St. Johns County Sheriffโs Office, county to pay $6.3 million to settle lawsuit after deputy crash left woman disabled
St. Johns County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a $6.3 million settlement that was filed following a 2019 crash involving a St. Johns County Sheriffโs Office deputy.
Glynn County Police Chief, officers reprimanded after body cavity search of shoplifting suspect
Several Glynn County Police Department employees have been disciplined in connection to a body cavity search for drugs on a shoplifting suspect in February. The public safety director said they did not follow protocol.
Condo association president arrested 3rd time on charges related to video voyeurism, Flagler deputies say
The homeowners association president of a condominium complex in Flagler County has been arrested for a second time on charges of video voyeurism, according to the Flagler County Sheriffโs Office.
Nassau County deputies shut down suspected drug house in Hilliard, authorities say
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper was photographed holding a sign that reads โclosed for businessโ in front of what the Sheriffโs Office said is a suspected drug house in the town of Hilliard on Lake Hampton Road.
Emotional support dog โTankโ brings comfort to grieving Nassau County Sheriffโs Office
As the Nassau County Sheriffโs Office deals with the emotions surrounding the potentially fatal injury to one of their own, deputies and volunteers got a little help Sunday in the form of a 105-pound Bernese Mountain Dog.
Man died of self-inflicted wound in deputy-involved shooting, St. Johns County Sheriffโs Office says
The St. Johns County Medical Examinerโs Office has determined a man was wounded in the shoulder by a sheriffโs deputy during a traffic stop, but that was after the man had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to a news release Wednesday from the Sheriffโs Office.
Arrest made as Jacksonville police investigate โambush styleโ attacks
As Jacksonville police continue to investigate a series of reported attacks on women in the Biscayne Boulevard area of the Northside, the Sheriffโs Office on Wednesday reported that it made an arrest in at least one of the incidents.
JSO identifies man shot, killed by police at Argyle Forest hotel
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ The Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office on Wednesday identified the man shot and killed by police Tuesday at an Argyle Forest hotel as 32-year-old Michael Leon Hughes. The Sheriffโs Office also addressed concerns about the shooting in a news conference Wednesday. The Sheriffโs Office said Hughes was shot by Officer J.H. According to Waters, Hughes got control of Wingโs Taser and stunned him once and then the officer fired several shots. When Hughes collapsed, Waters said, the officer handcuffed him and performed CPR until rescue personnel arrived and determined that he was dead.
Impeachment? Vindication? What comes next in Cuomo probe
(Office of the NY Governor via AP)ALBANY, N.Y. โ New Yorkโs attorney general has promised a thorough investigation of allegations that Gov. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Wednesday that if the investigation shows something inappropriate did happen, Cuomo should resign. If Cuomo refused to go, one option could be impeachment. No lawmakers have expressed public support for censuring Cuomo amid the investigation, and thereโs no indication itโs being floated as an option down the road. It's also possible that a prosecutor could bring criminal penalties based on the attorney general's report, according to Rifkin.
Controversial Pasco County school-to-police records pipeline could end under legislation
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ A controversial three-year agreement that has Pasco County Schools sharing student data with the Sheriffโs Office could soon end under legislation moving in the State Capitol. For three years, Pasco Schools have been providing the Pasco Sheriffโs Office with student data, then cross-referenced for any law enforcement contact and possible follow-up. AdIf approved, the Parentsโ Rights legislation would take effect July 1, just in time for the fall semester. The Pasco School Superintendent did not return our call. We did speak to the Pasco County Sheriffs Office, which said it has not planed to work against the legislation.
Cuomo sorry for remarks aide 'misinterpreted' as harassment
By day's end, Cuomo acquiesced to demands that Attorney General Letitia James control the inquiry. Calls for an investigation mounted after a second former employee of Cuomo's administration went public Saturday with harassment claims. AdHer accusation came days after another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development adviser, elaborated on harassment allegations she first made in December. New Yorkโs two U.S. senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both said an independent investigation was essential. AdJames fueled some of that criticism by issuing a report saying the Cuomo administration had undercounted deaths.
Jacksonville couple charged with multiple counts of child porn possession
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A Jacksonville couple is facing multiple charges of possession of child pornography. The Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office arrested David Koch and Krystalyn Keck, both 32. According to the arrest affidavit, the two were arrested at a Jacksonville motel during a narcotics sting operation in March 2020. Days after they were in custody, the Sheriffโs Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in regard to child porn that had been downloaded and shared between the coupleโs cellphones. According to the arrest warrant, investigators located a total of 5,650 files containing child sexual abuse material.
