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Lakeland woman survives after walking into path of train while texting

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LAKELAND — A Lakeland woman survived walking into a moving CSX train on Kentucky Avenue on Monday afternoon.

About 3:15 p.m., witnesses said, Sheena Keynna, 27, of 1407 Kettles Ave., appeared to be texting as she walked north on Kentucky Avenue. Keynna walked around the crossing gates, which were down at the time, and into the freight train as it rolled through the crossing, police said.

Keynna “wasn’t paying attention,” said Sgt. Gary Gross of the Lakeland Police Department.

Gross said Keynna was clipped by the train and tossed into the air. She suffered a compound fracture to her right arm, and her right leg was injured, Gross said.

She was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center by Polk County Fire Rescue, but Gross said no additional information about her condition was available.

Kristin Seay, spokesperson for CSX, said the train had two locomotives and 27 rail cars carrying consumer goods and was traveling from Winter Haven to Jacksonville.

All train traffic in Lakeland was suspended for nearly two hours while CSX officials investigated the scene and ensured further train travel was safe, Seay said.

Lakeland Sgt. Dale Deas said two Amtrak passenger trains, one in Auburndale and one west of the Polk County line, were delayed during the investigation. The rail line was cleared for travel about 5:15 p.m.

Seay said accidents like Keynna’s happen too often.

“Accidents between trains and pedestrians or vehicles are all too common,” Seay said. “About every three hours somewhere in the U.S., a person or a vehicle is struck by a train. We urge drivers and pedestrians to use extreme caution around railroad tracks for their personal safety.”

Seay said CSX partners with Operation Lifesaver, an organization aimed at raising rail safety awareness, to enhance its safety outreach program.


Arrest ordered for woman who fled with son over circumcision

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DELRAY BEACH (AP) — A judge issued an arrest order Tuesday for a Florida woman who fled with her son to prevent his circumcision and ignored a demand to appear in court.

Circuit Judge Jeffrey Gillen signed the order in a seven-minute hearing, three days after finding Heather Hironimus in contempt and warning that she would face imprisonment unless she reported to court with the child.

Her attorney, Thomas Hunker, said his client is staying with her 4-year-old son in a shelter for domestic violence victims because the boy was “scared to death” of undergoing the surgery.

Hironimus and the boy's father, Dennis Nebus, were never married but share custody of their child. In a parenting agreement filed in court, the two agreed to the boy's circumcision, but the mother later changed her mind, leading to a long court battle. Circuit and appellate judges have sided with the father, but potential surgeons have backed out after refusing to get the mother's consent or becoming the target of anti-circumcision protesters who side with her.

“She did this for one reason and one reason only: because the child is scared to death of this procedure,” Hunker told Gillen, launching into a defense that was cut off by the judge.

“So Mr. Hunker, I take it then that the mother is not going to appear today?” the judge said.

“Correct, your honor,” Hunker replied.

“OK, that's all I needed to know,” Gillen said.

“Your honor, if I may,” the lawyer pleaded.

“No, you may not,” the judge shot back.

Although circumcision rates have fallen in the U.S., a majority of boys still undergo the procedure to remove their foreskin. Meantime, a movement opposing circumcision has developed, and the case has become a rallying cry for so-called “intactivists” who deride the surgery as barbaric. A small group of those anti-circumcision advocates gathered outside the court to demonstrate in support of Hironimus, and expressed outrage over the judge's order.

“It's just ridiculous,” said one of the protesters, Jennifer Cote of Pembroke Pines. “She's protecting her son.”

UPDATE: Dead man, gunman in Rainbow Gathering shooting identified

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APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST — The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man they allege shot and killed one man and seriously wounded another in a shooting incident Thursday at a Rainbow Gathering in the Apalachicola National Forest.

Capt. Chester Creamer confirmed Tuesday the alleged shooter is Clark Mayers, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia. He remains hospitalized at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, with a sheriff”s deputy monitoring his room as a security precaution.

The man killed in the shooting has been confirmed by representatives of the Rainbow Gathering as Jacob Cardwell, from Golden Valley, Arizona, believed to be in his late 20s. He went by the nickname “Smiley.”

Remaining in critical condition at Tallahassee Memorial is Wesley Jones, 24, who goes by the name “Dice.”

Funds have been set up on gofundme.com on behalf of helping to offset Jones’ medical bills, as well as to help Cardwell’s family cover the cost of returning him to Arizona.

Creamer said the incident at the end of Wright Lake Road is believed to have taken place around a campfire and that alcohol was a factor.

