Sheriff Fleming followed his under-oath interview with the Florida Highway Patrol with a written statement the next day that changed his story for a fourth time regarding his phone calls to and from John Fischer, the school board member and husband of the woman charged in a hit-and-run fatality on Nov. 10.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Public Pressure Works as State Funds Return to Flagler’s Disabled Adults Services
Flagler County would have lost $600,000 and 18 jobs, and disability and job-learning skills to 248 adults in the affected programs, had a Senate proposal to end funding prevailed. A public-awareness campaign led by school board member Colleen Conklin helped reverse the cuts.
Hit-and-Run: More Doubt Than Urgency in Fischers’ Call to Sheriff’s Non-Emergency Line
As John and Jamesine Fischer’s call to the sheriff’s office is released, they’re are heard casting doubt on the nature of the collision that eventually killed Francoise Pecqueur. The call, and a private investigator’s report, raise more questions.
Public Mostly Rejects State Proposal for 2.7 Miles of Manatee Speed Zones in Flagler Waters
Three-quarters of the people who addressed a Florida Fish and Wildlife delegation on the proposed speed zones on the Intracoastal Waterway rejected the argument that manatees are endangered, or that further regulation is needed.
Too Many Streetlights? Palm Coast Readies to Remove 41 Redundant Ones For Future Savings
The city will remove 41 lights–out of 2,876 in the city–at a cost of $15,444, money the city says it will make back in just over three years as savings from monthly bills it won’t be paying for those lights. Meanwhile, new light strings must wait for lack of money.
Wife-Shooter William Merrill’s Arrest Record Dates Back to Felony and DUI in Tennessee
William Merrill was arrested repeatedly in 1999 by the Nashville Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, when he was 20 years old, and convicted on felony and misdemeanor drug possession and reduced reckless driving charges.
Maj. David O’Brien Replaces Chief Look as Sheriff Fleming’s 2nd in Command
Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming appointed Maj. David O’Brien, a 29-year-veteran of the department, his chief deputy, replacing Rick Look, who left the agency he’d served since 2005 late last year.
Happy 80th Birthday, Jim Guines
Just before Christmas Jim Guines, the long-time Flagler County School Board member, was hospitalized with a recurring leg ailment that may have contributed to a stroke while he was in surgery. He’s been in rehab since.
Cassimiro Tavares Faces 7 Felony Charges Over Bilking A&T Auto Repair Shop Owner
Cassimiro Tavares, who worked as the office manager at A&T Auto Repair in Bunnell for three years, is accused of diverting close to $25,000 to his own uses, creating a shell company and threatening Andrzej Tyminski, the Polish shop, owner with deportation to keep him quiet.
Ear, Nose, Throat, Hard Hat:
Florida Hospital Flagler Shows Off Its New Digs
Florida Hospital Flagler’s new Parkway Medical Plaza, opening in July between Walmart and Golden Corral, is a $15 million expansion–and a signal of intensifying head-to-head competition in such fields as imaging and lab work.
State Attorney Files 1st Degree Felony Charge Against Fischer in Hit-and-Run Case
Jamesine Fischer, the wife of Flagler County School Board member John Fischer, faces 30 years in prison if convicted of the felony charge involving the death of Francoise Pecqueur, the 76-year-old woman struck by Fischer’s PT Cruiser on Columbia Lane in Palm Coast in November.
Finding Her Palm Coast, Nancy Grace Takes On Wife-Shooting Tonight, With FlaglerLive
FlaglerLive’s Pierre Tristam is among the guests on tonight’s Nancy Grace show, whose opening segment focuses on the William Merrill shooting of his wife in Palm Coast last Tuesday. The news value is limited.
Flagler County Jail Bookings, Feb. 24-March 2
Flagler County jail daily bookings for the week of Feb. 24-March 2, 2012, with an excerpt on Zen and the art of meditating with prisoners at Sing Sing in Ossining, N.Y.
Arrest Report Details Fischer Trying to “Mislead Medical Personnel and Bystanders”
Three times at the scene, where 76-year-old Francoise Pecqueur lay bleeding, and again when she called 911, Jamesine Fischer said she’d seen Pecqueur fall, that she’d noticed her lying in the grass, and that she herself had hit a dog, but not Pecqueur, Fischer’s arrest report states.
A Desperate William Merrill Pleads For Help: “My Wife’s Been Shot”; the 911 Call
In a voice broken by sobs and desperation, a clearly devastated William Merrill pleads with the 911 dispatcher to send help after describing how he accidentally shot his wife, Stefanie, while she was giving a bath to their 3-year-old daughter. The 7-minute 911 recording as released by the sheriff’s office.
Flagler County Democrats, at Low Ebb, Face Eviction From Their Palm Coast Office
Flagler County Democrats have been rending the Hargrove Grade location since 2007, for $334 a month, but between disorganization and lack of interest, have been unable to raise the money to pay the rent for months.
Ex-Bunnell Cops John and Lisa Murray Plead Out, Avoiding Jail Time
John and Lisa Murray pleaded no contest to reduced charges stemming from their arrest and firing on felony counts in 2010. Neither can be a police officer again.