Man dies in hospital after shooting in Magnolia Gardens neighborhood
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A man has died after he was shot late Thursday night in Jacksonville. A spokesperson for the Sheriffโs Office said a Shotspotter notification brought police to 5700 Iris Street just after 10 p.m. Police found a man with a gunshot wound. The Sheriffโs Office did not provide any further information but asked anyone who has information to call JSO. Two men and a woman were killed late Monday night at a Northwest Jacksonville apartment complex. Another man was killed in a shooting Sunday in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood,
Man dies after driving into retention pond in Fleming Island, troopers say
FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. โ A man died after driving into a retention pond in Fleming Island early Sunday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Troopers said they were called around 3:20 a.m. to the accident in Neptune Park off Thunderbolt Road. According to FHP, a 34-year-old Orange Park man was driving a sedan west on Thunderbolt Road when the car went into the pond. A tow truck has removed a silver 4-door Nissan Altima from the retention pond in Fleming Island. Multiple neighbors told News4Jax they often hear cars racing on Thunderbolt Road leading into the park where the pond is located.
Community honors reserve police officer who died of COVID-19 complications
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ The life of Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office Auxiliary Sgt. Louis โLouโ Livatino was celebrated Friday morning at a funeral service at North Jacksonville Baptist Church. Livatino, 71, died Jan. 27 following a tough battle with COVID-19 complications, the Sheriffโs Office said. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/nlWIDqxGBl โ Zachery Lashway (@ZachLashway) February 5, 2021According to JSO, Livatino had volunteered with the police auxiliary for 10 years. He shows up for free and puts his well being at risk for free.โThe Sheriffโs Office said his passing is considered a line-of-duty death.
Nassau County loses deputy to COVID-19
Deputy Jack Gwynes, who co-workers lovingly called โGrumpy,โ has died of complications of COVID-19, according to a spokeswoman for the Nassau County Sheriffโs Office. โPlease keep the family and friends of Deputy Jack Gwynes in your thoughts,โ the Sheriffโs Office posted on its Facebook page. According to the Sheriffโs Office, Gwynes was hired by the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office and served in one capacity or other in law enforcement before becoming a Nassau County deputy in April 2019. โRest in peace, Deputy Gwynes,โ the Florida Sheriffโs Association wrote on Facebook. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gwynes family and Nassau County Sheriffโs Office.โIn lieu of flowers, Gwynesโ family encourages donations to liveforbrie.com or nationalpolicewives.org.
2 Jacksonville men arrested in Volusia County auto part sting
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Two Jacksonville men were arrested last week on suspicion of trying to buy catalytic converters off the black market, according to the Volusia County Sheriffโs Office. The two arrests were among five the Sheriffโs Office made as part of a sting operation intended to crack down on a recent string of catalytic converter thefts throughout Volusia County dating back to November. AdIn Florida, secondary metals recyclers are required to register with the state, and they also must keep paper records of their transactions. Amel Osmanovic, 19, and Amir Osmanovic, 26, both of Jacksonville, are charged with violations of secondary metals recycler regulations. Three other men, hailing from Orlando and Pinellas Park, are charged with acting as unregistered secondary metals recyclers.
Man dies in hospital after shooting in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Homicide detectives are working to find who shot a man near Cahoon Road and Idaho Street Sunday evening. When officers arrived, they found a man with at least one gunshot wound. Itโs not clear if the shooting happened inside a home in the residential area or was outside. The man was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries. No further information was released, but if you have information on the shooting, youโre asked to contact JSO.
Missing Clay County boater body pulled from St. Johns River
FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. โ Clay County deputies on Thursday recovered the body of a man who was last seen before Christmas on a boat south of Green Cove Springs. The Sheriffโs Office issued a missing personโs alert for James Myers on Saturday. When someone saw a body in the river Thursday morning near the Knightโs Boat Ramp, the dive team was called to recover the remains.
14-year-old Fernandina Beach girl found with man in Texas
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. โ Nassau County deputies were searching for a teenager who left her Nassau County home sometime Saturday morning and may be with a 21-year-old from Texas who she met on the internet. On Monday evening, the Sheriffโs Office said she and the man were located safe in Texas. It said more information was forthcoming. Because the girl is no longer missing, News4Jax has removed her name from the article.
