ReportWire

Tag: APP Public Safety

  • First in the nation: Drone services for first response in Manatee County

    First in the nation: Drone services for first response in Manatee County

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Drones will be used to help save lives in Manatee County starting next month.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County Public Safety and Tampa General Hospital have partnered with a drone company to launch a pilot program next month

    • It will allow 911 dispatchers to send emergency supplies to where a victim is located

    • There are plans to expand the program

    Manatee County Public Safety and Tampa General Hospital have partnered with a drone company to launch a pilot program next month. They say it will be the first of its kind in the nation.

    It will allow 911 dispatchers to send emergency supplies to where a victim is located. Right now, the drone is set to cover a 3.5-square mile area around Malachite Drive in Lakewood Ranch.

    Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge hopes the coverage area will expand to harder-to-reach areas in the county that have heavy traffic.

    “We’ve had catastrophic accidents on the island beaches, boating accidents. We have trouble getting EMS rigs out there and back out of town as well, even going up and down the island as well,” he said.

    The drone will take off from this EMS location here at Malachite Drive in Lakewood Ranch. The drone will carry NARCAN, a tourniquet, and an AED to emergencies. It could take between a minute-45 to a little over two minutes to reach the destination.

    County officials say it will speed up response times and could save lives.

    Gordon Folkes and his company, Archer First Response Systems, are spearheading the pilot program in Manatee County to anyone who is experiencing cardiac issues, opioid exposure or physical trauma.

    “The drone and the housing unit are just kind of the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the underlying infrastructure that’s involved in this operation,” he said.

    When a dispatcher gets a 911 call, they can send the drone. Once arriving at its destination, the drone will release the emergency supply package, taking only 15 seconds to land while the drone will constantly hover above at 200 feet. There will be instructions with the medical equipment along with assistance over the phone with Manatee County EMS.

    “It’s a single system that will respond to a single 911 call at a time,” he said.

    After the emergency, the drone returns to its original location, where it will need to be restocked again for the next call.

    “We’ve been training with the team in the emergency communications center for four months now,” Folkes said.

    He says they have technology that decides what areas the drone is clear to travel in.

    “When we install one of these systems, we perform a satellite analysis where we can make delivery and there are thousands of coordinates that are acceptable,” he said.

    This is considered Phase 1 and will be in service Monday through Friday, sunup to sundown.

    Changes are expected to take place toward the end of the year, called Phase 2. This could expand the program to cover a 35-square-mile area and operate the drone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    This pilot program will cost Manatee County $1 a month but according to the county, it’s completely free to residents who will use the services. It is expected to begin May 1.

    Right now, the drone is not sustainable to reach near areas of water, but commissioners want to see if they can expand the area to help people out on their boats.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • City of Akron expands free doorbell camera program in phase two

    City of Akron expands free doorbell camera program in phase two

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    AKRON, Ohio — Residents in Akron will again be eligible for free doorbell cameras as part of the second phase of the city council’s Pilot Doorbell Camera Safety Program, with applications available May 1.

    What You Need To Know

    • Residents in Akron will again be eligible for free doorbell cameras as part of the second phase of the city council’s Pilot Doorbell Camera Safety Program

    • Applications are available May 1

    • In the first phase of the ARPA-funded program, more than 400 cameras were sent out across wards three, four and five

    • The second phase of the program is available for all Akron residents, including renters and homeowners

    In the first phase of the American Rescue Plan Act-funded program, more than 400 cameras were sent out across wards three, four and five, according to a release from the council president’s office. A total of 724 people submitted applications.

    “As a crime deterrent, the doorbell camera will provide residents and law enforcement with added visibility into neighborhoods,” the release reads. “Recently, an Akron resident’s doorbell camera provided video evidence in a string of thefts.”

    It notes that the second phase of the program is available for all Akron residents, including renters and homeowners. The release specifies that they have allotted 300 cameras for each ward and that distribution will occur “on a rolling basis at council ward meetings.”

    Those who received a camera during phase one are not eligible for phase two.

    Residents can apply for the camera as part of phase two here.

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    Cody Thompson

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  • 1 person dead, 2 Polk County deputies injured after shooting in Lakeland

    1 person dead, 2 Polk County deputies injured after shooting in Lakeland

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said two deputies are seriously hurt and the suspected shooter is dead after a confrontation in Lakeland.

    What You Need To Know

    • Two Polk County Sheriff’s deputies are seriously hurt and one suspect is dead after a shooting that occurred after midnight at Hunt Fountain Park in Lakeland

    • Sheriff Grady Judd said a deputy saw a parked car and approached it, but the man inside would not cooperate with the deputy’s requests
    • At least two more deputies arrived and tried to remove the man from the car. That’s when Judd said the suspect fired at them and deputies returned fire

    • Two deputies suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to a nearby hospital, where they are recovering from their injuries

    The incident happened just after midnight at Hunt Fountain Park off Duff Road. Judd said a deputy saw a parked car and approached it, but the man inside would not cooperate with the deputy’s requests. He then called for back-up.

    At least two more deputies arrived and tried to remove the man from the car. That’s when Judd said the suspect fired at them and deputies returned fire. The suspect died from his injuries. 

    “He asked for a gunfight. We gave him a gunfight. And he’ll never be in another gunfight again. Because he’s dead, like he asked for,” said Judd.

    According to Judd, two deputies were hurt in the shooting. He said a bullet traveled through Lieutenant Chad Anderson’s arm and into his chest. He underwent emergency surgery.

    The Polk Sheriff said another deputy, Craig Smith, is in the ICU with four gunshot wounds.

