Victoria Higgins was not in the mood to have her black 2005 Ford Mustang repossessed. So she allegedly shot at the two repo men who went to her Mohogany Boulevard home in the Mondex Tuesday, forcing them to flee. She was jailed on aggravated assault charges.
Cops/Courts
School District Missed and Ignored Long List of Serious Problems With Youth Center Employee
Flagler County Youth Center Assistant Director Shannon Diamond’s arrest Sunday on charges related to drunkenly behavior were the latest in a series of criminal and other issues, including some in the district, that Diamond has faced over the years, and that the district either ignored or found of no consequence.
Flagler Youth Center’s Shannon Diamond Is Again Arrested on Drunk Charges
Shannon Diamond was arrested on a DUI charge last year but kept his employment, supervising students. He was arrested at McCharacter’s Sunday after allegedly refusing to pay his bill and trying to flee. He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Hazmat Emergency at Bunnell’s Budget Motel Over: Suspicious Powder Was Cocaine
A suspicious package the size of a shoebox was delivered to the Budget Motel in Bunnell, behind the State Street Diner, this morning, triggering an environmental emergency. Bunnell Fire Chief Derek Fraser ordered the motel grounds sealed and summoned a hazardous materials team from St. Johns County, which authorities are awaiting.
Police Drones Are Banned from Florida Skies Absent a Warrant or Other Exceptions
The bill (SB 92) prevents law enforcement use of drones unless a judge has issued a warrant, or in cases where there is a “high risk of terrorist attack,” or a case of imminent danger, such as in a missing person case where the person is thought to be in immediate danger.
From Truancy to Criminal Charge: Flagler Schools Take Parent to Court Over Child’s Absences
When Andre Darby failed to enroll his son at Rymfire Elementary or show proof that he was being homeschooled, the Flagler school district turned the case over to the state attorney for prosecution, an extreme example of cases when parents violate Florida’s truancy laws. Darby faces a second-degree misdemeanor charge, which may end in a plea before Circuit Judge J. David Walsh Thursday.
76-Year-Old Cyclist Critically Injured By SUV at Cypress Pt. and Belle Terre
A 76-year-old cyclist riding up Belle Terre was struck by an SUV and pinned under the car until paramedics were able to lift the car, tend to him and evacuate him by air. The cyclist had traumatic injuries, but was alive when he was taken away from the scene.
Duping Court Ruling, Florida Replacing Life Juvenile Sentencing With 50-Year Minimum
Legislation aimed at putting Florida in line with a U.S. Supreme Court ban on automatic life sentences for juvenile murderers cleared a House panel Tuesday, but with a 50 year minimum sentence that opponents say may keep the state’s law at odds with the court’s aim.
Revenge Porn: Florida Lawmakers Take National Lead in Battling Bullying’s New Virus
In a more lurid consequence of sexting, Florida women and girls have been targeted by revenge porn–the online posting of nude images without the victim’s consent–in several documented instances, leading the Legislature to seek to criminalize the practice as a second or third-degree felony.
Flagler 911: Pot-Dumping on Colbert Lane; Commissioner’s Son Presses Charges Against Inmate
Two teens arrested after eluding a cop on Colbert Lane and allegedly dumping pot on the road; Bunnell City Commissioner John Roger’s son, in jail on a minor charge, is allegedly attacked by another inmate, who is charged with battery; the bomb squad is called out on Princess Geraldine Place; and more, including jail bookings.
Man Faces Attempted Murder Charge After Sunday Stabbing on Mud Muckers’ ATV Trails
Todd Lee Richmond of Orlando was on Mud Muckers’ trails early Sunday morning with a group of people when he allegedly argued then stabbed Brad Taylor, who was airlifted to Halifax hospital. Richmond posted $100,000 bond and was released.
When Deputies Shoot Animals: An Explanation from the Flagler Sheriff’s Office
Responding to a citizen’s concerns, Commander Paul Bovino of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office explains why deputies sometimes shoot animals that are reported sick or injured, and why they don’t take them away in their patrol cruisers.
