CARYVILLE — The Washington County Drug Task Force arrested four people on various charges after receiving reports of illegal drug activity at a residence in Caryville Wednesday. 

The task force, comprised of officials with the Chipley Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the State of Florida Probation and Parole, found several bottles of in active production of methamphetamine at 4581 Berry Street after investigators were given permission to conduct a search by the home owner.

A 3 year old child was also found in the home at the time of the search.  Department of Children and Families was contacted and took the child into protective custody.

Those arrested and charged are as followed: Thomas Ray Stricklen, 20, with manufacturing methamphetamine and child neglect; Tracy Nichole Bruner, 20,  with child neglect, violation of probation, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance without prescription; Christopher John Price, 26, with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of firearm in the commission of a felony, child neglect, possession drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance without prescription; and Zabbrina Gail Cook, 30, with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of firearm in the commission of a felony, child neglect, possession drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance without prescription.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A Panama City Beach woman was arrested Monday after she allegedly supplied minors with the prescription drug Valium.

The Bay County Sheriff’s office arrested and charged 40-year-old Shannon Davis Aubrey with two counts of child neglect after a friend of the Aubrey reported she had given the friend’s two daughters valium during a sleepover at Aubrey’s house.

According to BCSO officials, Aubrey stated she caught the juveniles stealing some of her pain pills but said she did not take them back and did not know what was done with the pills.

Deputies said the juveniles in the home that evening stated they were given half a pill of valium from Aubrey.

Aubrey is also charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 18. 

NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge in an order Friday agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messages about the company's response to its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The judge also had some stern words for attorneys on both sides.

Kurt Mix's trial was scheduled to start June 10, but U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. agreed to reschedule it for Dec. 2 to give Mix's attorneys more time to review millions of government documents related to the case.

Mix, a resident of Katy, Texas, pleaded not guilty last year to two counts of obstruction of justice.

Justice Department prosecutors claim he deliberately deleted more than 200 text messages to and from a supervisor and more than 100 to and from a BP contractor to prevent them from being used in a grand jury's probe of the spill. Mix also allegedly deleted about 40 voicemails from the supervisor and roughly 15 voicemails from the contractor.

In a court filing Friday, Duval also had some firm words for attorneys.

Prosecutors told Duval that a lawyer for Mix emailed a potential government witness and claimed he wouldn't be called to testify if he spoke to defense attorneys.

"The court advised counsel for defendant that such contact constituted overreaching and was not to happen again," the judge wrote, warning of sanctions if it does.

"As an aside," the judge continued, "the court notes that it has never seen such vituperative and condescending behavior and palpable rancor as displayed by some of the attorneys on each side. This court has never seen such a chasm between the parties in a case. Such behavior is not availing for their clients and will not be tolerated in the future."

During a hearing Tuesday, one of Mix's lawyers urged Duval to sanction prosecutors for allegedly withholding evidence in the case. Mix's attorney, Joan McPhee, claimed prosecutors failed to turn over sworn statements by BP executives and a Coast Guard record that rebut allegations Mix tried to mislead the government about the rate that oil was flowing from BP's blown-out well.

Justice Department Derek Cohen denied withholding evidence. He offered to provide Mix's attorneys with unfettered access to a database containing roughly 37 million documents related to the investigation.

They accepted that offer and asked for more time to review the records.

A Fort Rucker, Ala., man died after apparently jumping from the 15^th floor of the Summit Condominiums, 8743 Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, on Friday afternoon.

Police are calling it an apparent suicide. Panama City Beach Police Department Chief Drew Whitman said the landing location of the body — about 30 feet from the building — indicates the man would have had to leap from the floor, instead of merely falling. Whitman added there were no witnesses to the man’s fall. Police recovered a suicide letter from a backpack belonging to the man, which said the man traveled to the area to end his life.

PANAMA CITY BEACH -- Panama City Beach will hold an auction at their impound lot behind the police station Saturday morning.

The auction begins at 9 a.m. and goes until all items — which this year include a fire truck — have been sold, police Chief Drew Whitman said. The lot will open at 7 a.m. so potential bidders can view the items for sale. All bidders must be registered. Registration begins at 7 a.m. as well.

SAND HILLS — A 30-year-old Panama City man was arrested Saturday morning after an overnight multi-agency manhunt.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the capture and arrest of Christopher Griner Saturday shortly before 8 a.m. in the Pine Log and Wood Road near the Sunny Hills development in Washington County. 