    The sheriff’s office is not naming the suspect at this time, but Judd said the suspect is a Moorish sovereign citizen. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, it is a group that believes individuals hold sovereignity over the government and is exempt from the rules imposed by the U.S.

    Judd said the group is known to shoot at law enforcement.

    Watch the press conference from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd below:

     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • 5 injured after high-speed chase along I-4 in Polk County

    5 injured after high-speed chase along I-4 in Polk County

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A high-speed chase along Interstate 4 ended with a multi-vehicle crash that injured five people, officials with the Florida Highway Patrol said Friday morning.

    The chase caused an overnight closure and major backup on I-4 until 7:30 a.m. Friday. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Camry traveling 130 mph on I-4 hit two tracker trailers, causing a major overnight closure until Friday morning

    • Troopers said the impact caused the Camry to split into several pieces

    • 5 people, including two men in the Camry, were injured

    • FHP found $5,000 in cash and several pounds of marijuana inside the Camry

    Around midnight, troopers said they spotted a Camry going 104 mph. When they tried to stop the driver, the vehicle sped off, reaching speeds of 130 mph.

    The Camry continued westbound until it reached a construction zone near the 27 milepost where all but the left lane was closed. FHP said the vehicle entered the closed portion of the roadway and collided with two tractor trailers.

    The impact caused the Camry to split into several pieces, ejecting the two men inside from the vehicle.

    (FHP)

    Portions of the Camry struck a Subaru traveling westbound through the area.

    FHP said both occupants of the Camry — a 37-year-old man from Tampa and a 30-year-old man from Port Charlotte — suffered serious injuries.

    The drivers of the two tractor trailers — a 62-year-old man and a 48-year-old man — and the driver of the Subaru, a 43-year-old female, all suffered minor injuries.

    Troopers found nearly $5,000 in cash and several pounds of marijuana inside the Camry.

    The investigation remains ongoing. 

    (FHP)

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • New Bradenton fire station to cut down on response times

    New Bradenton fire station to cut down on response times

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The City of Bradenton has approved plans to build a new $7.9 million fire station.

    What You Need To Know

    • The City of Bradenton approved plans to build a $7.9 million dollar fire station that will allow firefighters to respond to emergencies  2 minutes faster according to BPD and Mayor Gene Brown

    • According to Mayor Gene Brown and Bradenton Fire Department officials, the city plans on breaking ground in June at 2229 Manatee Avenue East and will be finished and in service starting in late 2025

    • A unique addition is a fireman’s pole that Geer says will get firefighters to the trucks faster

    Gene Brown, the Mayor of Bradenton, says that because of its central location, it will cut two minutes off the response time to eastern and southern parts of the city.

    “When you talk about cutting time down for someone having a heart attack or in an accident, having something that’s wrong, those seconds count,” said Brown.

    According to the Bradenton Fire Department, Fire Station 2 on Seventh Avenue East has been in use for more than 50 years.

    Fire Chief Tim Geer says it no longer meets building, fire or safety standards. That’s one of the reasons the city approved plans to build a new station at 2229 Manatee Avenue East that will replace the old Fire Station 2.

    The new fire station will be three times larger with new additions.

    Fire Chief Tim Geer, who has been with the Bradenton Fire Department for more than 27 years, says it’s cheaper to build than renovate the old one.

    He hopes this facility will be used for decades to come, just like the old one.

    “This has been in the works now for a couple of years with planning,” he said. “Our main goal is to improve response times and have new and modern equipment to make that happen and the positive effect that it has on the community.”

    The new fire station will be more than 15,000 square feet, two stories high, and will provide more space for first responders, especially during emergency weather situations.

    It will include a dining room, six dorms, showers, a kitchen, gym and other amenities.

    A unique addition is a fireman’s pole that Geer says will get firefighters to the trucks faster.

    This station will also have drive through bays to allow quicker response to the south end of the city as well as avoid backing incidents.

    “We will be able to head on Manatee Avenue and head each direction quickly,” said Geer. “Especially that 27th Avenue corridor where we have neighborhoods being built.”

    Chief Geer knows it’s about working as a team to respond to people as fast as possible, making every second count.

    According to Mayor Gene Brown and Bradenton Fire Department officials, the city plans on breaking ground in June and will be finished and in service starting in late 2025.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Columbus Zoo heightens security following car robbery

    Columbus Zoo heightens security following car robbery

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Zoo & Aquarium is implementing its EVOLV security system at the main entrance following a car robbery on Monday.

    The car, a white Hyundai Elantra, was stolen from the zoo’s parking lot and the zoo’s teams are continuing to work with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office to provide details and support the family who had their car taken.

    What You Need To Know

    • The car, a white Hyundai Elantra, was stolen from the zoo’s parking lot and the zoo’s teams are continuing to work with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office to provide details and support the family who had their car taken

    • A guest sitting in the parking lot at approximately 3 p.m. on Monday saw four masked individuals running along the rows of cars, pulling on handles to see if the doors were unlocked

    • The sheriff’s office reminds Ohioans to take safety precautions when leaving their vehicles

    • Columbus Zoo then announced the implentation of the EVOLV security system at the main entrance to provide advanced threat detection and screening technology

    A guest sitting in the parking lot at approximately 3 p.m. on Monday saw four masked individuals running along the rows of cars, pulling on handles to see if the doors were unlocked while a fifth individual remained in another car near them. The witness moved their car to safety after potentially seeing a weapon on one suspect’s waistband, the witness moved their car while blaring their horn to alert other guests and called 911. The zoo’s Guest Relations and Security teams received two other calls reporting similar behavior. 