William Merrill Charged With Manslaughter for Killing His Wife With AK-47; 20 Guns at Home
Stefanie Merrill had been giving a bath to her 3-year-old daughter when her husband, William, pointed an AK-47 assault and its laser light at her chest and accidentally pulled the trigger. He was jailed on $200,000 bail.
Pizza Delivery Leads to SWAT Swarm and Arrest of Man Wanted for Serial Burglaries
Jacquez Roland, 34. of 11 Service Tree Place in Palm Coast is in jail today, on $429,000 bail, in connection with a series of armed and violent burglaries, including the Microtel and Sharps Liquor burglaries in October, where workers in both cases were cuffed at gunpoint and robbed.
Flagler County’s Republicans at War With Each Other as Lawsuit Slams Prizer and REC
The rift between tea party Republicans and old guard Republicans boiled over Thursday as insurgents denied membership in the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee filed suit against Committee Chairman Nancy Prizer and the Florida Republican Club.
As Investigation Into Fatal Shooting Continues, Disturbing Details from a Prior Domestic Fight
William Merrill, who fatally shot his wife on Tuesday while inspecting a rifle, was arrested in 2006 for head-butting her and throwing her on a bed during a heated argument. Charges were not pursued in that case.
Ex-Bunnell Cop John Murray, On Trial, Takes Stand and Denies Wrongdoing
John Murray was fired in 2010 and faces four felony charges, including cocaine possession and tampering with evidence. The trial Flagler County Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano is expected to take all day.
I-95 Crash Sends 2 to Hospitals; Witnesses Cite Cell-Phone Distraction
The two-vehicle crash on I-95 just north of Palm Coast Parkway this morning sent two people to hospitals, one of them with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
He’s Back: Sensing a Weakened Don Fleming, Jim Manfre Is Running for Sheriff a 4th Time
Jim Manfre was Flagler County sheriff from 2001 to 2005, and lost to Sheriff Fleming in 2008 by a thin margin. The recent controversy over Fleming’s handling of a fatal road accident spurred Manfre to become the fourth candidate against the incumbent.
Suspicious Shooting: Husband Kills 30-Year-Old Wife on Covington Lane in Palm Coast
William Merrill, 32, was inspecting a rifle at his home at 94 Covington Lane in Palm Coast when his weapon went off. His 30-year-old wife Stefanie was struck in the chest and killed.
Flagler School Board Balks Over New Teacher Contract; Union President Calls It “Bad Faith”
After a closed-door meeting, the Flagler school board ratified a new contract with its teacher union minus a crucial portion defining teacher evaluations, causing a breach with the union just as the two sides are planning next school year.
Flagler 911: More Pitbull Attacks, Fraud Alert and Facebook Trouble
Two more reports of pitbull attacks–dog-on-dog, and dog-on-disabled-man, but the latter without injuries; Facebook suspicions trigger a fight; an altercation at the courthouse; smashed windows at Imagine Chool, and too many lesser incidents to count.
Visits Decline 26% in 2 Years at Flagler County Public Library; E-Books Beginning Oct. 1
Patrons will be able to borrow the books through their digital devices. The library’s plans for a cafe continue despite a setback, and it has no plans for scaling back its physical presence: to the contrary. Expansion plans are afoot for the main branch library in Palm Coast.
Peterson Draws Commission Challenge From Ericksen, the Man He Introduced to Politics
Four years ago Alan Peterson encouraged Charlie Ericksen to apply to finish the term of Peterson’s seat on the Palm Coast City Council, when Peterson decided to run for the Flagler County Commission. Now the two Republicans will face each other in the Aug. 14 primary for that commission seat.
Flagler County Jail Bookings, Feb. 17-25
Flagler County jail daily bookings for the week of Feb. 17-25, 2012, with a look back at the Comayagua prison fire in Honduras that killed 300 inmates on Feb. 14.
Flagler School District Mobilizing Against 18 Job Cuts and Lost Services to Disabled Adults
Flagler County is in danger of losing several programs that train and help the disabled find self-sustaining jobs as the Florida Senate ends funding for those programs. The cuts would affect 248 adult in the county, including 36 students in the transition program for 18 to 22 year olds.
A Year On, Tibet’s Jigme Norbu’s Death In Flagler Is Remembered With Incense and Hope
Jigme Norbu, the nephew of the Dalai Lama, was killed in Flagler County on the first day of a 300-mile walk for peace. Two dozen people gathered at the crash site in the Hammock this afternoon to commemorate the one-year mark of Norbu’s death.
Sahmi Green Charged With Animal Cruelty in Wake of Fatal Stabbing of Female Pit Bull
The arrest warrant states that Sahmi Green walked a friend’s female pit bull behind a house and stabbed it seven times. He initially claimed the dog had been in a fight.
Flagler Tea Party Frets As Numbers Dwindle And Excitement Appears Elusive
Flagler tea party meetings once reliably drew 200 to 300 people. Thursday’s drew 86, and provoked soul-searching from members wondering how to revive the excitement in an election year they considers crucial.