Palm Coast Meth Lab Busted on Cooper Lane as Sheriff’s Deputies Call in Hazmat Unit
The meth lab at 1 Cooper Lane in one of Palm Coast’s oldest and least eventful neighborhoods was busted Friday afternoon, with the arrests of Brent Chambers, 35; Heather Hastey, 42, and Will Hodge, 30. Four children lived at the address.
Dear Sheriff Manfre: Why Are Deputies So Quick to Shoot Animals–and Leave Them?
A sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a raccoon found to be sickly in Palm Coast’s R-Section this morning, leaving it in a lot, triggering a letter of concern from a resident to Sheriff Manfre about a routine practice among local law enforcement in the disposition of ailing animals.
Accused of Thefts in December, He Isn’t Arrested For Them Until Wednesday
Daniel Hunter was arrested for stealing from an 83-year-old woman in March, but he was arrested again only Wednesday for a separate alleged theft spree the sheriff’s office had investigated–and interviewed him about–back in December.
Robert Laks, 33, of Palm Coast, Is Killed in SR100 Wreck West of Palatka
Robert Laks, a 33-year-old resident of Palm Coast, was driving west of Palatka on State Road 100 early Wednesday morning when a wreck triggered by a Waste Pro garbage truck’s left turn led to his death.
Jamesine Fischer Is Sentenced to 25 Months in Prison for Hit-and-Run Death of Pecqueur
Jamesine Fischer, the 56-year-old wife of Flagler School Board member John Fischer, will serve at least 21 months in a Florida state prison following her sentencing Wednesday for the hit-and-run death of Francoise Pecqueur, 76, in Palm Coast in November 2011.
2 Children Hurt in Bus-Stop Hit-and-Run; SUV Flips on US1, Injuring a Woman
A first-grader and a kindergardener were hurt when an SUV pulling a trailer struck them at their F-Section bus stop at 8:16 a.m. Almost at the same time, Danielle Bazard of Palm Coast was ejected when her SUV flipped on US1 at CR304.
Two Women, Caught on Video, Sought in Palm Coast Robbery; More Guns Drawn
Sheriff’s investigators are looking for two women caught on a home surveillance video where a burglary was reported; a hit-and-run at Grand Haven; a family quarrel ends in a gun being fired; death threats from a drunk man on Columbia Lane; and more. Includes jail bookings.
For Abuse Victims, Navigating Government Help Can Be Another Defeating Challenge
Using stories drawn from real-life cases, participants a Domestic Violence Summit for police agencies in Flagler, Volusia, St. Johns and Putrnam counties tried to understand what it would be like to walk in the shoes of victims coping with the criminal justice system–and discovered the numerous obstacles victims face.
Bicyclist Injured in Hit-and-Run on Palm Coast Parkway; Sheriff’s Deputies Locate Car at DSC
Terrance Conley, 62, a Palm Coast bicyclist, was evacuated by air after he was struck by a car on Palm Coast Parkway near Florida Park Drive at 8 a.m. Monday in a hit-and-run. The car was later located in the parking lot of Daytona State College.
Bobby Pace, Acting Flagler Beach Fire Chief, Faces Felony Charge Over Falsified Records
Bobby Pace, installed as interim fire chief just seven weeks ago to replace Martin Roberts, who was fired, faces a felony charge of tampering with evidence and a misdemeanor charge for obstruction of justice. It is only the latest shock to a fire department riven by conflict that reaches into City Manager Bruce Campbell’s office.
Sheriff’s SWAT Team Diffuses Another Weapons Alert, This Time on Utah Place in Seminole Woods
Members of the SWAT team were summoned to 44 Utah Place in Seminole Woods Thursday evening, after a woman at that address called 911 to report that her son had drawn a weapon or more. The stand-off was brief. The man, in his early 20s, is believed to have mental health issues. The situation was diffused swiftly, with no injuries.
Experimental Plane Crashes Into Alligator-Infested Lake Disston, 2 Safely Swim to Shore
Allan Burrows, 59, and Kathrine Burrows, 51, both of Port Orange, survived after their A-22 LS fixed-wing sank into Lake Disston Tuesday evening.