    “Safety for our guests, staff, and the animals remains a top priority at the Columbus Zoo, including the Zoo and Zoombezi Bay parking lots,” the zoo said in a news release. “A full-time in-house security team monitors parking lot activity both with cameras and with continuous patrol of the area. This team also works closely with the Sheriff’s office to handle any criminal activity that may occur.”

    The sheriff’s office reminds Ohioans to take safety precautions when leaving their vehicles including: “Be vigilant of your surroundings; Lock your vehicles; Keep valuables out of sight; Report any suspicious activity once you are in a safe place to do so.”

    Columbus Zoo then announced the implentation of the EVOLV security system at the main entrance to provide advanced threat detection and screening technology. 

    The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the situation and is working with the zoo’s teams to provide any additional information and assistance. To provide additional information regarding the robbery at the zoo, contact the Sheriff’s office (740) 833-2800.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • Holmes Beach businesses recovering after cars crash into storefronts

    Holmes Beach businesses recovering after cars crash into storefronts

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Within the past week, Holmes Beach has seen two reports of cars crashing into storefronts.

    What You Need To Know

    • Within the past week, Holmes Beach has seen two reports of cars crashing into storefronts

    • Gypsea Tides Beach Boutique, Reed Fitness and Physical Therapy and Raders Reef all incurred damages

    • Construction workers spent Monday building a new wall for Reed Fitness and cleaning up damages from the boutique

    Gypsea Tides Beach Boutique and Reed Fitness and Physical Therapy both have damages to their businesses when a Jeep drove through the boutique, taking out a wall of the gym.

    The same thing happened to a boutique across the street, where a van crashed into Raders Reef. Construction workers spent Monday building a new wall for Reed Fitness and cleaning up damages from the boutique.

    The owner of Reed Fitnesst, Melissa Reed, says she was working with a patient when she heard a loud noise and walked out to people screaming. She says the whole event was scary.

    “I mean, I hope there is more safety, more things installed. I think this island is getting really busy,” said Reed. “I think people are getting impatient. This is a huge danger. My son walks to my office every day from school, and honestly, I’m really concerned for his safety the way people are rushing around.”

    According to Gypsea Tides and Raders Reef, they plan on opening again at the end of the week.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Two teens dead in apparent murder-suicide, Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s Office says

    Two teens dead in apparent murder-suicide, Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s Office says

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Two teenagers are dead in what the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says appears to be a murder-suicide.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies said a 17-year-old-boy shot a 14-year-old girl and then turned the gun on himself at a home on Grove Park Avenue North in an unincorporated area of St. Petersburg

    • Deputies believe a group of teens gathered at the home, consumed alcohol and drugs during the day, and at some point that evening, the 17-year-old located a gun belonging to the homeowner

    • Deputies said the four teens were playing with the gun and taking pictures with it, when an argument started between the group

    • It’s not clear if any charges have been filed

    The incident happened at a home on Grove Park Avenue North in an unincorporated area of St. Petersburg, near Lealman.

    Officials said around 8:45 p.m. last night, a 17-year-old-boy shot a 14-year-old girl and then turned the gun on himself.

    The preliminary investigation shows the 17-year-old was dog sitting at a home when he invited an 18-year-old friend and two teen girls he had recently met on social media.

    Deputies believe the group consumed alcohol and drugs during the day, and at some point that evening, the 17-year-old located a gun belonging to the homeowner. 

    Deputies said the four teens were playing with the gun and taking pictures with it, when an argument started between the group.

    That’s when investigators say the 17-year-old pointed the gun at the 14-year-old’s head, shooting and killing her.

    The 17-year-old then shot himself in the head.

    It’s not clear if any charges have been filed.

    This is a developing story. Follow Spectrum Bay News 9 on air, online, and with our app for the latest updates.

     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • ODOT funding $2.8 billion for Ohio infrastructure projects

    ODOT funding $2.8 billion for Ohio infrastructure projects

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    OHIO — The Ohio Department of Transportation kicked off National Work Zone Awareness Week by announcing it was investing $2.8 billion into 950 road and bridge improvement projects. 

    Of the 950 projects, 39 have been classified as “major projects,” valuing above $10 million.

    What You Need To Know

    • The 2024 construction program contains 176 safety projects, laying nearly 5,700 miles of pavement and repairing or replacing 885 bridges across the state

    • ODOT officials highlighted the safety of ODOT workers, noting 43 crews have been struck since January

    • In 2023, 56 ODOT crews were hit through the entire year with 14 ODOT workers, nine contractors injured and one contractor killed

    • Ohio had 4,098 work zone-related crashes with 36% occurring when workers were present

    “Investing in efficient infrastructure is an investment in quality of life,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Once complete, these projects will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve roadway safety.”

    The 2024 construction program contains 176 safety projects, laying nearly 5,700 miles of pavement and repairing or replacing 885 bridges across the state. 

    “While the orange barrels that are synonymous with summer may be a source of frustration and inconvenience for some, they are a sign of progress and improvement for all who live in Ohio and who travel through it,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.

    ODOT officials highlighted the safety of ODOT workers, noting 43 crews have been struck since January. In 2023, 56 ODOT crews were hit through the entire year with 14 ODOT workers, nine contractors injured and one contractor killed. The top work zone crash type is rear-end crashes.

    “Driving requires all your attention, but that is especially true in work zones where things can change quickly. Drop the distractions, obey the speed limit, and allow extra room between your vehicle and the one in front of you,” said Marchbanks.

