Osceola County officials have issued a burn ban Monday on all types of outside burning, including open fire pits, campfires and yard debris.According to a release, officials say this comes as dry conditions persist. “The burn ban is effective immediately and will be lifted as weather and vegetation conditions improve,” the release said.The ban will be enforced by Osceola County Code Enforcement, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services personnel. Osceola County Fire Rescue will continue to monitor conditions to determine when the burn ban will be lifted. The burn ban comes one day after the city of St. Cloud issued a burn ban, and a nursery near Kissimmee was involved in a 3-alarm brush fire.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —
Osceola County officials have issued a burn ban Monday on all types of outside burning, including open fire pits, campfires and yard debris.
According to a release, officials say this comes as dry conditions persist.
“The burn ban is effective immediately and will be lifted as weather and vegetation conditions improve,” the release said.
The ban will be enforced by Osceola County Code Enforcement, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services personnel.
Osceola County Fire Rescue will continue to monitor conditions to determine when the burn ban will be lifted.
The burn ban comes one day after the city of St. Cloud issued a burn ban, and a nursery near Kissimmee was involved in a 3-alarm brush fire.
RIGHT TO THE CHOPPER LAKE MARY PUT TOGETHER BACK TO BACK COMEBACK WINS TO START THE SEASON TONIGHT. THEY WERE ON THE ROAD IN LAKELAND LAKE MARY DOWN 13 SEVEN. FINAL DRIVE OF THE SECOND QUARTER. LOOK AT THIS THROW FROM NOAH GRUBBS. THAT’S A DART. HELPS KEEP THE DRIVE ALIVE. SETS UP A FIELD GOAL BEFORE THE HALF LUCAS PARKER WILL PUT IT THROUGH FROM 38 YARDS OUT. RAMS WERE DOWN BY THREE AT THE HALF. THEY TIE IT UP AT 13 HEADING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER. BUT THAT’S WHEN THE DREADNAUGHTS JUST GO NUTS. FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON. LAKE MARY FALLS 32 TO 13. OSCEOLA WAS TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A LOSS AT HOME TO LAKE MARY. THEY WENT ON THE ROAD TO WINTER HAVEN TO OUR CHOPPER. TWO WAS HANGING OUT. SECOND QUARTER DRIVING AMARI RUTLAND ROLLING TO HIS RIGHT, KEEPING IT RUNNING IT DOWN THE SIDELINE BUT FINALLY SHOVED OUT RIGHT AROUND THE FIVE YARD LINE LATER IN THE DRIVE. NICE DESIGN HERE. JAKARI WATSON IN MOTION. TAKES THE HANDOFF AND JUST DRAGS A SLEW OF BLUE DEVILS INTO THE ENDZONE. IT WAS ALL COWBOYS WITH A K TONIGHT. THEY HAND WINTER HAVEN THEIR FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON. 46 TO 6. THE FINAL SCORE FREEDOM WAS HOSTING EDGEWATER TONIGHT IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AND THE PATRIOTS WELL THEY STRUGGLED TO GET MUCH OF ANYTHING GOING TONIGHT. DOWN THREE SCORES HERE. SCREEN PASS IS JUMPED. THAT IS. LEMOINE MONSANTO. HE IS ALL OVER IT. AND HE IS THROUGH THE FOG INTO THE END ZONE. 28 NOTHING AT THE BREAK. THE EAGLES WITH EASE OVER FREEDOM. THEY ARE UNBEATEN STILL 48 TO NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE. WELL IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL NIGHT UP IN SANFORD AS THE SEMINOLES RALLIED AROUND THEIR FORMER TEAMMATE ETHAN PRICHARD, NOW AN FSU SEMINOLE, SHOT SUNDAY SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS WE TOLD YOU EARLIER IN THE SHOW. BUT THE BOOSTER CLUB BACK HOME DECIDED TO SELL T SHIRTS WITH HIS NUMBER NINE ON IT TO HELP RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT HIM AND HIS FAMILY. AT $20 A POP SOLD MORE THAN 100 BEFORE KICKOFF EVEN BEGAN. YET BOCA, STRONG NUMBER NINE ON THE MINDS AS CARL CALHOUN AND THE NOLES PLAYED SOME INSPIRED FOOTBALL TONIGHT AGAINST THE LYMAN GREYHOUNDS, ALREADY UP A SCORE IN THE FIRST, ANTHONY GAVE THE THIRD IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. THE NOLES IN CONTROL STILL IN THE FIRST, GO BACK TO ANTHONY, GAVE THE THIRD FOR THE SECOND TIME IN LIKE 10S ON YOUR SCREEN, SEMINOLE SCORES AND IT’S THE SAME GUY THEY’RE CRUISING. SECOND QUARTER MORE ON THE GROUND. KHAMANI FREEMAN WILL MAKE IT 28 TO NOTHING. THE GROUND GAME WAS GREAT AGAINST THE GREYHOUNDS TONIGHT. ALL NOLES TONIGHT 55 NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE IN WINTER GARDEN. THE TITUSVILLE TERRIERS WERE IN TOWN. WEST ORANGE. THEY WERE NOT MESSING AROUND. PICK IT UP LATE. SECOND QUARTER ALREADY 42 SEVEN WEST ORANGE. THAT’S EDISON DELGADO GETS TAKEN DOWN AT THE ONE. IT JUST DELAYS THE INEVITABLE 48 SEVEN AT THE HALF. THIRD QUARTER. IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG FOR THEM TO SCORE AGAIN. YOUTUBE KAMERON JOHNSON IN ON THE OPTION. BREAKS LOOSE FOR A 79 YARD TOUCHDOWN. TERRIERS STILL FIGHTING LATE. LADARIUS FAISON WITH THE PICK SIX HERE. GOOD FOR THEM. FIGHT TO THE END. BUT IT IS WEST ORANGE WINNING THIS