Rainbow Gatherings are annual meetings of the Rainbow Family of the Living Light, a loosely defined collection of people associated with hippie culture. They had to vacate when the area was temporarily closed after the shooting.

The original Rainbow Gathering was in 1972, and it has been replicated throughout the year in regional gatherings, often in national forests.

UPDATE: Miss. State quarterback injured in PCB concert fight

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — A Mississippi State quarterback was injured Monday afternoon during a brawl outside Club La Vela while on Spring Break, according to a Panama City Beach Police Department news release.

Dakota “Dak” Prescott was released Monday after telling police he did not want to press charges and did not need medical treatment following a parking lot skirmish at 4:51 p.m. in the Club La Vela parking lot, 8813 Thomas Drive, PCBPD reported.

Photos of  the encounter quickly spread across social media, as did video of the brawl.

--- VIDEO: SEE THE FIGHT»» (WARNING: Contains some potentially offensive language)

PCBPD officers were called to a large crowd fighting in La Vela’s parking lot Monday afternoon at the end of the Waka Flocka Flame concert. By the time police arrived, the fight had been broken up by club security, police reported.

Portions of the fight were caught on a video taken on a bystander’s cellphone. As the fight ends, Prescott can be seen stumbling to his feet.

Police later approached Prescott, who declined to press charges and did not want medical treatment. Prescott was not charged in the incident, police reported.

Bill Martin, spokesman for Mississippi State, said he spoke with Prescott about the fight. Martin said Prescott suffered facial cuts after being hit with a bottle, but he did not have to go to the hospital. Martin said the fight also involved teammates Torrey Dale and Damian Williams.

--- VIDEO: SEE THE FIGHT»» (WARNING: Contains some potentially offensive language)

Martin added that the three players were headed back to Starkville, Mississippi, where the university is located.

Prescott sent a message on Twitter on Monday night that said, “Thanks for all the Concerns and Prayers! I’m okay [sic] and ready to get back to Starkville. Ignorance happens! Be safe on Spring Break!”

PCBPD reported the incident is still under investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FWC: Fishing guide tied pelicans’ beaks shut

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WEST BAY — Authorities have cited a local fishing guide for allegedly tying the beaks of pelicans shut after the birds interfered with his crew’s catches, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Larry Francis Lemieux Jr., 37, was cited by FWC officers during a fishing outing on March 1 after they said they saw him wrapping the beaks of two pelicans with fishing line before releasing the birds. FWC also reported finding one dead pelican on the shore with similar fishing line tied around its beak, officers wrote.

Lemieux was charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals and taking a species of special concern, namely brown pelicans, according to court records.

--- DOCUMENT: READ THE INCIDENT REPORT»»

Lemieux, a captain with Damage Inc. Fishing Charters, denied the charges and said they were “totally absurd.”

“I’ve never hurt a pelican in my life,” Lemieux said Tuesday. “I’m not in the business of harming animals. I’m an environmentalist.”

However, two FWC officers on patrol said they witnessed Lemieux tie the beaks of two pelicans for interfering with his customers fishing before saying “got to keep the trash population down,” the officers reported.

On March 1 at about 9:30 a.m., undercover officers were patrolling areas of Warren Bayou, also called Steam Plant Canal, when two pelicans flew into the fishers’ lines at the same time. Lemieux then allegedly took one pelican to the back of the boat, wrapped fishing line around its beak and pulled the line until it broke. He then let the pelican go before returning to his customers for the other pelican, FWC officers reported.

We “looked at each other, not believing what we had just seen,” the officer wrote. “Lemieux then took the other pelican to the same spot in his vessel, grabbed the bill the same way, wrapped it up 3-4 times again, stretched the line out, cut the line by biting it, then tied a knot around the bill of that pelican. That pelican also flew away.”

FWC then got video and pictures of the pelicans flying around with fishing line wrapped around their beaks and waited at the mouth of the canal to approach Lemieux, they said.

--- DOCUMENT: READ THE INCIDENT REPORT»»

While there, they also saw a dead pelican on the shore with similar fishing line around its beak.

Lemieux denied the FWC officers’ allegations, stating he was not using the same fishing line they documented on the pelicans’ beaks. He has a court date scheduled for March 18 to be arraigned on the charges.

“I’ll be fighting this thing tooth and nail,” he said. “I can’t have this thing around my neck.”

PCB church loses tax exemption after opening club

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — A local church that has been hosting naked paint parties and slumber-party Sundays with the “sexiest ladies on the beach” will now have to pay taxes on the property as officers investigate the church’s practices, authorities said Tuesday.