    Ohio had 4,098 work zone-related crashes with 36% occurring when workers were present. From the work-zone related accidents there were 1,433 injuries with 110 of them being classified as serious. Nine people were killed, including the contractor. 

    Summit County had the most work zone crashes with 576, followed by Cuyahoga County with 521 and Lucas County with 413.

    ODOT funded projects for 2024 include:

    Northwest Ohio

    Northeast Ohio

    Central Ohio

    Southwest Ohio

    Southeast Ohio

     

     

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • Former Kentucky swimmers sue ex-coaches, AD Mitch Barnhart

    Former Kentucky swimmers sue ex-coaches, AD Mitch Barnhart

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    LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two former Kentucky swim team members have sued the school, former coach Lars Jorgensen and athletic director Mitch Barnhart, alleging sexual assaults including rape by the former coach and claiming the school “purposefully” disregarded multiple credible reports of inappropriate sexual relationships.

    What You Need To Know

    • Two former Kentucky swim team members have sued the school, former coach Lars Jorgensen and athletic director Mitch Barnhart

    • They allege sexual assaults including rape by the former coach, claiming the school “purposefully” disregarded multiple credible reports of inappropriate sexual relationships

    • Former swimmer and assistant coach Briggs Alexander and a woman identified only as Jane Doe filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court 

    • Kentucky said it takes concerns raised by employees and potential employees seriously and reviews such concerns before hiring

    The lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court by former swimmer and assistant coach Briggs Alexander and a woman identified only as Jane Doe said Kentucky empowered Jorgensen to “foster a toxic, sexually hostile environment within the swim program and to prey on, sexually harass, and commit horrific sexual assaults.”

    The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to being identified, as Alexander did.

    Alexander, who according to the lawsuit now identifies as male, claims that Jorgensen “spent years” grooming him and creating a sexually hostile environment, including sexually assaulting and raping him. The suit also alleges that Jorgensen groomed Jane Doe over several years after her arrival as a Kentucky freshman, made sexualized comments and asserted control over her.

    The ex-coach also “repeatedly and violently” assaulted an assistant coach, identified as Jane Doe II, starting with a December 2013 Christmas party with staff at his home.

    The lawsuit also alleges that former Kentucky head coach Gary Conelly, who led the program from 1991 until retiring in 2013, did not follow up on being told of previous alleged misconduct by Jorgensen at Toledo. It also alleged that Barnhart did not follow up an email about allegations or investigate them and hired Jorgensen, the suit said, and accused him of intentionally concealing the allegations.

    Jorgensen did not respond to messages left by the AP on Saturday but told The Athletic none of the allegations are true. Conelly also did not respond to a message left by the AP but told The Athletic that he contacted the former Toledo swimmer and was told she began dating Jorgensen after her swimming career. He added that it’s not uncommon for coaches to have a relationship with one of their former swimmers.

    A statement sent to AP on Saturday by Kentucky spokesman Jay Blanton said Jorgensen is no longer employed by the university. It said the university takes sexual assault allegations “very seriously” but that it does not discuss specific personnel issues.

    The lawsuit, first reported Friday by The Athletic, also said Kentucky’s athletic department received credible reports from University of Toledo assistant coach Mark Howard that Jorgensen “was a sexual predator” who couldn’t be trusted around young women while at the school in Ohio. Howard had discovered a video that showed Jorgensen having sexual intercourse with a female swimmer who appeared to be incapacitated, the lawsuit said, and reported the incident to school officials.

    Howard’s report to a Toledo associate head coach was not followed up, the suit said.

    Rather than investigate the allegations, the suit added, Kentucky chose to conceal them and hire Jorgensen as an assistant in 2012 and received numerous allegations from various sources during his 10-year tenure as head coach that either weren’t documented or pursued. Howard reported the allegations at Toledo to Conelly, but Conelly didn’t respond after stating via email that he would follow up, the suit said.

    Jorgensen resigned last June after SwimSwam.com, a swimming-based website, reported that he had been suspended for a NCAA violation. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported in August that Kentucky and Jorgensen reached a $75,000 settlement but said the agreement did not constitute admission of fault, liability or wrongdoing by either side.

    SafeSport, which investigates and resolves allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct, added Jorgensen to a disciplinary database last November.

    Kentucky said it takes concerns raised by employees and potential employees seriously and reviews such concerns before hiring.

    The university said in its statement that when “issues between employees (or any members of our community) involve concerns over allegations of harassment or misconduct,” policy calls for reporting them to its Office for Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity.

    “Our Athletics Department takes those issues and those policies very seriously as the welfare and well-being of all of our employees and students is a priority,” the statement said.

    “In such cases, a victim or complainant is reached out to a number of times during the course of a review. It is entirely up to the victim or complainant to decide whether they want to participate in such a review or not. Part of ensuring the well-being of our people is giving them the opportunity to decide whether they want to participate in an investigation of this kind.”

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    Associated Press

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  • DeWine orders flags at half-staff for Ohio lieutenant

    DeWine orders flags at half-staff for Ohio lieutenant

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    PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered all state and U.S. flags on all Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections facilities to fly at half-staff in honor of a lieutenant who was killed at a firing range Tuesday. 

    According to State patrol Sgt. Tyler Ross, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Lt. Rodney Osborne was killed during an incident at the correctional training academy in Pickaway County. No other details have been released, and the investigation is ongoing. 

    Flags will remain at half-staff until the day of Osborne’s funeral, which details of haven’t been announced. 

