St. Johns County Commissioners Charged In Election Scheme
(St. Augustine, FL) -- Two St. Johns County commissioners are facing criminal charges. Court documents filed yesterday show District One Commissioner Christian Whitehurst and District 2's Sarah Arnold were arrested with three others. The other three suspects include St. Augustine Beach Commissioner and former mayor Dylan Rumrell. They're accused of distributing a fake Republican voter guide in the 2024 primary. Prosecutors say the suspects falsely claimed the St. Johns Republican Executive Committee endorsed the candidates in the guide. The five are facing misdemeanors that include conspiracy.
Woman Threatens Deputies With Knife In Monroe County
(Marathon, FL) -- A woman is accused of threatening deputies with a knife in Monroe County. Marathon's Jennifer Lynn Secrest was arrested yesterday at US One and Sombrero Beach Road.The sheriff's office says she was holding a knife and harassing a man, and when deputies arrived, she threatened them with the knife. Eventually, deputies were able to separate Secrest from the knife, and she was taken into custody. She's charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and disorderly intoxication.
Off-Duty Volusia County Sergeant Arrested
(DeLand, FL) -- A Volusia County deputy is facing criminal charges. Sergeant Jason Stickels was arrested yesterday in New Smyrna Beach after an incident at a bar. The sheriff's office says Stickels was drunk when he battered a man and a woman in their 70s before a witness took Stickels to the ground. No one was hurt. Stickels is charged with two counts of felony battery on a person 65 or older. He was also placed on administrative leave, and the VCSO says he could be fired.
Driver, Passenger Caught Switching Seats In HillsCo.
(Hillsborough Co., FL) -- A routine traffic stop took an unexpected turn in Hillsborough County this morning when a driver and passenger tried switching seats -- right in front of deputies. Investigators stopped the Nissan SUV during a Fourth of July DUI enforcement operation. That's when 28-year-old Keinier Contreras Villa and 55-year-old Antonia Evangelista allegedly tried to switch seats and knocked the SUV out of gear, causing it to crash into the patrol car. Both were arrested. Charges include DUI, resisting an officer, and drug possession.
Teen Accused Of Using Explosive To Break Into School
(Greensboro, NC) --A North Carolina teen is facing charges for allegedly using an explosive device to break into a Greensboro school.Authorities say 18-year-old Solomon Caravello-Bell allegedly used a plasma cannon to burn a bush and damage a door, allowing access into Smith High School. Caravello-Bell now faces multiple charges, including felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction and felony malicious use of an explosive to damage property.
Buc-ee's Classification Remains Unclear
(El Paso County, CO) -- El Paso County officials in Colorado say they cannot yet determine whether a proposed Buc-ee's fits the county's definition of a convenience store. The county reviewed the proposal, land-use rules, past approvals, and comparative information before reaching the decision. The property owner has 30 days to appeal, and officials say they do not yet know what the next step will be.
Today in History
1981, President Reagan announced that he would nominate Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court as the first female justice on the bench.
1865, four people were executed by hanging for conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.
1802, "The Wasp" was published in Hudson, New York. It was the first comic book.