The Life Center: A Spiritual Community, 9721 Thomas Drive, has been up and running its seven-days-a-week party schedule as Amesia: The Tabernacle since Feb. 28. But The Tabernacle, which caters to college students on vacation, has caught the attention of more than just party-seeking spring breakers.

Since ATMs and a banner promoting “iDrink” appeared out front of The Life Center, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Panama City Beach Police Department investigators have began taking a closer look at the church. Owned by Markus Q. Bishop, former pastor of Faith Christian Family Church, officials said the club has been engaging in activities unbefitting of a church.

Bishop could not be reached Tuesday for a comment on this story.

A sign on the front of The Tabernacle stated the events are alcohol and drug free and donations go back to the church. Promoters said it is a church by day and youth ministry by night.

Sheriff Frank McKeithen said it is a “blatant slap in the face” to taxpayers and law enforcement.

“They’re trying to get around the laws, and they’re using the church to get there,” McKeithen said.

Since a Facebook post from BCSO questioned the integrity of the club, highlighting that the club often hosts adult entertainment, Club Amnesia has shut down its website. However, when the website was available, it boasted a Sunday night event called “Slumber,” a pajama and lingerie party hosted by “the sexiest ladies on the beach.” Raves take place weekly along with an “Anything But Clothes” paint party. And Wednesday nights are reserved for an event called “Wet n Wild,” a water-themed event where “white water meets Tabernacle PCB with a little twerkin’,” the website stated.

“I’ve been in a lot of nightclubs and I’ve been in a lot of churches,” said PCBPD Chief Drew Whitman. “That isn’t a church.”

Patrons are charged $20 at the door, which is called a donation. And T-shirts depicting stick figures performing oral sex on one another and the text “I hate being sober” adorn the walls.

Whitman and McKeithen said it is not the nature of the events that has piqued their attention. Several similar events are hosted at clubs just east of Club Amnesia. However, the business does not have alcohol permits or appropriate licenses, is zoned as a church and has been tax-exempt as a church for years, McKeithen said.

Property Appraiser Dan Sowell sided with law enforcement. He said the lot had been tax exempt as a church until word spread about the activities being held within. The property’s tax-exempt status was changed Tuesday morning.

“A bottle club, charging $20 at the door and selling obscene T-shirts is not being used as a church,” Sowell said. “A God-fearing, God-honoring church in January does not sponsor this type of debauchery in March.”

Amnesia’s website reopened Tuesday night with a disclaimer attached.

“The Tabernacle is a drug and alcohol free community for the youth to go for spring break at night to interact with each other in a fun safe environment,” the website now states. “iDrink sponsors this community reach out program with their non-alcoholic bottled water product only. We thank all of our patrons that have attended and will be attending our safe environment.”

The site includes an application sheet to become an “ambassador” of The Tabernacle and “help get the word out about our safe place to go instead of wondering the strip.”

This is not the first time Bishop has faced scrutiny from county tax officials. In 2004, he challenged a property tax assessment on his the 10,000 square-foot, five-bedroom, six-bathroom home he lived in, saying the mansion was a parsonage and should be tax exempt. A string of rulings over years went in favor of Bishop.

Sowell said he also has changed the tax exempt status of that property.

Bishop is currently on probation after pleading to a misdemeanor battery charge that surfaced after a 16-year-old girl said he made unwanted sexual advances toward her.

Man convicted of shooting

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PANAMA CITY — A jury has convicted a local man who shot a potential customer during a drug deal gone wrong.

Sonny Eric Pierce, 29, was convicted Tuesday of aggravated battery with a firearm for a shooting in the Home Depot parking lot at 409 23rd St.

Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy told jurors in his opening statement that Pierce, of 179 Pelican Way, tried to gun down Jeremy R. Ducharme in June 2013 in the parking lot of the Home Depot. Ducharme had driven a man to meet Pierce and two others so the man could buy marijuana, but the deal went bad and Ducharme and his companion had to run for their lives. Pierce followed them with a .357 caliber handgun and opened fire as they tried to drive out of the lot. Ducharme was struck by two bullet fragments, but his injuries did not require medical treatment.

Pierce was found guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle. He faces up to 50 years in prison, with a minimum mandatory of 20 years, when Circuit Judge Brantley Clark Jr. sentences him March 31.

BCSO investigating more credit fraud

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PANAMA CITY — The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the fraudulent use of a person’s credit card information.

Investigators believe the victim’s card information was encoded on a blank card because the victim’s actual card was not stolen.