    “We are heartbroken to announce the sudden loss of Lt. Rodney Osborne from Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. Lt. Osborne was shot today during a training exercise on the firing range at the Correctional Training Academy,” The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections wrote on its Facebook page. “The incident appears to be a tragic accident but is being investigated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. We ask you please keep his family and team members in your prayers.”

    The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections said he’s been an employee for 13 years. He was on the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility’s honor guard and statewide Special Tactics And Response team. He was just named the SOCF’s employee of the year last week.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Polk man, 21, says he fatally stabbed mother because ‘she got on his nerves’

    Polk man, 21, says he fatally stabbed mother because ‘she got on his nerves’

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A 21-year-old Frostproof man is in custody after authorities said he drove from Gainesville on Saturday and stabbed his mother to death, claiming that “she got on his nerves.”

    According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Emmanuel Espinoza stabbed his mother Elvia Espinoza when she answered the door upon his arrival.

    What You Need To Know

    • Emmanuel Espinoza stabbed his mother Elvia Espinoza when she answered the door at her Frostproof home, say officials

    • Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Emmanuel Espinoza, a 21-year-old UF student, called 911 after stabbing his mother

    • Elvia Espinoza, 46, was a beloved second grade teacher at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary School

    Elvia Espinoza, 46, was a second-grade teacher at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary School in Frostproof.

    Emmanuel Espinoza, who is facing first-degree murder charges, remains in custody.

    Meanwhile, grief counselors will be at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary on Monday.

    School district officials said Elvia Espinoza was loved by her students and colleagues, and her death is a devastating loss.

    Also, the school has called the parents of the kids in her class.

    According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Emmanuel Espinoza called 911 to confess after stabbing his mother, saying he had wanted to kill her for years because “she got on his nerves.”

    “We talked to him and he confessed,” Judd said. “‘You know, I have wanted to kill my mother for many, many years because she got on my nerves.” We asked him, ‘What’s your relationship with your mother?’ and, he said about an eight out of 10, that he really loved her, but she irritated him.

    “This is a horrible event. It’s a very sad day with an inexplicable, vicious murder.” 

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • High schooler killed in hit-and-run crash remembered at vigil in Bartow

    High schooler killed in hit-and-run crash remembered at vigil in Bartow

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    BARTOW, Fla. — The Bartow community came together Saturday night for a candlelight vigil in honor of high school student Zachariah Clabough, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash.

    What You Need To Know

    • Zachariah Clabough, 18, was hit by a car and killed on his way to school in late March

    • The driver who hit Clabough was later located and arrested

    • A petition was started to install speed bumps in the area Clabough was struck

    Clabough was just 18 years old. His sister, Dakota Runyon, said they never thought he would be taken from them at such a young age. 

    “Seeing as so many people have come to remember him, it’s really special,” she said.

    Runyon said the love and support from everyone means the world, but they also want to make sure something like this never happens again.

    She said they’ve started a petition to install speed bumps in the area where her brother was hit and it has already gathered more than 600 signatures. 

     “He was just trying to make it to school, and for whatever reason, it happened, but I think a big part of it is if there was a sidewalk all the way down, he wouldn’t have to cross the street to get where he needs to go,” she said. 

    Runyon is confident this will change things for the better, and she hopes people understand the kind soul that her brother is and the impact he’s left not just on her, but every single person he’s met. 

    “I could have never imagined how many people would have come and how many people loved him and cared for him, and how many people miss him and how upset it has made this community,” she said.

    The driver who hit Clabough was later located and arrested.

    Clabough was the third person to be killed in a hit-and-run crash in Polk County within a week. 

    This isn’t the first time Clabough’s family has faced tragedy. 

    His father was killed about three-and-a-half years ago by a drunk driver while standing at a gas station.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Missing person identification gives hope to other Tampa Bay cases

    Missing person identification gives hope to other Tampa Bay cases

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Last week, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office alongside the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were able to bring closure to the family of Kelly Vazquez.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a missing persons case update, the remains found in September of 2023 were that of Kelly Vazquez, who had been missing since 2021
    • The case is revitalizing hope for Canitha Taylor, whose daughter, Cieha, went missing in 2020
    • She runs a Facebook page giving updates on her daughter’s case and other missing persons cases

    According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, remains were found in September of last year. Those remains were later identified as that of Vazquez, who was deemed missing since 2021.

    The discovery is helping to bring hope to many other cases in Hillsborough County.

    One of those cases is that of Cieha Taylor. Her mother, Canitha Taylor, said her daughter was fun, loving and had a contagious smile.

    It’s been four years since her daughter was last seen in Plant City.

    On Feb. 6, 2020 Cieha was at a home with her boyfriend. Later that evening, her car was found on railroad tracks in Plant City.

    The car was abandoned, left running with the door open. Cieha’s phone was on the ground, her wallet still inside the car.

    “It feels like you separate yourself from reality,” Canitha said of the aftermath of her daughter’s disappearance. “Everything is going in slow motion and fast forwarding at the same time. It’s a nightmare.”

    According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the case is still open and active.

    Canitha says since then they haven’t given up their hope to see Cieha again.

    “We’ll retell the story of what happened and just keep her name out there so that it stays in people’s minds,” she said.

    Through a Facebook page known as Finding Cieha, the family shares updates about her disappearance and that of other young women in Hillsborough County.

    The family has even offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who might know where Cieha is.

    “To not know, the not knowing is worse,” said Canitha.

    Now, as she holds on to memories with her daughter, Canitha says she’s thankful for the community support that’s kept her going through this dark time.

