A fight that began between students at a bus stop then drew in parents and escalated to include some 20 people and more than 100 “spectators” drew a large police response in South Bunnell late Tuesday afternoon into evening, and led to three injuries, though none were serious, police said.
Cops/Courts
Motorcyclist Richard K. Taylor of Palm Coast Killed in Head-On Collision With Pick-Up Truck on SR11
Palm Coast’s Richard K. Taylor was killed this morning on State Road 11 when DeLand driver E. Gonzalez attempted to pass a car in his pick-up truck and ran head-on into Taylor’s motorcycle.
Escaped Convict Ronald McCoy Caught by West Palm Beach Police
Ronald McCoy, an inmate with a very violent past who was serving two life terms on armed robbery convictions at a prison in Miami-Dade County, remains at large after his escape on Oct. 31.
Two Deputies Save a Deer That May Have Been Hanging From a Fence for Hours
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Agricultural and Ranch Deputy Steve Williams and Sergeant Mike Lutz saved a deer hanging by its hind leg on a 6-foot fence at 26 Winchester Road.
“Would You Like To Die Today?” Woman Tells Friend as She Crashes Jaguar on I-95 Near Palm Coast Parkway
Lorita Glica, 50, of Palm Coast, was jailed on aggravated assault and other charges after allegedly intentionally driving her Jaguar into the trees on I-95 moments after she told a friend traveling wit her, and with whom she was having an argument: “Would you like to die today?”
FHP Warns of Extra Halloween Patrols and Cautions Trick and Treaters on Safety
This weekend, the Florida Highway Patrol will join thousands of law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation in enforcing Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Sheriff’s Office, In Echo of 2001 Violation, Keeps Secret the Hospitalization of Murder Suspect at FHF
For two days, a murder suspect was under arrest in Flagler County but not at the jail. The Sheriff’s Office would not disclose his whereabouts–a dungeon-like disappearance that no law allows or protects.
Cyclist Seriously Hurt on Belle Terre, Then 3 Cars Crash in Opposite Direction at Ponce de Leon
Belle Terre Parkway from Rymfire Drive north was shut down after 5:45 this morning after a car struck a cyclist about 75 yards north of the intersection with Ponce de Leon Drive. An unrelated three-car wreck then took place across the road.
Supreme Court Removes Leon County Judge For Running Religious Business Out of Her Chambers
Leon County Judge Judith Hawkins was running a business called Gaza Road Ministries, used a judicial assistant and sold her own books to attorneys who appeared before her.
Flagler Detention Deputy of the Year Twice Reprimanded for Sexual Improprieties With Inmates in Last 2 Years
Deputy Randy Stephen Vickers was disciplined in May for having a relationship with a repeat offender and inmate and two years ago for asking an inmate, jokingly, if she’d like to be sexually assaulted.
From Heroes to Suspects and Back Again: All Charges Dropped For European Village Saviors
The three young Palm Coast residents who stopped an Uzi-yielding assailant at European Village in March spent the next six months fighting bogus charges that they’d provoked a fight at Finn’s bar in Flagler Beach. All charges have been dropped.
Sanford, Ferguson, Tallahassee: When Cops Act Like Vigilantes
When police from Sanford to Tallahassee protect themselves or FSU football players and sit on information that should be disclosed and vigorously pursued, they invite mistrust and charges of a cover-up.
Palm Coast Broods as Ruling Declares Key Step in Red-Light Camera Ticketing Illegal
You may be better off not paying your red-light camera ticket in light of a court decision declaring issuance of those tickets illegal. Palm Coast is studying the ruling as its cameras continue to flash.
Jared Parkey, Flagler Firefighter Shot in Road Rage Incident, Sentenced to 2 Years’ Probation
Jared Parkey was twice shot on U.S. 1 by ex-Flagler Beach cop Nathaniel Juratovac last year. Juratovac is serving a 4-year prison sentence. Parkey had faced a felony charge and prison time before his plea.
Ex-Felon Accused of Bludgeoning Wife to Death in St. Pete Arrested in Palm Coast
A blue Chevy Cavalier that police agencies across the state had been placed on alert for was found in the parking lot of the bowling alley on Old Kings Road in Palm Coast before dawn. The car owner had fled following a murder in St. Petersburg this morning.
“I Know I Should Have Died on US 1”: Jack Howell Survives Another Bike Crash
Teens-in-Flight chief Jack Howell, the retired Marine Colonel, was riding at 60 mph in the annual Frank Celico fund-raising ride Saturday when a tire on his motorcycle blew, sending him scraping against the highway.
24-Year-Old Woman Shot in Road Rage Incident on I-95, Suspects in Mercedes Flee
The incident took place at 3:17 p.m. near mile marker 290, about a mile north of the intersection with Palm Coast Parkway, in the southbound lanes. The woman’s injury are not life-threatening.