On March 1, a woman discovered her credit card information had been used without her knowledge or permission. A complaint was made and subsequent investigation revealed that a white male used the credit card information to conduct or attempt to conduct 11 transactions at Bay County businesses totaling $814.13, BCSO reported.

--- VIDEO: THE SUSPECT»»

Because the victim still had her credit card in her possession, it is believed that the suspect encoded a blank card with the victim’s credit card information and then used the fraudulent card to conduct transactions. It was also discovered that the suspect used the victim’s credit card information along with the credit card information belonging to several other individuals to purchase pre-paid credit cards.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, with brown hair, and medium height and build. The suspect was last seen wearing a red, polo-style shirt, dark pants and a black cap.


Dog breeder pleads not guilty to animal abuse

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PANAMA CITY — A woman arrested in connection with a “puppy mill” has pleaded not guilty to the now upgraded 17 felony charges of animal cruelty against her, according to court documents.

Lindsay R. Sanders, 33, was arrested in February and charged with 15 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and two felony counts after investigators found malnourished Great Danes and two dead puppies at her Youngstown home. Prosecutors filed 17 counts of felony animal cruelty this week against Sanders, named as a co-defendant in the case. Sanders pleaded not guilty Tuesday to those charges.

Sanders’ husband, who has been named in connection with the case, remains in custody in South Florida.

Several of the Great Danes seized from Sanders’ home were taken to the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue, where they have been dubbed the “Bay County 13.”

Deputies found kennels inside the home of Sanders and Mark Tyus, 38, which previously was reported as a “puppy mill,” officers said. Inside, the deputies found feces on the floor and moldy food in the bowls. One kennel contained the bodies of two lifeless Great Dane puppies.

Bay County Animal Control removed 15 Great Danes from the Troy Road property in February that were in “distress” and alerted BCSO to the residence. Numerous dogs were in outdoor kennels that appeared to have not been fed or cared for properly, BCSO reported.

“The Great Danes were extremely thin to the point you could see their ribs and tailbones,” officers reported.

Water dishes within the pens allegedly were dirty, with green algae lining the insides.

The officers also reported seeing “several pens without dogs in them” where they “observed bones (skulls) inside of them which appeared to have K-9 teeth.”

Sanders was not inside the home when officers attempted to contact her, but they were able to reach her by phone. BCSO said she admitted staying there with Tyus before leaving a man named “Red” in charge of caring for the dogs.

Sanders said she “went on a honeymoon and left a man they knew as ‘Red’ on the property,” BCSO reported. “They had met him in a bar in mid-December. He needed a place to stay and they needed a caretaker for the dogs while they were gone.”

However, the neighbors said they had only seen the couple at the residence.

Sanders and Tyus were arrested in Hillsborough County on unrelated charges, including possession of a controlled substance. Sanders was released before BCSO issued a warrant for the couple’s arrest, but Tyus remained in jail. BCSO officials said they are waiting for his release from custody to extradite Tyus to Bay County.

Pictures released by the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue display several of the “Bay County 13” recovering from the months of malnourishment that preceded their rescue. It was not clear Wednesday how many have been adopted and how many remain in the care of the Great Dane Rescue.

3 arrested for drinking without ID; first under new ordinance

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — Officers have made their first arrests of visitors without identification in possession of alcohol on the beach.

Three men were arrested Tuesday and charged with possessing or consuming alcohol on the beach without identification. The arrests took place on the beachside area of Thomas Drive between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

At about, 12:30 p.m., BCSO officers approached 23-year-old Kenneth Porter. He was allegedly drinking a Budweiser on the beach in the 8600 block of Thomas Drive when an officer asked him for his ID, which he said he did not have, BCSO reported.

An hour later, at about 1:30 p.m., undercover officers on the beachside area of Club La Vela, 8813 Thomas Drive, noticed two men carrying a blue cooler. Officers asked Jordan Siegel, 19, and Reid Conley, 19, both of Illinois, if they had identification. Neither did, BCSO said.

Inside the cooler, the officers found several beers.

Porter was arrested on a charge of consuming alcohol without ID on the beach. Siegel and Conley were both arrested on charges of minor in possession of alcohol and possessing alcohol without ID on the beach, according to court documents.

2 officers shot at protest outside Ferguson police station

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FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Two officers were shot in front of the Ferguson Police Department early Thursday as demonstrators gathered after the police chief resigned in the wake of a scathing Justice Department report alleging bias in the police force and local courts.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said one officer was shot in the face, just below his right eye, with the bullet lodging behind his ear. The other officer was hit in the shoulder, and the bullet came out his back.

Both men were expected to recover without suffering any long-term damage, Belmar said, but the wounds could easily have been mortal.