SWAT standoff in Arlington neighborhood ends with 2 arrests
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ After about four hours of negotiating, two people who held someone hostage in an Arlington apartment complex surrendered to police and were arrested Monday, according to the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office. Around 3:30 p.m., according to arrest reports, Roosevelt James, 34, and Ryan Evans, 35, were spotted in a pickup truck that had been carjacked. Evans realized police had seen him and led a high-speed chase spanning about 11 minutes from Arlington Road to Mill Creek Road, where he crashed, the reports show. Evans is also charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The man held hostage was reportedly not hurt.
Man wanted for sexual battery in Jacksonville turns himself in
Published: November 9, 2020, 7:58 am Updated: November 10, 2020, 11:18 amJACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A 22-year-old man wanted for sexual battery turned himself in to Jacksonville police, the Sheriffโs Office announced Tuesday. Lydell Gerard Brown has been charged with sexual battery and failure to appear. The Sheriffโs Office thanked those who shared Brownโs photo and information.
The count goes on โ with Biden on the cusp of presidency
WASHINGTON โ Democrat Joe Biden stood on the cusp of winning the presidency Friday night, three days after Election Day, as the long, exacting work of counting votes widened his lead over President Donald Trump in critical battleground states. There was intense focus on Pennsylvania, where Biden led Trump by more than 27,000 votes, and Nevada, where the Democrat led by about 22,000. In Pennsylvania, officials were not allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law. In Nevada, there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day, and officials had to verify their eligibility. The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded.
EXPLAINER: A closer look at Arizona
Election officials arrive for work at the Maricopa County Recorder's Office, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, in Phoenix. The Associated Press has called the race in Arizona for Democrat Joe Biden. โThe Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in,โ said Sally Buzbee, APโs executive editor. Many of the gains have been driven by the shifting politics of Maricopa County, which is home to Phoenix and its suburbs. Maricopa County accounts for 60% of the stateโs vote.
Man shot multiple times in Murray Hill dies of injuries
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A 34-year-old man has died of his injuries after he was shot multiple times Tuesday in Jacksonvilleโs Murray Hill neighborhood. According to the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office, someone called 911 about 3:40 a.m. Tuesday to report a shooting on Plum Street. When paramedics arrived, they found the man shot multiple times and rushed him to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The Sheriffโs Office later updated its homicide database to reflect that the man died, and detectives are investigating his death as a murder. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact JSO at 904-630-0500 or First Coast Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
2 men injured in shooting at Kings Road gas station, JSO says
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Two men were shot early Sunday morning at a gas station on Kings Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office. Around 12:05 a.m., according to the Sheriffโs Office, officers were called to shots fired at a gas station on Kings Road at Barnett Street. A short time later, the Sheriffโs Office said, police were notified that two men arrived at an area hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriffโs Office at 904-630-0500. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).
Rap video live feed leads to 5 arrests on gun charges, police say
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A Facebook Live broadcast of a rap video being produced Monday night on Jacksonvilleโs Westside led to the arrest of five men on weapons charges, according to police. News4Jax spoke with the wife of one of the men arrested who says her husband wasnโt associated with the music video. โThe people that they arrested, some of them wasnโt even in the music video," Floydโs wife said. News4Jax Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson says posting the video on social media helps police. Officers made a recording of the rap video for evidence and alerted the Gangs Unit to the arrest, the report said.
Georgiaโs early voting continues Saturday and next week
KINGSLAND, Ga. โ Records in Georgia were smashed in the first 10 days of early voting records, with the only Saturday of in-person voting coming up this weekend and one more week to go. โNotwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no-excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting.โThere is at least one early voting location in each of the stateโs 159 counties. Early voting will also be available at least one Saturday before election day in every county. During early voting, people donโt go to their regular polling places for early voting. Instead, they can choose to go to their county registrarโs office or any other early voting location established by county election boards.
Police arrest 2 for burglary after finding wallets with licenses at the scene
OCALA, Fla. โ Two Florida men are behind bars after the Marion County Sheriffโs Office says they left their wallets with driverโs licenses at the scene of a burglary. The Sheriffโs Office says Robert Hobby, 41 and Marcus Reeves, 23, face 14 charges total for grand theft and burglary. The Sheriffโs Office the duo broke into convenience stores and stole cigarettes and lottery tickets. In addition to leaving their wallets and licenses behind the two were seen on surveillance cameras smoking the stolen cigarettes in the stores.