Guilty of 2nd-Degree Murder in Killing of 72-Year-Old Landlord, Erick Niemi Faces Up to Life in Prison
Erick Niemi, 43, of Palm Coast, killed Leonard Lynn, his 72-year-old landlord in the R-Section, by savagely beating and strangling him in May 2013, because Niemi felt he was being mistreated.
Gunman and Accomplice Sought After Armed Robbery at Outlet Mall’s Jewelry Store on SR16
At 10:20 this morning a masked man authorities are describing as “possibly black” robbed the Zales Jewelry store at 2700 State Road 16, one of the stores at the Premium Outlets mall south of St. Augustine, along I-95.
2 Women Killed, 2 Seriously Hurt in 3-Vehicle Crash Termed “Horrific” on SR100 and CR305
The third wreck involving fatalities in six days was triggered by a vehicle rear-ending another, and causing it to crash head-on into an oncoming car.
Ormond Beach Police Investigating Shooting on Seminole Drive and Seeking Public’s Help
A male subject was shot in the stomach by another male after an argument at 222 Seminole Drive in Ormond Beach. One suspect is in custody.
Diane Upton of Palm Coast Is Killed, Kalyn Upton and Child Seriously Hurt in 2-Vehicle Wreck on SR100 Near Target
Rebecca Lawless, 24, of Palm Coast, ran a red light and slammed into Diane Upton’s car at Landing Boulevard and SR100 in Palm Coast, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Man Dies in Early-Morning Fire
On Westmayer Place in Flagler Beach
The double-wide trailer on Westmayer Place, a dirt road off of A1A at the north end of town, was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene. It was the first death in a house fire in Flagler County since an elderly woman died at her home in Palm Coast almost two years ago.
Olvis Harville, Biker Critically Injured in 1 of 2 Biketoberfest Wrecks on US 1 Wednesday, Dies
Olvis Harville, 65, was riding with a friend on U.S. 1 at CR304 when he crashed into his friend and was ejected. He died two days later.
Pit Bull Mix Attacks 76-Year-Old Woman in Her F-Section Backyard and Tries to Drag Her Away
A 76-year-old resident of Forrest Hill Drive in Palm Coast was hospitalized after a neighbor’s large pit bull mix attacked and attempted to drag her back to its own yard Thursday afternoon.
A Community Bids Former Deputy Joe Delarosby Farewell, Mixing Anger With Remembrance
Services for Joseph Delarosby, the sheriff’s deputy edged into retirement 7 weeks before he killed himself on Oct. 7, included a stunning public rebuke of Sheriff Manfre by Delarosby’s father.
Case Closed: Flagler Beach Commission Votes 4-1 to Buy $600,000 “Quint” Fire Truck
There was debating, pleading, occasional shouting and plenty of sniping, but in the end a conclusion foretold months ago was ratified with a 4-1 vote as the Flagler Beach City Commission Thursday night opted to buy a nearly $600,000 fire truck called a “quint.”
Pot Amendment: For Debilitating Diseases or an Open Door to Full Marijuana Legalization?
A briefing on Amendment 2, the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana: supporters say it’ll help the sick, opponents claim it’s flawed and will result in “a joint in every backpack.”
Pop Warner Football Smackdown: Games Over, Fights Erupt at FPC—Between “Adults”
Tensions escalated into fights and brawls that sent three people to the hospital after a Pop Warner football game between Flagler and Daytona Beach Saturday at FPC, even though the game involved children ages 5 to 7, and was not scored.
Investigated for Stalking, Man Is Accused of Raping 15-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl in Her Home
James Russell Brink, 25, is being held at the Flagler County jail on $100,000 bond and is accused of traveling from Virginia to have sex with a 15-year-old Palm Coast girl he’d previously been accused of stalking in New York.
Sheriff’s Ex-Finance Director Sues, Claiming She Was Forced Out After Flagging “Inappropriate” Spending
Ex-finance director Linda Bolante’s lawsuit focuses on dining and entertainment expenses Flagler Sheriff Jim Manfre had to pay back after charging an agency credit card, following which, according to Bolante, she was forced to resign. The Sheriff’s Office “vigorously disputes” the claim that the two occurrences were related.
Lyndon B. Johnson, Terrorist
In 1926, Lyndon Johnson and his friends bombed the town square in Johnson City, Texas, taking out all the windows of a bank. He was never punished, let alone arrested. Times have changed.
“A Fitting Conclusion”: Family Speaks of Pilot Ray Miller’s Life of Adventure Before Crash
Raymond Miller, the 77-year-old Palm Coast resident who crashed his plane in Pellicer Creek last week, had retired from the CIA but had never ended a life of globe-trotting adventure in which his age was a mere number. His family said his last flight was a fitting way to end a life.