    The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says every contribution, no matter how small, plays a pivotal role in bringing closure to families and ensuring a swift resolution.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Man who used megaphone to lead Jan. 6 attack sentenced

    Man who used megaphone to lead Jan. 6 attack sentenced

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    A Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s attack on police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Wednesday to more than seven years in prison.

    What You Need To Know

    • Taylor James Johnatakis, a Washington state man who used a megaphone to orchestrate a mob’s attack on police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol, has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison
    • Johnatakis led other rioters on a charge against a police line, “barked commands” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step directions for overpowering officers, the judge said
    • Johnatakis, who represented himself with an attorney on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that appears to be inspired by the anti-government “sovereign citizen” movement

    • Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard said Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any sincere remorse or accepted responsibility for his crimes on Jan. 6


    U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said videos captured Taylor James Johnatakis playing a leadership role during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnatakis led other rioters on a charge against a police line, “barked commands” over his megaphone and shouted step-by-step directions for overpowering officers, the judge said.

    “In any angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers. Mr. Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day,” the judge said before sentencing him to seven years and three months behind bars.

    Johnatakis, who represented himself with an attorney on standby, has repeatedly expressed rhetoric that appears to be inspired by the anti-government “sovereign citizen” movement. He asked the judge questions at his sentencing, including, “Does the record reflect that I repent in my sins?”

    Lamberth, who referred to some of Johnatakis’ words as “gobbledygook,” said, “I’m not answering questions here.”

    Prosecutors recommended a nine-year prison sentence for Johnatakis, a self-employed installer of septic systems.

    “Johnatakis was not just any rioter; he led, organized, and encouraged the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

    A jury convicted him of felony charges after a trial last year in Washington, D.C.

    Johnatakis, 40, of Kingston, Washington, had a megaphone strapped to his back when he marched to the Capitol from then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6.

    “It’s over,” he shouted at the crowd of Trump supporters. “Michael Pence has voted against the president. We are down to the nuclear option.”

    Johnatakis was one of the first rioters to chase a group of police officers who were retreating up stairs outside the Capitol. He shouted and gestured for other rioters to “pack it in” and prepare to attack.

    Johnatakis shouted “Go!” before he and other rioters shoved a metal barricade into a line of police officers. He also grabbed an officer’s arm.

    “The crime is complete,” Johnatakis posted on social media several hours after he left the Capitol.

    He was arrested in February 2021. He has been jailed since November 2023, when jurors convicted him of seven counts, including obstruction of the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that certified Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. The jury also convicted him of assault and civil disorder charges.

    Justice Department prosecutor Courtney Howard said Johnatakis hasn’t expressed any sincere remorse or accepted responsibility for his crimes on Jan. 6.

    “He’s going so far as to portray himself as a persecuted victim,” she said.

    Lamberth said he received over 20 letters from Johnatakis, his relatives and friends. Some of his supporters don’t seem to know the full extent of Johnatakis’ crimes on Jan. 6, the judge added. He said he would order the clerk of court’s office to send all them copies of his prepared remarks during the sentencing hearing.

    “There can be no room in our country for this sort of political violence,” Lamberth said.

    Last April, Lamberth ordered a psychologist to examine Johnatakis and determine if he was mentally competent to stand trial. The judge ultimately ruled that Johnatakis could understand the proceedings and assist in his defense.

    Approximately 1,350 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds getting terms of imprisonment ranging from several days to 22 years.

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    Associated Press

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  • DUI Skyway 10k driver gets 10-year prison sentence

    DUI Skyway 10k driver gets 10-year prison sentence

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A woman who crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol trooper’s cruiser near the Skyway 10k race in 2022 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    Kristen Kay Watts learned her sentence on Tuesday as she pleaded no contest in court.

    Watts was deemed incompetent to stand trial in the months after the crash.

    She later entered a treatment program and was deemed competent to stand trial.

    According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Watts was traveling northbound on I-275 while approaching road closures for the race on the morning of March 6, 2022.

    Watts failed to stop or detour onto U.S. 41 and drove through several traffic cones and barricades put in place for the 10K.

    After going through a toll plaza, she continued driving in the direction of thousands of runners.

    Investigators say Watts’ blood alcohol level that day was three times the legal limit and that she was driving about 100 mph.

    She was charged with DUI with serious bodily injury, DUI damage to property and reckless driving with property damage.

    Trooper Toni Schuck drove her cruiser into Watts’ vehicle to stop her from nearing the runners. Schuck was seriously injured but has recovered.

    Schuck took the stand Tuesday to deliver a victim impact statement.

    Dashcam Video

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    Bay News 9

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  • Manatee County to start new emergency shelter to keep homeless off the street

    Manatee County to start new emergency shelter to keep homeless off the street

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — More help is coming to take people off the streets in Manatee County. County officials are in the works of opening an emergency shelter.

    What You Need To Know

    • The county is investing in an alternative to follow House Bill 1365. It’s called the Fresh Start Manatee proposal

    • County officials plan on replicating a similar style to Pinellas Hope

    • Those staying at the shelter will receive a wide range of on-site help such as substance abuse and mental health services

    This comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1365 that goes into effect in October. The law will ban Florida’s homeless will be banned from sleeping on sidewalks and in parks and other public spaces.

    “The reason for our people being unhoused is that there is not enough affordable housing and we need to provide alternatives,” said Kathleen Cramer, the executive director of Turning Points in Bradenton.

    The county is investing in an alternative to follow House Bill 1365. It’s called the Fresh Start Manatee proposal and will be an emergency homeless shelter that will help about 100 men and women for 90 days.