According to reports from the Bay and Washington County sheriff’s offices, this is what happened:

Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen was driving north on State 77 when a vehicle passed him at a high speed. McKeithen recognized the vehicle as possibly belonging to a man wanted on two felony warrants. Griner had been involved in a domestic argument Friday morning in Callaway in which shots were fired.

McKeithan pursued the vehicle to the Sand Hills area where Griner’s vehicle struck another car while traveling nearly 100 mph. Griner left the scene and McKeithen stopped to help the woman in the struck car. The woman was not seriously injured, according to BCSO.

Griner abandoned his vehicle and ran into a nearby wooded area.

WCSO responded and set up a perimeter in the area. Additional BCSO deputies responded as well as the BCSO helicopter and several tracking K9s.

The search for Griner continued until Saturday morning, when the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was called about a suspicious person who had walked out of the woods in the Sunny Hills area. WCSO deputies located Griner and took him into custody. Griner was near where he originally entered the woods.

Griner was arrested for violation of probation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and shooting into an occupied dwelling.

In addition to the two sheriff’s departments, other agencies involved in the manhunt were the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Northwest Florida Reception Center K9 Team.

CAMPBELLTON -- Two men were arrested following a domestic disturbance Saturday afternoon.

At about 2 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic violence call located 2742 Cecil Road, Campbellton. When the deputy arrived a man later identified as Larry Collins was seen being escorted out of the residence by another man later identified as Edward Cornelius Wesley, the JCSO said.

As the deputy was approaching, Collins retrieved a shotgun from is pickup parked in the driveway. While holding the gun, Collins began to turn in the direction of Wesley and others standing nearby, JCSO said.  After several commands by the deputy to put the gun down, Collins complied. Collins was subsequently arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a firearm.

After further investigation, a woman at the house reported her husband, Wesley, had placed a knife to her throat and stated he would kill her. Wesley was arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS -- A man suffered critical injuries after being struck by a vehicle on U.S. 90 and Peacock Road at 12:05 a.m. on Saturday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

Joseph Steven Kennedy, 42, of DeFuniak Springs was walking westbound along U.S. 90 with his back to traffic when an unknown vehicle drifted over the white fog line and struck him from behind.

The vehicle did not stop, and Kennedy was discovered by passing motorists shortly after the crash. He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.

The unknown vehicle will have damages on the passenger side, and the vehicle will be missing a black right rearview mirror, FHP said.

SANTA ROSA BEACH -- Two teenagers were arrested and charged on Thursday in connection to a string of burglaries in the Driftwood Estates area in South Walton.

Deputies and investigators with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to 901 East Mack Bayou after a neighbor called about two suspicious persons. Deputies were able to locate suspects Miguel Arceo, 16, and Thomas Howells, 22, both of Santa Rosa Beach.

The two suspects have been linked to several other burglaries in the Driftwood Estates area, WCSO said. Howells has additionally been charged with one count of felony criminal mischief, one count of grand theft, two counts of burglary, one count of dealing in stolen property, one count of grand theft of a firearm and one count of grand theft from the elderly. Arceo has been charged with one count of felony criminal mischief, one count of grand theft, one count of grand theft from the elderly, one count of grand theft of a firearm and two counts of burglary.

PANAMA CITY — Violent crime — and crime in general — decreased in Bay County in 2012, but the number of arrests rose, according to the 2012 Uniform Crime Report released last week.

There were 45 fewer violent crimes in Bay County in 2012 than in 2011 — a nearly 5 percent decrease — and 33 fewer nonviolent crimes. The crime rate dropped 1 percent from 2011, when it dropped 0.2 percent from the year before.

There were nine murders in 2012, six of which were domestic violence related. That’s down from 12 the year before, when five were domestic violence related.

Rapes increased 12.9 percent, jumping from 62 to 70 countywide. Domestic violence related rapes decreased from six to two in 2012.

Bay County’s per capita arrest rate continues to be among the highest in the state. Law enforcement made more than one arrest for every 10 residents in Bay County, which is more than double the statewide rate. Only Monroe County has a higher arrest rate.

Bay County had the third-highest arrest-per-resident rate in 2011 and the second highest in 2010 and 2009.

The high rate of arrests may have to do with the number of visitors who come to the beach every year. The Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau puts the number of visitors last year at nearly 11 million, but Police Chief Drew Whitman said he’s heard estimates between 6.4 million and 7 million.

So, it makes sense that Panama City Beach Police, with a jurisdiction over a population of barely 12,000 people, had an arrest rate of nearly 25 percent, Whitman said.

“You can’t compare us to a city of 14,000 because we police over 7 million people a year,” Whitman said.

