a confrontation among Flagler Beach city commissioners and embroiled the city’s fire department in a nearly year-long battle to secure it.
Bomb Squad Detonates Suspicious Package in Mailbox on Prattwood Ln. in Palm Coast
St. Johns County’s bomb squad was called in by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this evening after a suspicious package was discovered in a mailbox on Pratwood Lane in Palm Coast.
Case Against Man Accused of Animal Cruelty and Battery Starts Anew as He Reverses Plea
Shawn Higgins previously had agreed to plead no contest to charges of animal cruelty and domestic violence after allegedly forcefully throwing a dog on the floor and strangling an ex-girlfriend. He now has withdrawn his plea even though he faces potentially stiffer punishment.
Luigi and Filomena Camporeale Killed in a Wreck With Truck on I-95 Just South of Palm Coast Parkway
Palm Coast’s Luigi Camporeale, 85, and his wife Filomena Camporeale, 76, were killed around 9:30 p.m. on I-95, immediately south of Palm Coast Parkway as Luigi attempted a hard left turn into the lanes of traffic, strucking a semi truck.
Unfounded Threat Briefly Lifts Flagler Schools’ Status to Yellow, Increasing Cop Presence
An unfounded threat reported third-hand to Flagler school officials this morning and mirroring a threat in Florida’s Panhandle prompted the district to raise its security status to yellow before reverting back to normal.
Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Palm Coast Home Invasion, Accomplice Pleads for Mercy
Daniel Hall was sentenced today to six years in prison and 10 years’ probation for the August 2014 assault and burglary at an older woman’s home as his accomplice, Carisa Hall, has been pleading with the court to lessen her sentence.
Term Limits for Supreme Court and Appellate Judges? Measure Moving Closer to Ballot
Under the proposal, members of the Supreme Court and district courts of appeal would be limited to two full six-year terms. Judges currently have to retire in the election cycle after they turn 70 years old.
Authorities Looking for Escaped Convict Gary Bullock and Palm Coast Girlfriend
Aiding in Bullock’s escape, Natasha Quigley stole money, blank checks and a gun from her parents’ home in Palm Coast before the pair absconded with a 3-year-old boy.
Sheriff Manfre Proposes De-Criminalizing Pot Possession; County Officials and State Attorney Open to Idea
Following in the steps of three Florida counties and some 20 states, Sheriff Jim Manfre wants to replace criminal penalties for small amounts of pot with civil fines. State Attorney R.J. Larizza and county officials are willing to explore the new approach.
4 Suspects Sought in Break-Ins and Theft of 19 Vehicles at Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn
Five vehicles parked at the Holiday Inn Express in Palm Coast’s Flagler Plaza Drive and 13 vehicles parked at the nearby Hampton Inn, just off I-95, were burglarized overnight Wednesday, and one stolen from the Holiday Inn parking lot was later recovered in Orlando.
For One Rookie Deputy, 2 Totaled Patrol Cars and 2 Internal Investigations in 13 Months
A just-completed internal investigation found Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Jonathan Kuleski had been speeding and imprudent when he crashed and totaled his patrol car on White View Parkway in September. It was the latest in a series of issues for the rookie deputy.
Two Young Women’s Suicides, In Close Proximity, Stun and Mobilize Community
Lindsay Brockhaus, 20, killed herself on Tuesday, a month after her friend Cora Ann Engel, 18, committed suicide by the same method, two years almost to the day after Dalton Coxwell, also a Matanzas High student, had killed himself the same way.
Fire Demolishes Family Home in Western Flagler After French Fries Are Left Unattended
A house belonging to Caprice and Stephan Williams and their two teen-age sons at 5881 Logwood Lane in Bunnell was consumed by flames Saturday after Caprice briefly left the stove unattended to help a neighbor.
Ex-Cop Larry Jones Will Challenge Sheriff Manfre for Democratic Nomination
Larry Jones, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2014, is the nionth candidate for sheriff in this year’s election, but only the second on the Democratic side.
Two Pit Bulls Shot Dead After Attacking And Killing Pony; Duane Weeks Cited
Two pit bulls in the care of Duane Weeks savaged a neighbor’s pony and killed it before the neighbor shot the two dogs. Weeks agreed to $1,000 in restitution and was cited for letting his animals run loose.
Stacy Culotta, Who’d Sought Suicide-by-Cop, Pleads to 36 Months’ Probation
Stacy Culotta is the 36-year-old Palm Coast P-Section woman who last September was at the center of an attempted suicide-by-cop. She’ll serve probation and forfeit all weapons but serve no jail time.
Vandalism Blamed for Emptying Plantation Bay’s Water Supply, Leaving Customers Dry
The 1,600-odd customers of the Flagler County-owned Plantation Bay water utility woke up to dry faucets today as vandals were believed to have emptied the subdivision’s water tanks overnight.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy and SWAT Member Jonathon Duenas Escapes Blazing Patrol Car on CR35
Deputy Jonathon Duenas was driving on CR 35 (off of SR 100), on the Westside of the county when a fire started in his patrol car’s trunk and quickly engulfed the vehicle. Duenas escaped with minor injuries.
Couple on Palm Coast Parkway Threatened With Handgun in Apparent Road Rage Incident
A 61-year-old Palm Coast resident and his wife were allegedly threatened with a gun in the culmination of an apparent road rage incident on Palm Coast Parkway Monday. Aggravated assault and battery charges are pending, but the perpetrator got away.
Jacqueline Costa, 49, Is Struck and Killed By an SUV on Mahogany Blvd. in The Mondex
Jacqueline Costa, a 49-year-old resident of western Flagler County, was struck and killed this evening as she was crossing Mahogany Blvd. near her home in the Mondex.