    “I think we have an opportunity to do this program correctly. We do it with a plan and strategy. How we can help people who are experiencing homelessness and not just put them in a camp,” Cramer said.

    County officials plan on replicating a similar style to Pinellas Hope. The organization uses tents for shelters and has one structure that houses basic needs like an outside area, a kitchen, a laundry room, and bathrooms and showers.

    “I’ve toured the program. It is a camp. Some people don’t like the idea of a camp, but the feel of it is incredible. It feels calm, safe. People are working towards stability and long-term housing,” Cramer said.

    Those staying at the shelter will receive a wide range of on-site help such as substance abuse and mental health services, along with employment and financial assistance to help people get on the right track. In order to check these off the list, commissioners want to partner with organizations like Turning Points, which Cramer says could happen.

    “The services I think we need are navigation services, people to help individuals create a stability plan and connect to the resources to make that plan possible,” she said.

    But she does have some concerns.

    “October is going to be here really quickly and it comes with no additional money from our local government to implement this, so that’s a concern,” she said.

    Cramer hopes that the county will make it happen before the law goes into effect.

    According to a county commissioner, meetings will be needed to discuss where the emergency shelter will be located and when it will open.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Alex Murdaugh gets 40 years in federal prison

    Alex Murdaugh gets 40 years in federal prison

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    For maybe the last time, Alex Murdaugh, in a prison jumpsuit instead of the suit he used to wear, shuffled into a courtroom Monday in South Carolina and was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alex Murdaugh was sentenced Monday to 40 years in federal prison for stealing from clients and his law firm

    • He is already serving a life sentence without parole in a state prison for killing his wife and son

    • Murdaugh also pleaded guilty to similar financial crime charges in state court

    • The 22 counts are the final charges outstanding for the disgraced attorney


    Murdaugh was punished — this time in federal court — for stealing from clients and his law firm. The 55-year-old disbarred attorney is already serving a life sentence without parole in a state prison for killing his wife and son.

    A report by federal agents recommended a prison sentence between 17 1/2 and just under 22 years.

    The 40-year sentence will be insurance on top of insurance. Along with the life sentence, Murdaugh pleaded guilty and was ordered to spend 27 years in prison in state court on financial crime charges. The federal sentence will run at the same time as his state prison term and he likely will have to serve all 40 years if his murder convictions are overturned on appeal.

    U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said he sentenced Murdaugh to a harsher punishment than suggested because Murdaugh stole from “the most needy, vulnerable people” like a client who became a quadriplegic after a crash, a state trooper who was injured on the job, and a trust fund meant for children whose parents were killed in a wreck.

    “They placed all their problems and all their hopes on Mr. Murdaugh and it is from those people he abused and stole. It is a difficult set of actions to understand,” Gergel said.

    The 22 federal counts are the final charges outstanding for Murdaugh, who three years ago was an established lawyer negotiating multimillion-dollar settlements in tiny Hampton County, where members of his family served as elected prosecutors and ran the area’s premier law firm for nearly a century.

    Murdaugh will also have to pay nearly $9 million in restitution.

    Prosecutors are asking to give Murdaugh a harsher sentence because FBI agents think he is not telling the whole truth about what happened to $6 million he stole and whether a so-far unnamed attorney helped his criminal schemes.

    Murdaugh’s largest scheme involved the sons of his longtime housekeeper Gloria Satterfield. She died in a fall at the family home. Murdaugh promised to take care of Satterfield’s family, then worked with a lawyer friend who pleaded guilty on a scheme to steal $4 million in a wrongful death settlement with the family’s insurer.

    In all, Murdaugh took settlement money from or inflated fees or expenses for more than two dozen clients. Prosecutors said the FBI found 11 more victims than the state investigation found and that Murdaugh stole nearly $1.3 million from them.

    Murdaugh again apologized to his victims at his sentencing Monday, saying he felt “guilt, sorrow, shame, embarrassment, humiliation.”

    Just like at his state sentencing, Murdaugh offered to meet with his victims so they can say what they want to say and “more closely inspect my sincerity.”

    “There’s not enough time and I don’t possess a sufficient vocabulary to adequately portray to you in words the magnitude of how I feel about the things I did,” Murdaugh said.

    Murdaugh blamed nearly two decades of addiction to opioids for his crimes and said he was proud is has been clean for 937 days.

    Gergel scoffed at him blaming drugs.

    “No truly impaired person could pull off these complex transactions,” the judge said of the maze of fake accounts, juggled checks and money passed from one place to another to hide the thefts for nearly 20 years.

    Murdaugh was convicted a year ago of killing his younger son Paul with a shotgun and his wife, Maggie, with a rifle. While he has pleaded guilty to dozens of financial crimes, he adamantly denies he killed them and testified in his own defense. There will be years of appeals in the murder cases.

    The case has captivated true crime fans, spawning dozens of podcast episodes and thousands of social media posts. It continued its odd twists in the days before Monday’s sentencing hearing.

    Lawyers for Murdaugh said an FBI agent who conducted a polygraph test asked Murdaugh if he could keep a secret, then confided he had just examined notorious Dutch killer Joran van der Sloot.

    Murdaugh flunked that polygraph test, according to prosecutors who want a harsher sentence. Each of the 22 counts Murdaugh pleaded guilty to in federal court carried a minimum of 20 years in prison. Some carry a 30-year maximum.

    The defense said the alleged odd behavior and unusual questions from a FBI agent caused Murdaugh to fail the test.