“We could have buried two police officers next week over this,” he said.

The 32-year-old officer who was shot in the face was from nearby Webster Groves. The second officer, 41, came from St. Louis County.

Both were taken to a hospital, where Belmar said they were conscious.

Authorities believe the shots came from a handgun. There were no suspects in custody.

Based on where the officers were standing and the trajectory of the bullets, the shots appeared to be aimed directed at the police, Belmar said.

“This is really an ambush,” he said. “You are basically defenseless. It is hard to guard against.”

The shots were fired shortly after midnight as protesters gathered following Wednesday's resignation of embattled Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson. Before the shooting, some at the protest chanted to show their dissatisfaction with the resignations of Jackson and City Manager John Shaw this week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies also assembled at the scene.

The protest was a familiar scene in Ferguson, which saw similar and much larger demonstrations after the shooting death of black 18-year-old Michael Brown last summer by city police officer Darren Wilson. A state grand jury cleared Wilson, who is white, in November, sparking further protests, looting and fires. But Thursday morning was the first time an officer at a protest had been shot.

In amateur video accessed by the Associated Press, two shots ring out and a man is heard screaming out in pain.

Someone at the scene, unseen and unidentified in the video, says: “Acknowledgement nine months ago would have kept that from happening.”

Marciay Pitchford, 20, was among the protesters. She told The Associated Press that the protest had been mostly peaceful until she heard the shots.

“I saw the officer go down and the other police officers drew their guns while other officers dragged the injured officer away,” Pitchford said. “All of a sudden everybody started running or dropping to the ground.”

Belmar said the shots were fired from across the street from the police department.

After the shooting, officers with guns and in riot gear circled the station, and more than a dozen squad cars blocked the street.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill urged “healing and reform,” calling the shooting a “criminal act that jeopardized the lives of police officers and protesters both.”

Jackson was the sixth employee to resign or be fired after a Justice Department report last week cleared Wilson of civil rights charges in the shooting. Wilson has also resigned. A separate Justice Department report released the same day found a profit-driven court system and widespread racial bias in the city police department.

Mayor James Knowles III announced Wednesday that the city had reached a mutual separation agreement with Jackson that will pay him one year of his nearly $96,000 annual salary and health coverage. Jackson's resignation becomes effective March 19, at which point Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff will become acting chief while the city searches for a replacement.

Jackson had resisted calls by protesters and some of Missouri's top elected leaders to step down over his handling of Brown's shooting and the weeks of protests that followed. He was widely criticized from the outset for the aggressive police response to protests and his agency's erratic and infrequent releases of key information.

He took nearly a week to publicly identify Wilson as the shooter and then further heightened tension in the community by releasing Wilson's name at the same time as store security video that police said showed Brown stealing a box of cigars and shoving a clerk a short time before his death.

During a 12-minute news conference, Knowles said Jackson resigned after “a lot of soul-searching” about how the community could heal from the racial unrest stemming from the fatal shooting last summer.

“The chief is the kind of honorable man you don't have to go to,” Knowles said. “He comes to you when he knows that this is something we have to seriously discuss.”

The acting head of the Justice Department's civil rights division released a statement saying the U.S. government remains committed to reaching a “court-enforceable agreement” to address Ferguson's “unconstitutional practices,” regardless of who's in charge of the city.

Jackson oversaw the Ferguson force for nearly five years before the shooting that stirred months of unrest across the St. Louis region and drew global attention to the predominantly black city of 21,000.

In addition to Jackson, Ferguson's court clerk was fired last week and two police officers resigned. The judge who oversaw the court system also resigned, and the City Council on Tuesday agreed to a separation agreement with Shaw, the city manager.

Families in shelter after fire

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PANAMA CITY Red Cross has been providing food and shelter to families displaced after Monday’s fire at the Apex Apartments in Callaway, and will continue to do so as long as necessary, officials announced Wednesday.

Caseworkers continue to meet with the 14 families who were affected to help identify individual needs, and provide referral services to help with finding alternative housing. Volunteers and staff anticipate providing follow-up casework for weeks to come.

The Red Cross noted the agency has been helped by the Homeless & Hunger Coalition, the state Department of Children and Families, the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and 90 Works.

Police honor man who helped solve crime

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PANAMA CITY — An ordinary local citizen who assisted a woman abducted at gunpoint was honored by police Thursday for aiding in an arrest in the case.

In December, Panama City Police arrested Freddy Lee Thomas, 37, in connection with a kidnapping incident where a woman was held at gunpoint and made to drive to an ATM and withdraw money. However, that may not have been possible without the help of a local Panama City man who witnessed the build-up to the abduction and immediately relayed details to the police, officials said Thursday.