Read the report

Parker Police, with jurisdiction over 4,305 people, made 701 arrests last year and had the second highest arrest per resident rate in the county. That’s only about 200 fewer than Lynn Haven Police made, despite policing a population nearly five times greater than Parker’s.

Arrest rates in Springfield and Panama City were about on par with the countywide rate. Panama City Police spokesman Lt. Robert Luther said, like Whitman, proactive policing contributes to the comparatively high arrest rate.

For instance, Luther said, if police notice a trend in criminal activity, such as a spike in burglaries in a certain neighborhood, they can focus their enforcement efforts on that neighborhood.

Lynn Haven and Mexico Beach represent the other end of the spectrum, with arrest rates closer to 5 percent. That’s about on par with the rate of the county’s largest law enforcement agency, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

Robberies, aggravated assaults and burglaries decreased by 2.9 percent, 6.4 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

The value of property stolen in 2012 was $9,017,986, while the value of recovered stolen property was $1,841,468.

Men were nearly four times more likely to be arrested than women, and juveniles made up 8 percent of the county’s 17,567 arrestees.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — The Florida Highway Patrol identified the victim of a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred in Panama City Beach early Sunday morning.

According to a report from FHP, 47-year-old Dylan Borksy of Panama City was killed when he struck a concrete median on his 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle in the lower Grand Lagoon area of

Borksy was thrown from his bike near the intersection of Captain Avenue. He was not wearing a helmet.

An earlier version of this story: 

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Florida Highway Patrol reported a fatal crash on Thomas Drive early Sunday morning.

The crash occurred on Thomas Drive near the intersection of Flint Avenue at about 4 a.m., according to FHP reports. FHP is working to notify next of kin before releasing more details.

PANAMA CITY — They do this every year, but this time the Bay County Sheriff’s Office wants to do it big, so the community is invited to the annual Awards and Memorial Ceremony at Tommy Oliver Stadium.

The event will pay tribute to the officers and deputies who have been killed in the line of duty, and publically recognize the BCSO deputies who in 2012 demonstrated outstanding performance.

“This year it will be special because it will be the 100th anniversary of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office as well,” BCSO spokeswoman Ruth Corley said.

As part of the BCSO’s celebration of its first 100 years, photos and information on the 16 men who have been this county’s sheriff will be on display at the event. The special units of the sheriff’s office—like the SWAT, K-9 and bomb squad units—will also be there with their vehicles and equipment on display.

Panama City Beach Police Chief Drew Whitman will be one of those in attendance next week.

“[McKeithen] always does a good job on it,” he said of the annual event.

Army Brigadier General Mark McQueen, Commander 350^th Civil Affairs Command in Pensacola, will be a special speaker at the event. According to a Department of Defense press release earlier this month, President Barack Obama nominated McQueen to the rank of Major General.

Refreshments will be available after the ceremony. Attendees are asked to enter the stadium on the south side and sit on the “home” (south) side.

IF YOU GO

What: Bay County Sheriff’s Office’s 100^th Anniversary Celebration and Awards and Memorial Ceremony

Where: Tommy Oliver Stadium

When: Wednesday at 9 a.m.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Panama City Beach Police arrested a man Sunday afternoon on reckless driving charges after his truck struck a utility pole on Middle Beach Road near the intersection of Alf Coleman.

According to PCBPD, witnesses reported seeing the truck racing another vehicle while driving westbound on Middle Beach Road. The driver then lost control of the truck and struck a stop sign and utility pole.

 Officers conducted a DUI investigation and found the driver was not over the legal limit. 

PANAMA CITY - A Panama City man has been arrested Monday morning and charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, FDLE officials wrote in a news release.

Agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tallahassee Regional Operations Center Cyber Crime Unit, with the assistance of the FDLE Panama City Field Office, arrested William Matthews, 60, after a search at Matthews’s home, on East Baldwin Road, in Panama City, Fla., revealed numerous child pornography videos and images on his computer, officials wrote. 

Matthews is being held in the Bay County Jail without bond.

Anyone with information about this investigation can contact FDLE Special Agent Travis Eisenhauer at (850) 410-7462, officials wrote.

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene of an armed robbery in Callaway early this morning, officials wrote in a news release.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, a black male with dreadlocks, medium build, wearing all black clothing and a black ski mask, entered the Beeline Convenience Store on Cherry Street in Callaway. He carried a handgun and demanded money from the clerk and several customers in the store at the time, the news release states. The suspect also took cigarettes and rolling papers before fleeing on foot.