Joseph Bova, Found Incompetent to Stand Trial for Mobil Murder, Is Committed to State Hospital
Joseph Bova, the inscrutable and unnerving suspect accused of murdering Zuheily Roman Rosado in an execution-style shooting at the Mobil Mart in February 2013, will be committed to a state hospital.
Past Day 5 of Crashed-Plane Recovery Efforts, a Barge Will Attempt Wreckage Excavation From 9 Feet of Muck
Several attempts to recover Ray Miller;’s crashed plane have failed because of challenging conditions and the plane’s location, but a barge is on its way to conduct a salvaging operation starting this evening as officials hope to have plane and body recovered by Thursday.
Inmate Dies in a Florida Prison Less Than a Day After Family Questioned Safety; Federal Probe Sought
Latandra Ellington, 36, died Wednesday at Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, less than 24 hours after her family called prison officials to express concerns about her safety.
Joseph Delarosby, Recently Retired Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy, Takes His Life at Palm Coast’s Heroes Park
Joseph Delarosby, who’d served nearly 20 years as a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy and bailiff, committed suicide this morning at Heroes Park in Palm Coast. He had retired from the force only recently.
Robbery at Palm Coast Target Pharmacy Leads to Chase and Arrest at Integra Woods
Michael Shudy, 34, of Palm Coast, was arrested on two robbery charges and a count of fleeing and eluding police after ordering a store clerk at Target’s pharmacy to hand over methadone.
Richard Mathews, Accused of Mercy Killing in Mother’s Death, Sentenced to Two Years
Mary Shaw Mathews, 88, was found to have died by strangulation and over-medication on Feb. 21 at her Palm Coast home. Her son Richard told detectives that she had asked him to end her life as she had been suffering and declining fast. Today’s outcome reflected a judicial system grappling with the gray area between mercy killing, which is not allowed by law, and a form of induced death.
Flagler Beach Police Seeking Help Identifying Publix Liquor Thief
The suspect stole some $400 worth of liquor from the Publix at 414 Beach Village Drive in Flagler Beach and drove off in a white hatchback vehicle of unknown make.
Recovery of Crashed Plane Again Suspended as Tides Interfere; Raymond Miller, Presumed Dead, Still Not Positively Identified
Raymond A. Miller, 77, of Palm Coast, took off from Flagler County Airport in a Northeasterly direction Friday morning and never returned. Authorities are seeking the public’s help in any sighting as the search continues.
One More Time: What Opponents of Amendment 2 on Medical Pot Get Wrong
Opponents of Amendment 2, the proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, have been spreading false information, exaggerations and scare-mongering. Ben Pollara, the campaign manager for United for Care, which is pushing the amendment, counters those arguments.
Sheriff’s Apperson Honored for School Cop Services; Three Are Promoted
Don Apperson, just reassigned, had served as the supervisor of the sheriff’s school cops for 13 years. Jen Taylor, Bernie Woodward and Laura Pazarena were all promoted.
FDLE Serves Search Warrant as Supervisor of Elections Weeks Is Now Formally Under Investigation
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents this morning served a search warrant at Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks’s office. Agents were there several hours today.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Tasers 80-Year-Old Man With Dementia: He Was Wielding a Knife
A Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday used his Taser stun gun against an 80-year-old man suffering from dementia as the man refused to put down a butcher knife as he sat in his back porch. The man had earlier allegedly threatened members of his family.
In Sgt. Frank Celico’s Memory: 3rd Annual Ride to Remember Scheduled for Oct. 25
The Ride to Remember gathers bikers for a long ride through the county to commemorate Celico’s memory and raise funds for the foundation, which provides bike helmets and bikes to Flagler children.
U.S. Supreme Court Takes Up Florida Lawyer’s Appeal of Ban on Judicial Candidates’ Campaign Solicitations
Lanell Williams-Yulee was disciplined by the Florida Bar for violating a rule barring judicial candidates from soliciting money when running for judgeships. The U.S. Supreme Court may reverse that rule, affecting 30 states where similar bans are in place.
A Car Wreck at Publix Escalates Into Battery On a Cop and Hostility at Hospital’s ER
Richard Westervelt, a 23-year-old ex-felon–he was released from state prison two years ago–ran from the scene after a car wreck near Publix Tuesday night, then continued battling a cop at the scene and at the hospital before he was restrained in irons and arrested.
Michael Dunn Is Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Shooting of Jordan Davis as Jury Rejects Self-Defense Claim
Michael Dunn murdered 17-year-old Jordan Davis at a gas station in Jacksonville the day after Thanksgiving 2012, in a case that again put the focus on Florida’s Stand Your Ground law and racial implications.
39-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping “Physically Impaired” Woman, 21
The case rests on DNA evidence tying Gavin to semen from a rape kit the alleged Palm Coast victim completed two days after the incident, the details of which she does not recall.