In a recognition ceremony Thursday, Panama City Police Department Chief Scott Ervin presented Alan Long with a plaque for assisting in the case.

“From my time of being in the field, I can tell you this type of thing would not be possible without the assistance of our citizens,” Ervin said. “We encourage that type of involvement from our citizens.”

The victim told police she was in her car, having lunch at the dead end of West 13th Street, when a man stepped inside, sat in the back seat and nudged a gun in her side.

Alan Long, a resident of the area, could see from his kitchen window a man who looked suspicious. Moments later, the man appeared wearing rubber gloves, approached the car and drew a pistol, Long said.

“I just thought, ‘Am I really seeing this,’ ” he said. “ ‘Is this really happening?’ ”

Long stepped outside as the car pulled away and yelled to the woman, asking if she needed help, only to receive a panic-stricken gaze in return.

As the vehicle drove off, Long frantically scrambled to etch the woman’s license plate number in the gravel of his driveway before calling police to report what he’d seen.

During the kidnapping, the victim was forced to drive to a Tyndall Federal Credit Union ATM to withdraw $400. She then was instructed to drive to a specified location, where her assailant took personal items and exited the vehicle, fleeing the area, police reported.

The security footage detectives got from Steele Boys’ Bail Bonds, 1003 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., clearly shows Thomas exiting the victim’s vehicle and running away, police said.

The next day, U.S. Marshals, police and deputies arrested Thomas in the 500 block of North Everitt Avenue. Authorities found several items relating to the case in Thomas’ home afterward, police reported.

Though his call expedited an arrest in the case, Long was humble in regard to his role.

“I don’t think I did a whole lot to deter crime,” Long said. “If I would’ve done something to stop it I would feel like a hero. But this was something anyone would do to help another person.”

Homeless couple charged with child neglect

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PARKER — A homeless couple has been arrested on charges of child neglect after police found them camping in the woods with their 2-year-old child exposed to the elements, according to Parker Police Department arrest reports.

Eric Colbert Kay, 37, and Corinee Ann Scott, 29, were arrested Wednesday after Parker Police discovered the couple’s campsite in the woods off the 4600 block of East Business 98. Both parents were charged with placing the child in danger of physical and mental injury when officers investigated the conditions of the camp, and the child was taken into protective custody, police reported.

Investigators said they expect additional charges to follow.

Though the couple did not have a permanent residence in Bay County, Parker Police were hesitant to call them “homeless.”

“It would be different if they were just down on their luck, but when you have the means to do better that’s when we step up,” said Sgt. Aaron Wilson. “We would help any way we could, but they had the means to help themselves.”

Police reported that witnesses had seen the couple and child coming and going from the camp site for weeks. The site had several blankets, but no tent or shelter.

When officers approached the couple at the site, Kay fled the scene on foot leaving behind Scott and the child. Kay was arrested hours later. After a search of Scott, officers found “enough U.S. currency on her, which she could have rented a motel room,” Wilson reported.

An exact amount was not released due to the case being an ongoing investigation, but Wilson said it was “more money that most people carry around.”

At the site, police found several bicycle parts that had allegedly been stolen. The various parts were in the process of being repainted for resale, police reported.

After further investigation, officers also found that the couple had been paying rent on a storage unit and were paying two cellphone bills while sleeping only feet from holes dug as bathroom trenches.

Kay and Scott appeared Thursday before a Bay County judge on charges of child neglect. However, investigators said additional charges are likely.

The child was turned over to the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families after immediate family of Kay and Scott, as of Thursday, declined to take custody, Wilson said.

“If they want to live in the woods, that is their business; but our job is to protect people,” Wilson said. “The child is the most important part in this. That child shouldn’t be out in those conditions.”

Police announce arrests in case of dog tied to train tracks

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TAMPA (AP) — Cabela, a 1-year-old mixed breed dog who was rescued after being shot and tied to railroad tracks in Tampa, has captured a nation's heart, while police have announced four arrests in connection with the dog's abuse.

“Cabela was shot because she wouldn't fight,” said Andrea Davis, a Tampa Police spokeswoman.

A photo of the bloodied dog in a police officer's arms was widely circulated earlier this month.

Police have received thousands of messages in the case, including adoption offers, via phone calls, emails and through social media.

Cabela is being cared for at Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service. Doctors initially thought Cabela's leg would have to be amputated, but they were able to save her leg.

Cabela will make a full recovery, Davis said.