Robert Trainham, 27-Year-Old Motorcyclist, Is Killed in Collision With Pick-Up on Belle Terre
A motorcyclist riding north on Belle Terre Boulevard, south of State Road 100, was killed in a collision with a Chevy pick-up truck just before 3 p.m. The motorcyclist almost lost a leg and appears to have bled out. He was pronounced dead ay the scene by Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedics.
After a 2 1/2-Hour Hunt, Man Feared Armed Surrenders in Anxiety-Ridden F-Section
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office launched a significant and urgent manhunt at 6:30 p.m. in Palm Coast’s F Section, around Forest Grove Drive, after reports that an armed, mentally ill man began circulating. The man was found in the woods near Fitzgerald and Fieldstone at about 9 p.m., unarmed.
Flagler 911: Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping His Wife; 4 Teens Arrested for Burglary
Chhom Chann, a 40-year-old resident of 15 Prosperity Lane in Palm Coast, is at the Flagler County jail on $100,000 bond, facing three felony charges, including sexual battery–otherwise known as rape–false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly forced his wife to have sex with him, tied her to a chair, struck her in the face and and cut off her hair against her will.
Details Emerge in Ex-Cop Juratovac’s Shooting Of Flagler Paramedic in 911 Calls and Report
Four 911 calls and a police report detail the confrontation that led to ex-Flagler Beach cop Nathaniel Juratovac shooting Flagler County firefighter-paramedic Jared Parkey Friday on U.S. 1 in St. Augustine.
Firefighters Battling Flagler’s Largest Wildfire of the Season, Off SR 11, Now at 200 Acres
A wildfire started in the pine and cypress forest southwest of Bunnell on Saturday, burning 130 acres, and consumed another 70 acres Sunday, creating Flagler County’s largest fire to date this season.
Ex-Flagler Beach Cop Juratovac Jailed for Attempted Murder of Flagler County Firefighter
Nathaniel Juratovac, a 40-year-old former Flagler Beach police officer, is at the St. Johns County jail today following his arrest on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot Flagler County Fire Rescue firefighter Jared Parkey Friday night on U.S. 1.
Murders, Errant Planes, Firings, Crashing Deputies: Sheriff Eulogizes 78-Day Mark
Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre hasn’t closed out his first 100 days on the job. In appearances before local groups, he’s explained his department’s new direction, spoken of the murders on his watch, and taken a candid stance on gun control.
Jury in 12 Minutes Convicts Angela Wray of Embezzling Celico Auto; She Faces 30 Years
Wray faces up to 30 years in prison for embezzling $58,964 from Celico Auto Body, where she worked as a bookkeeper from June 2007 to February 2010. Wray before the trial had turned down a plea deal that would have had her serve five years in prison, with probation afterward.
Wildfires Damage 2 Beverly Beach Homes and Jump A1A Before They Are Fiercely Put Down
A fire broke out at 2:25 this afternoon in the 3800 block of North Ocean Shore Boulevard in Beverly Beach, consuming parts of a beach-front house.
Flagler Sheriff’s Corrections Deputy Deemed At Fault in T-Bone Crash on US1 and SR100
Sandy Gay, a corrections deputy with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, was on her way to work Thursday morning when, according to police and a witness at the scene, she blew a red light at the intersection of State Road 100 and U.S. 1 and slammed into a two-door Ford driven by Paul Salvador, a local wrecker company’s employee. Gay and Salvador were taken to Florida Hospital Flagler.
On Trial for Embezzling Celico Auto, Angela Wray’s Defense Tries Shifting Blame
Angela Wray, who is married to a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy, is accused of embezzling almost $60,000 from 2007 to 2010 from Celico Auto in Bunnell, much the same way she did in New Jersey, where she was convicted of a felony.
Michael Cona Found Not Guilty in Hancock Bank Robbery
Michael Cona was facing an armed robbery charge for the 2011 Hancock Bank robbery at Palm Harbor in Palm Coast. His brother Shawn pleaded no contest and served a year in jail on a similar charge.
P-Section Brushfire Near Homes on Pacific Drive a Reminder of Brittle Conditions
The fire in an empty lot at the corner of Parish Place and Pacific Drive in Palm Coast Wednesday afternoon had homes on either side, but they were never threatened as a Palm Coast Fire Department engine was at the scene within moments of a 911 call.