Five New Flagler County Fire Rescue Firefighters Complete Orientation as Department Grows
New firefighters – Thomas Cope, Cory Sattar, Michael Beaulieu and Andy Thomas, all hired in December, along with Marianne Huston, who was hired in September – were put through their paces last week, the first full week of the new year.
U.S. Supreme Court Declares Florida’s Death Penalty Scheme Unconstitutional
The United States Supreme Court, in an emphatic ruling Tuesday, declared Florida’s death penalty sentencing scheme to be a violation of the Sixth Amendment.
Palm Coast Couple Arrested for Sex in Joanne King Park After 12 Year Old Spots Them
A 12-year-old boy told police he saw William J. Murphy, 37, and Connie Whitaker-Roberts, 33, having sex against a park bench at Joanne B. King Park in Bunnell Sunday afternoon. It is illegal to have sex in the park.
In Case Against Kimberle Weeks, Tactical Motions Lead to Likely Turning Point in March
Ex-Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks’s attorney wants three separate trials on 12 felony counts, and to suppress a search warrant–a motion which, if granted, would unravel the case against Weeks.
2 Killed, 2 from Palm Coast and Bunnell Injured in 2-Vehicle Wreck in Flagler Estates
Katie Stecker, 19, of St. Augustine, and Victoria Sutton, 20, were killed, Dalton Edwards, 20, of Bunnell, was critically burned, Alexander Koufodontis, 21, of Palm Coast, sustained lesser injuries.
Sexual Predator With History of Exhibitionism to Minors Moves Into Palm Coast’s U-Section
Robert S. Hampton was arrested for masturbating in front of middle school children and later imprisoned for trying to lure an 11-year-old girl to his SUV, with his pants unzipped.
The Palm Coast Fraternal Order of Police Furthers a Lie in a Protest at Epic Theaters
The FOP’s protest was triggered by false claims that filmmaker Quentin Tarantino had called cops “murderers.” The lie didn’t stop FOP organizers from going ahead with their plans or standing by their protest even when shown Tarantino’s actual words.
Billboard Aims to Stoke New Leads Into Suspicious Vanishing in May of George Contos
Foul play is now suspected in the disappearance of Bunnell’s George Contos, 59, in May, as a billboard was unveiled by the sheriff’s office and Crime Stoppers to aid in tracking down his whereabouts.
Sudden Resignation of Flagler Beach Firefighter Follows Allegations of “Unauthorized Absences”
Clint Dixon, a firefighter for the past three years, resigned “for personal reasons” after confirming to his fire chief that he’d left his post a couple of times.
More Than 13,000 Rape Kits Remain Untested Statewide as Crime Labs Strain
The report lists 15 kits from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office that were not submitted to FDLE, but no kits–submitted or unsubmitted–from the Bunnell and Flagler Beach police departments.
Palm Coast Man Arrested for Firing Gun at a Dictionary During a Fight With Girlfriend
Arnold D. Boggs, 48, of Palm Coast, was arrested on four charges, two of them felonies, after he shot at an Encarta World English Dictionary during a fight with his girlfriend, who’d told him she was moving out.
Firefighters and Deputies Rescue Man From Submerged Car After 2-Vehicle Wreck at SR100 Exit Ramp
A two-vehicle wreck at the northbound exit ramp of I-95 and State Road 100 ended with one of the two cars crashing into a retention pond and triggering a rescue of the driver by three Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies and four firefighters, who all dove into the 8-foot-deep waters.
Race Between 2 Boys “Testing Abilities” of Their BMWs Up Belle Terre Ends in Crash and Injury
Steven Zapata, 17, and Brian D. Rodrigues, 18, both of Palm Coast, were racing their BMWs up Belle Terre Parkway when Zapata lost control and ended up smashing an FPL light pole and a fence before dropping into a ditch.
Florida Prisons, Already Censoring a News Publication, Now Seek to Censor Legal Brief
The Florida Department of Corrections is seeking to block state and national media organizations from filing a brief in a legal battle about whether a publication should be barred from Florida’s prisons.
Push for Policing Reforms Expected in 2016 Legislative Sessions, But Not in Florida
Passing more laws in 2016 will depend on politics — and the level of public outcry — in each state. The federal government has no jurisdiction over local policing, leaving state lawmakers are ultimately responsible for reforms.
Ex-Culture Writer for News-Journal, Now With FlaglerLive, Arrested on Christmas Eve
A reporter and columnist covering arts and culture for the Daytona Beach News-Journal until his move to FlaglerLive this fall, was arrested on charges of domestic battery and false imprisonment.
At Five Star Pizza, A Confrontation With A Dissatisfied Customer Ends With a Gun
When Palm Coast resident Tammie Bouie wouldn’t leave Five Star Pizza, owner-manager Denis Gotlib pulled out a Glock, telling deputies he had a right to stand his ground.
Mom’s an ER Nurse But Baby Wouldn’t Let Her Get There as Deputies Assist in Home Birth
Brittany Bowser, 25, gave birth to her son Jaxson in their Z-Section Palm Coast home 8 minutes after calling 911, with sheriff’s deputies assisting. Mom and son are fine, and eventually made it to Florida Hospital Flagler.
Miller Clayton, 7, Honored By County, City and State for Life-Saving Bravery in House Fire
Miller Clayton took his little brother to safety out of their burning home on Kentucky Avenue in November. The awards were from the county and city firefighters unions and State CFO Jeff Atwater’s offce.
Sheriff’s Office Investigates Apparent Suicide of 20 Year Old at Matanzas Shores Condos
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.
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.