The dog had been used for fighting and didn't do well, officials said, and that's why she was marked for death.

On Thursday, police said 18-year-old Darnell Devlin and 21-year-old Kenny Bell each face two counts of possession of a dogfighting dog. The arrests came after a search warrant of a home where Cabela had lived. Detectives discovered two more dogs that were used for fighting.

Also arrested were two 17-year-olds — Natwan Callaway and Bobby Hollinger — who were charged as adults. They were charged with aggravated animal cruelty and trespassing; Callaway was also charged with possession of a firearm.

All four are being held at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond. It's unclear if they have retained attorneys.

Police said surveillance video led to the arrests. It showed four people walking to the tracks with the dog on March 4. Two adults left, but the teens stayed, and shortly after, officers responded to the area for a shots fired call.

That's when they found Cabela.

Rich Mills, one of the officers who responded to the scene, told local media that Cabela was bleeding from the gunshot wounds and tied with her head pinned to the tracks when police found her. He said officers were surprised that she was not whimpering or crying.

“It touched me,” Mills said of the scene. “It was almost eerie - like that she was just letting us come to her aid.”

The owner of the veterinary office posted on Facebook that Cabela is doing well.

A recent photo showed the brindle-and-white on her back in a dog bed, belly up, in a pink cast.


Reward offered for arson information

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PANAMA CITY — The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of State Fire Marshal announced Friday that the Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention has offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the Feb. 22 fire at 811 East Eighth Court in Panama City.

The home was determined to be a total loss.

Anyone with information about the suspected arson is asked to call Detective Rudy Cintron at 850-747-5888 or email Rudy.Cintron@myfloridacfo.com.

UPDATE: 2 hospitalized after crash, fire involving scooters, two vehicles

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — Two people were injured, including one treated for burns, after a fiery crash on Front Beach Road on Thursday.

Upon arrival at 3:43 p.m., officers found a 1997 Ford van on fire in the intersection of Front Beach Road and Richard Jackson Boulevard, Panama City Beach Police said. The driver of the van, Steven L. Sanders of Springfield, Ill., rear-ended a 2010 Chevy Malibu driven by Holly Richard of Hattiesburg, Miss., causing the front of the van to go airborne. The scooters went underneath the van and passengers were briefly trapped when the van caught on fire, according to police.

--- PHOTOS: MORE FROM THE CRASH»»

Bystanders pulled the scooter drivers to safety. Larry Reynolds was transported to Bay Medical Center, where he underwent surgery Thursday night and was listed in critical condition. Jonathan Sharp was air-lifted to a burn center.

The occupants of the Chevy were uninjured. Sanders and his passenger also were uninjured.

Sanders was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

The investigation is ongoing. More charges are pending, according to PCBPD.

Three injured in shooting

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BAYOU GEORGE — The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that left three people injured, including one man with a gunshot wound to the face.

Investigators said Joe Silva, 45, drove to the residence of Calvin Williams at 8307 Cluster Road, with his two sons, Joseph and Jacob at 10 p.m. on Thursday. When one of the residents of the home, a 60 year old male, went outside he was struck on the head with either a baseball bat or a wooden stick, police said.

Authorities are unclear as to which member of the Silva family allegedly struck the man. The victim cried out for help and, it is believed, it was at that point that Williams came outside and began shooting at the Silvas, BCSO reported.

Jacob Silva was shot in the face and arm and Joseph Silva was struck in the leg, according to police. Joe Silva is believed to have returned fire and struck Williams’ vehicle, BCSO reported.

Joe and Joseph Silva drove away, leaving Jacob Silva in a ditch. Joe Silva dropped Joseph at a local hospital and left him there, driving away, police said.

Joe Silva’s truck was located later in the evening off Ormond Road in Springfield by the Springfield Police Department and has been towed to the BCSO.

The investigation is ongoing

Check back later for more on this story.

Work planned on Thomas Drive flyover Sunday

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bridge joint maintenance work will take place in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 98 Thomas Drive flyover in Bay County on Sunday, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

Lane closures will remain in effect from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m.

All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorist are reminded to travel with care through the work zone.

BCSO arrest log (March 4-9)

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Information is provided by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office on people arrested on charges March 4-9. Those arrested can contact The News Herald if charges are dropped or if they are acquitted. Addresses are those given by the defendant during arrest.

Charges listed in the arrest log published March 8 included incorrect information. According to the Bay County Circuit Clerk's website, Melissa Nicole (Whitford) Ducker was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and possession of a legend drug.