In a Decision With Local Sway, Federal Court Upholds Prayers Before Government Meetings
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over all of Florida, ruled that the Lakeland City Commission’s custom of opening meetings with a prayer was constitutional, though the court sidestepped the city’s focus on Christian prayers, and its closed door to atheists, agnostics, humanists or other non-clergy representatives.
Flagler 911: Mystery Beating on Hickory Street, an Arrest for Highway Racing
Three teens are arrested for allegedly puncturing the tires on a car and pouring sugar in a gas tank; a motorcyclist is arrested for racing around Hargrove Grade. A man with a broken arm refuses to give details of a beating on Hickory Street.
In Florida Case, U.S. Supremes Strike Down Drug-Sniffing Cop Dogs Outside of Home
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Florida v. Jardines is the second out of the state dealing with how search and seizure limits under the U.S. Constitution affect the ability of police to use sniffer dogs to find drugs.
No Drones Over Flagler, Sheriff Pledges, as He Details 16 Arrests from Latest Drug Sweep
Sheriff Jim Manfre said he won’t seek to arm the Flagler Sheriff’s Office with surveillance drones, remarks he made in the context of a sweep of drug-dealing suspects arrested Tuesday following a two-month investigation based on surveillance and residents’ tips.
Flagler 911: Trouble on Wood Arbor Lane; FPC Class Rings Targeted
Christopher Heath, 30, of Palm Coast, is arrested for the 10th time in five years after a violent disturbance on Wood Arbor Lane; thieves allegedly swipe two Flagler Palm Coast High School class rings and a promise ring, the lot valued at over $1,300, on Coconut Blvd. in Bunnell.
Exonerated Death Row Inmates Tell Flagler Beach Group of an Enduring Florida Injustice
In turns moving, startling and informative, a day-long workshop on the death penalty in Flagler Beach, featuring two exonerated men, urged an assembly of 60 to more actively get involved in a movement to abolish capital punishment in Florida.
Murder Victim’s Family Denied Up to $150,000 Over Station Owner’s Workers’ Comp Lapse
Following Zuheily Roman Rosado’s murder at the Mobil station in Palm Coast on Feb. 21, the state Division of Insurance Fraud filed a third-degree felony charge against the station owner when an investigation revealed no workers’ compensation coverage, which would have provided Rosado’s family funeral and other death benefits.
10 Unlicensed Contractors, 8 from Flagler, Arrested in a Sting Operation
The unlicensed contractor would come in to a house and agree to install plumbing lines, shampoo bowl sinks or light fixtures, never knowing he was talking to an undercover agent.
Veteran Flagler Fireman’s Home Burns in Rima Ridge, at County’s South End
Ron Walker spent his life fighting fires and protecting other people’s homes and properties. He retired from the Volusia County Fire Department, and has been a Flagler County volunteer fireman. On Thursday afternoon, the house he built burned for unknown reasons.
St. Johns Sting Operation Leads to 15 Arrests of Men Solicting Underage Sex
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrested 15 men in five days last week in a sting operation targeting individuals soliciting minors for sex. The operation was called “Operation No Soliciting. Arrests included one suspect from Flagler County, Vyacheslav Azarov, 43, from Palm Coast.
“Rising Star” Paul Bovino Is Appointed Commander of Flagler Sheriff’s Patrol Division
Paul Bovino was appointed permanent commander of the Neighborhood Services Division, formerly known as the patrol division, in place of David O’Brien, who was given the choice of either being fired or retiring in the messy culmination of a re-organization that had initially cast O’Brien among the management team.
Mystery Man Flown to Halifax After Suicide Attempt Off Flagler Beach Bridge Fails
A man in his early 50s who would only say that his name is “Jim” jumped from the Flagler Beach bridge after 9 p.m. Tuesday evening, but was rescued by a fisherman who jumped after him. The man had been riding an unmarked motorcycle with a shaved off VIN number.
Flagler Beach Cyclist Frederick J. Martinez Is Killed in Collision With a Work Van on SR100
Frederick J. Martinez, a 51-year-old Flagler Beach resident, was violently struck and killed by a work van as he rode his bike east on State Road 100 Tuesday afternoon, a little less than a mile from Old Kings Road.