The incident was captured on store security cameras. Anyone with information on this suspect is asked to contact the Bay County Sheriff’s Office at 747-4700 or Crime Stoppers at 785-TIPS.

VIDEO

PANAMA CITY — A Panama City trucker was high on meth and pot when he rear-ended the moving vehicle in front of his truck, killing one person and seriously injuring two others, according to court records charging him with several felonies.

Witnesses told investigators Dennis Wayne Fuller, 42, of Panama City, was speeding and driving his tractor trailer in a reckless and aggressive manner on U.S. 98 near Mexico Beach in March 2012. Other drivers had to leave their lanes to get out of the way before he struck a Jeep driven by Dana Becker from behind, according to the charging affidavit.

The impact from the Freightliner Fuller was driving crushed the rear of the Jeep, pinning back-seat passenger Chris Herudzinski in the wreckage. Herudzinskidied of his injuries. He was 59.  

Becker and Jadwiga Stojkowski, a front-seat passenger in the Jeep, were seriously injured as well.

They were traveling to Key West from their homes in Illinois and made a stop in Panama City so Herudzinski could revisit some places where he had spent time with a girlfriend, Becker said Monday.

“He was so happy the night before because he had found a restaurant that he’d been to with a previous girlfriend,” Becker said.

Florida Highway Patrol investigators took a blood sample from Fuller after another witness, who saw Fuller outside of his vehicle shortly before the crash, said he was acting impaired. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement performed a drug screen and reported finding marijuana and methamphetamine.

Fuller was arrested Friday on a warrant and booked into the Bay County Jail; he since has been released on bond on the conditions he submits to random drug tests and does not consume or possess alcohol. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

Fuller has been convicted in the past of criminal charges ranging from child abuse to burglary, marijuana possession and armed trespassing, and he has been cited numerous times for speeding, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident, court records show.

He is scheduled to be arraigned July 2 on two counts of driving under the influence causing serious injuries and a count of DUI manslaughter.

PANAMA CITY — A fire that destroyed a detached garage and storage shed at a home on Palmetto Avenue was caused by an electrical short, an investigation by the Panama City Fire Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office determined.

Firefighters rushed to the scene just before noon Monday, where they found a garage behind 1905 Palmetto Ave. engulfed in flame. The fire spread quickly due to the amount of items stored in the garage, and some of the items, such as propane tanks, caused loud explosions that could be heard down the block.

Richard Reed and his son Patrick Reed were returning from work when they noticed the fire and alerted Grace Pudvan, who was inside her home at the time. Richard and Patrick Reed said they saw a raccoon, on fire, run from the scene.

Pudvan ran into the burning garage in time to get a 2005 Chrysler Sebring convertible out.

“I’d burn up before my car,” she said afterward. “I just got that baby.”

A pickup truck parked just outside the garage caught fire and was significantly damaged. Pudvan said she used the garage to store whatever didn’t fit in the house, and many of her other belongings were not saved.

“Thank God for insurance,” Pudvan said, “but it’s not going to replace my antiques, my son’s sports memorabilia. …”

No firefighters or residents were injured in the fire, which was brought under control after about 30 minutes. Police and firefighters closed a portion of 19th Street briefly and traffic had to be rerouted.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — St. Joe Co. officials plan to burn another 150 acres in Panama City Beach on Tuesday, according to local forestry representatives.

St. Joe officials burned about 100 acres Monday in the Breakfast Point area northwest of Arnold High School on Monday. The prescribed burn will likely produce a lot of smoke.

The 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, Natural Resources Flight, also are scheduled to conduct a prescribed burn on Tyndall Air Force Base from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

PORT ST. JOE -- A Port St. Joe man was killed in a single-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in Franklin County.

Christopher Lamar Anderson, 40, was killed on U.S. 98 in Carrabelle when the vehicle he was driving left the shoulder of the road and hit a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

According to the FHP, Anderson was traveling east on U.S. 98 when his vehicle, a 2006 Saturn Vue, traveled onto the south shoulder, losing control.

The vehicle reentered the road and traveled across both lanes and onto the north shoulder where it struck a large tree on the right side.

Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anderson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the FHP. Toxicology results are listed as pending.

SAND HILLS — Wildfire damaged two buildings near Sand Hills Tuesday, according to Brian Goddin, spokesman for the Florida Forestry Service.

Firefighters had contained the blaze to an area of two acres Tuesday afternoon, but not before two “outbuildings” were damaged, Goddin said. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire, which was about four miles south of the intersection of State 20 and County 77 on Farm Road, was under investigation; it was not clear if it originated in one of the damaged buildings and spread to the woods or vice versa, Goddin said.