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Kylen Evan Trent Jackson, 19, 6341 Omogo Street, Panama City, possession of use of narcotic equipment

Daniel Latez Burgees, 27, 1301 Gordon Drive, Sheffield, Ala., grand theft

Matthew Allen Spooner, 24, 201 E. 25th St., Lynn Haven, burglary

Ronald Lee III Martin, 25, 6010 Minneola St., Callaway, possession of cocaine

Clyde Randolph Ferguson, 40, 1701 Hamilton Ave., Panama City, kidnapping/false imprisonment

Michael Anthony Foster, 36, 2626 Redwood St., Panama City, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver

Andrew Thomas Lee Loftis, 30, 234 North James Ave., Panama City, burglary with assault or battery

Eric Bernard Henley, 19, 127 Harlem Ave., Panama City, possession of cocaine burglary with assault or battery, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Jon Nicholas Whitworth, 56, 1516 Arthur Ave Panama City, possession or use of narcotic equipment

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John Lewis Page, 46, 836 Harrison Ave., Panama City, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Fabion Larry Renfro, 31, 6518 Kieber Circle, Panama City, aggravated battery with use of a deadly weapon

Michael Demetrius Turner, 21, 804 Dent St., Tallahassee, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Richard Odell Enochs, 47, 15141 Memorial Circle, Panama City Beach, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Justin Mathew Smith, 20, Fulton, Ohio, possession of synthetic narcotics with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession of controlled substance without prescription, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Austin John Linden, 19, Broadview, Ohio, possession of synthetic narcotics with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Matthew Scott Canon, 21, Elyria, Ohio, possession of synthetic narcotics with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Andrew Christopher Bell, 20, Cortland, Ohio, possession of synthetic narcotics with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Victor Paul Tithof-Hart, 27, 1400 Sandel Lane, Panama City Beach, possession or use of narcotic equipment

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Anthony Lamard Gilyard, 54, 905 W. 26th St., Lynn Haven, possession of cocaine

Dominick Michael Munno, 18, Orlando, possession or use of narcotic equipment

April Danielle Kimmel, 28, 113 N. Bestavia St., Panama City Beach, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Dominique Olden Neal, 24, Tallahassee, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Dontre Levelle Harris, 21, Ellenwood, Ga., possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Jhade Marie Johnson, 18, Tuskeegee, Ala., possession or use of narcotic equipment

Johnnie Lee Schaffrik, 41, 1206 Wyoming Ave., Lynn Haven, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

James Robert Mclemore, 31, 402 Hidden Island Drive, Panama City Beach, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Roderick Deshawn Davis, 20, Demopolis, Ala., possession or use of narcotic equipment

Ashley Tara Wilburn, 18, North Port, possession or use of narcotic equipment

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Ashley Nicole Sheats, 18, North Port, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Michael Todd Bloemsma, 24, Tampa, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Aaron David Monacelli, 20, North Port, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Yvel  Moise, 20, Orlando, possession of controlled substance without prescription

Terryal Lamar Jenkins Jr., 21, 10202 NW Third St., Bristol, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Gregory  Hill, 20, Memphis, Tenn., possession or use of narcotic equipment

Joshua Lee Hollingsworth, 23, Buford, Ga., possession or use of narcotic equipment

Vander Dan Purcell, 20, Greensboro, N.C., possession or use of narcotic equipment, possession of controlled substance without prescription

Jeffrey Allen Greenfield, 28, 19716 Deep Springs Road, Fountain, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Ateon Montel Merriel, 18, 625 N. Ninth St., Panama City, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Rusty Samuel (Clark) Clarke, 37, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment, possession of controlled substance without prescription,

Zavier Jovon Jenkins, 18, 1321 Lincoln Drive, Panama City, grand theft

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Kelvin Deshon Felder, 36, 4004 E. 11th St., Panama City, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill, felony or domestic battery by strangulation

Marshelia Anne Thomas, 18, Louisville, Ala., possession of heroin with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Jasmine Kiara Edwards, 19, Fort Walton Beach, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Christopher James Simpkins, 34, Fort Walton Beach, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Torrey Darnell Benning, 19, Erie, Pa., possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Mia Lashay Moorehead, 23, DeKalb, Ill., possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession or use of narcotic equipment

Alexander Michael Joseph Cantrell, 19, Kansas City, Mo., possession of cocaine

Dominique Daron Gipson, 18, Indianapolis, Ind., possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, manufacture, sell or deliver, possession of controlled substance without prescription, weapon offense

Rahiim Ismaiil Aponte, 20, Lithonia, Ga., grand theft

James Zaquell Wacion Curtis, 20, Vineland, N.J., grand theft

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