    Prosecutors want to keep many of the FBI statements secret, saying they are still investigating the missing money and who might have helped Murdaugh to steal it. They say making the information public would jeopardize an ongoing grand jury investigation.

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    Associated Press

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  • Crews start removing twisted steel from collapsed Baltimore bridge

    Crews start removing twisted steel from collapsed Baltimore bridge

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    Teams of engineers worked Saturday on the intricate process of cutting and lifting the first section of twisted steel from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumpled into the Patapsco River this week after a massive cargo ship crashed into one of its supports.

    What You Need To Know

    • Engineers in Maryland are working on the daunting task of removing the remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River
    • Crews on Saturday started to cut the first section of twisted steel so it can be loaded onto a barge. Seven floating cranes, 10 tugboats and nine barges have been tapped to help
    • Clearing the river will allow officials to reopen the economically vital Port of Baltimore
    • A massive cargo ship felled the span Tuesday after smashing into a pillar. The bodies of two of six workers missing after the collapse were recovered earlier this week. But four more have yet to be located and are presumed dead

    Sparks could be seen flying from a section of bent and crumpled steel in the afternoon, and video released by officials in the evening showed demolition crews using a cutting torch to slice through the thick beams. The joint incident command said in a statement that the work was being done on the top of the north side of the collapsed structure.

    Crews were carefully measuring and cutting the steel from the broken bridge before attaching straps so it can be lifted onto a barge and floated away, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.

    Seven floating cranes — including a massive one capable of lifting 1,000 tons — 10 tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels and five Coast Guard boats were on site in the water southeast of Baltimore.

    Each movement affects what happens next and ultimately how long it will take to remove all the debris and reopen the ship channel and the blocked Port of Baltimore, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

    “I cannot stress enough how important today and the first movement of this bridge and of the wreckage is. This is going to be a remarkably complicated process,” Moore said.

    Undeterred by the chilly morning weather, longtime Baltimore resident Randy Lichtenberg and others took cellphone photos or just quietly looked at the broken pieces of the bridge, which including its steel trusses weigh as much as 4,000 tons.

    “I wouldn’t want to be in that water. It’s got to be cold. It’s a tough job,” Lichtenberg said from a spot on the river called Sparrows Point.

    The shock of waking up Tuesday morning to video of what he called an iconic part of the Baltimore skyline falling into the water has given way to sadness.

    “It never hits you that quickly. It’s just unbelievable,” Lichtenberg said.

    WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

    One of the first goals for crews on the water is to get a smaller auxiliary ship channel open so tugboats and other small barges can move freely. Crews also want to stabilize the site so divers can resume searching for four missing workers who are presumed dead.

    Two other workers were rescued from the water in the hours following the bridge collapse, and the bodies of two more were recovered from a pickup truck that fell and was submerged in the river. They had been filling potholes on the bridge and while police were able to stop vehicle traffic after the ship called in a mayday, they could not get to the construction workers, who were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

    The crew of the cargo ship Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, remained on board with the debris from the bridge around it, and were safe and were being interviewed. They are keeping the ship running as they will be needed to get it out of the channel once more debris has been removed.

    The vessel is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and was chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk.

    The collision and collapse appeared to be an accident that came after the ship lost power. Federal and state investigators are still trying to determine why.

    Assuaging concern about possible pollution from the crash, Adam Ortiz, the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, said there was no indication in the water of active releases from the ship or materials hazardous to human health.

    REBUILDING

    Officials are also trying to figure out how to handle the economic impact of a closed port and the severing of a major highway link. The bridge was completed in 1977 and carried Interstate 695 around southeast Baltimore.

    Maryland transportation officials are planning to rebuild the bridge, promising to consider innovative designs or building materials to hopefully shorten a project that could take years.

    President Joe Biden’s administration has approved $60 million in immediate aid and promised the federal government will pay the full cost to rebuild.

    Ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore remains suspended, but the Maryland Port Administration said trucks were still being processed at marine terminals.

    The loss of a road that carried 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters, but also U.S. consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other U.S. facility.

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    Associated Press

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  • FHP: 18-year-old hit, killed by vehicle leaving crash scene, suspect in custody

    FHP: 18-year-old hit, killed by vehicle leaving crash scene, suspect in custody

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    BARTOW, Fla. — An 18-year-old high school student was hit and killed by a vehicle Wednesday morning by a driver who fled the scene of a separate crash, according to authorities.

    The 41-year-old suspect in the case was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon.

    The Florida Highway Patrol said it happened at about 7:15 a.m. A 2018 Hyundai sedan was involved in what FHP called a minor crash, and the driver left the scene. While driving northbound on Jackson Street at Pearl Street, the vehicle hit the high school student, who died from his injuries. The teen was walking to school, according to FHP.

    “It was a large impact. Something large and solid hit something,” witness Taylor Smith said of the vehicle hitting the teen.

    “I knew it was serious, I knew it was bad. But I didn’t think that it was a hit-and-run of a pedestrian.”

    Flowers had been placed at the scene by Wednesday afternoon.

    “Frankly, this wasn’t even on my radar as a possibility. I was born and raised here and I’ve been in this neighborhood for 37 years and never have we ever had something like this happen,” Smith said.

    Authorities later found the Hyundai sedan at the driver’s garage, investigators said.

    The Ford Fiesta was found at the Brandon Mall, and the driver was found inside the shopping center.

    Edgardo Joel Rosado Perez, 41, was arrested for leaving the scene of a fatal crash, FHP said. He was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail.

    Anyone with further information is asked to call *FHP (*347).

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    Spectrum News Staff

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