European Village Beating of 60-Year-Old: Ken Peters Now Faces Attempted Murder Charge
Conviction for attempted murder can mean a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Kenneth Peters had gone to the victim’s house to obtain Oxycodone, the pain-relieving narcotic, when the encounter deteriorated. Both men involved have previous records.
Women’s Wrestling as Inspiration: “Miracle Worker” at FPC’s Black Box Theatre Tonight
The story of Hellen Keller and Annie Sullivan, with FPC junior Agata Sokolska and senior Leana Gardella in the title roles, is director Kelly Nelson’s valentine to inspiration. The play will be staged Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
In Field Trip Across Western Flagler, Jobs Council Learns of Unheralded Ag Power
Flagler County’s jobs council went on a field trip today—the latest in a series designed to educate its members about the county’s economy—through western Flagler, for a first-hand look at the second-largest economic engine locally: agriculture.
Sheriff’s Office Plays Up Minor Pot-Growing Bust at a Home in Palm Coast’s P Section
The house at 20 Princeton Lane in Palm Coast had 24 young marijuana plants. Florida is still among the states with the harshest anti-pot laws in the county, though some 20 states have either decriminalized pot possession or legalized its medical uses.
Conflicted Incubator: A Divided Palm Coast Council May Relax Home-Based Bakeries
The issue, prompted by a couple looking to start a home bakery, illustrates two contradicting strains in Palm Coast’s idea of itself–the quiet residential town as opposed to the depressed and unemployed city looking for rejuvenation summed up in its economic-development slogan, “Prosperity 2021.”
Flagler 911: Alcohol and Gummy Bears at Indian Trails Middle, a Dog Stabbing, a Deer Shooting
A police chase on Belle Terre is suspended for safety’s sake–but the suspect is arrested anyway after he crashes his car, a female pit bull is fatally stabbed, a deer crashes into the Sub Base shop window, a middle school student brings tequila in a Tupperware to school.
Amelia Earhart, Gandhi, Einstein and Betsy Ross All Rise Again in Wadsworth’s History Day
Wadsworth Elementary’s “Who’s Who in History” day Tuesday drew on school staffers and community “celebrities” to perform dozens of historical figures, alive and dead, in a culmination of school-wide biography projects focused on the figures.
Pursuit of 33-Year-Old Woman on I-95 Ends In 9-Car Smash-Up on Palm Coast Parkway
A vehicle pursuit that started just south of St. Augustine ended as the woman driving a Dodge Charger smashed into cars that had all but stopped at the Cypress Point light on Palm Coast Parkway. Despite severe damage, there were few serious injuries.
Sheriff Fleming Suggests Pill-Mill Crackdown Is Shooting Up Heroin Trade as 3 Are Arrested
Heroin problems in Palm Coast: Three heroin arrests in 36 hours have Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming warning that the crackdown on pill mills may be provoking a rise in heroin use and trafficking.
School Prayer Bill Clears House Hurdle as Florida Legislature Appears Poised to Bow
Local school boards would be responsible for enabling prayer measures. Should it become law, the bill would make Florida an outlier state with regard to school-prayer permissiveness and almost certainly trigger court action.
Flagler County Jail Bookings, Feb. 10-17
Flagler County jail daily bookings for the week of Feb. 10-17, 2012, with cameos by Nabokov, Tom Wolfe and the photography of Ian Carroll.
Flagler 911: Turning a Palm Coast House Into a Shooting Range; Hydrocodone Bust
Palm Coast and Flagler County blotter report: a man on Slowdrift Lane threatens to shoot a dog and fires his rifle at a wall much used to the treatment. He ends up in jail. A traffic stop turns into a Hydrocodone bust. And more.
The Late Bernie Axelrod Leaves Flagler Education Foundation $200,000 Endowment
Bernie Axelrod never finished high school, but rose through the ranks of union print shops in new York City, founded a travel agency, and was a pioneer in donating technology to schools. He joined the Flagler Education Foundation in the 1990s.
Christgate: With an Eye to Political Gambitry, Kimberle Weeks Demands an Apology
County Commissioner Alan Peterson was speaking by phone to a supervisor of elections office staffer about his reelection petitions when he allegedly used god’s name in vain after he was told that 10 percent of the petitions were invalid, according to Kimberle Weeks, prompting the demand for an apology.
New Power Lines Drawn as Flagler Beach Commission Bids Baker and Feind Farewell
With Joy McGrew seated as a commissioner and Linda Provencher as mayor, Jane Mealy was elected chairman for the second time in her tenure on the commission, beating back a challenge from Steve Settle, who was picked as vice-chairman.
Look Out, Pixar: Painter and Future Animator Kelly Kryspin, 18, Opens at Ocean Publishing
“Ocean Pop,” opening Friday at 6 p.m., featuring two dozen nature and pop culture paintings by Kelly Kryspin, is the young artist’s first solo show, and another one in a series of art shows at Ocean Publishing in Flagler Beach.