ONE 5421. THE FINAL SCORE NOT TOO FAR FROM THERE AT DOCTOR PHILLIPS. CAMERON WESTON, THE PANTHERS HOSTING THE APOPKA BLUE DARTERS. APOPKA STILL IN SEARCH OF THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. NICE PITCH AND CATCH HERE FROM WEST OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE. IN FOR THE SCORE. DEEP IN FRONT. EARLY SECOND QUARTER. WEST THIS TIME TO TORREY SCOTT. LOOK AT THE CONCENTRATION BALL TIPPED. HE REELS IT IN. TOUCHDOWN DARTERS TRYING TO GET BACK IN IT. BUT RAY TAYLOR WILL RIP DOWN THE INTERCEPTION HERE. APOPKA THE WOES CONTINUE. DOCTOR PHILLIPS BACK TO BACK. BIG TIME WINS 45 SEVEN. THE FINAL SCORE. LET’S GET BACK UP IN CHOPPER TWO TO THE AIR LIONS OF LAKE NONA LURING THE OCOEE KNIGHTS INTO A CLASH OF UNBEATENS TONIGHT. CHECK OUT MAYBE THE PLAY OF THE NIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS DRIVING DEEP IN THE RED ZONE. PHILLIPS GETS TO THE QUARTERBACK, KNOCKS IT FREE. AND LOOK AT CHARLES WOODSON. JUNIOR. YEAH SON OF HIS HALL OF FAMER. HE REELS IN THE LOOSE BALL. TAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE MAKING DAD PROUD. IT’S NOT ENOUGH THOUGH. OCOEE ESCAPES THE ONE POINT WIN 1413. THE FINAL SCORE. OCOEE HEADED TO DOCTOR PHILLIPS NEXT WEEK. SCORES FROM AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA. LET’S TAKE A LOOK. SOME BIG SCORES ON THAT BOARD TONIGHT. BOONE TOPS OLYMPIA 42 TO 6. TIMBER CREEK SHUTS OUT EAST RIVER ON THE ROAD. 35 TO NOTHING MORE. SCORES FROM AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE VILLAGES TAKES DOWN SOUTH LAKE 3426 AND LAKE BUENA VISTA GETS A BIG WIN.
Scores across Central Florida Game of the WeekDeLand 57, Merritt Island 51You Pick 2 Poll GameLake Brantley 47, Oviedo 37Other scores: Oasis Christian 44, Legacy Charter 0 Edgewater 48, Freedom 0 West Orange 54, Titusville 21 St. Cloud 41, Poinciana 12 Hagerty 49, Tohopekaliga 20Windermere 61, Colonial 0 East Ridge 51, Davenport 6 Dr. Phillips 45, Apopka 7 Ocoee 14, Lake Nona 13 Osceola 46, Winter Haven 6 Lakeland 32, Lake Mary 13Lake Region 8, Celebration 7 Haines City 19, Lake Minneola 12Bishop Moore 34, Bartow 25Matanzas 40, Deltona 14 Eau Gallie 16, Heritage 12 Vero Beach 38, Cocoa 3Melbourne 34, Orange City University 16Mainland 28, Flagler Palm Coast 7 Horizon 52, Wekiva 0Innovation 10, Leesburg 3
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a lawsuit against textbook publishers on Tuesday. DeSantis said the lawsuit was filed against McGraw-Hill LLC and Savvas Learning Company LLC. They were accused of systematically overcharging Florida school districts for instructional materials in violation of state law. DeSantis was joined by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Anastasios Kamoutsas, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education. >> The story will be updated.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a lawsuit against textbook publishers on Tuesday.
DeSantis said the lawsuit was filed against McGraw-Hill LLC and Savvas Learning Company LLC.
They were accused of systematically overcharging Florida school districts for instructional materials in violation of state law.
DeSantis was joined by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Anastasios Kamoutsas, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly two months ago, a Florida woman was captured on video being carjacked at an intersection near Winter Springs, leading detectives to investigate her homicide.
Since then, investigators have discovered that several other criminal cases are somehow tied to this carjacking, raising even more questions about why it happened.
Due to the growing number of people who have become embroiled in the investigation, News 6 has created the following list to keep them in order.
Below is a rundown of these figures and their relation to the carjacking based on information from law enforcement.
KATHERINE AGUASVIVAS —VICTIM
Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31 (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
Katherine Aguasvivas is the victim in this case.
On April 11, she left her home in Homestead and drove to Seminole County. A green Acura began ramming her vehicle about a half-mile before she reached the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road near Winter Springs.
After Aguasvivas stopped at a red light, a masked gunman approached her white Dodge Durango while pointing a gun at her. He then got into the back seat before both vehicles pulled away.
[WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE CARJACKING BY CLICKING IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW]
Court records show that Aguasvivas was ordered at gunpoint to turn around again and head to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee, where she was ultimately set on fire in the Durango and fatally shot.
The Durango was found badly damaged by the fire later that evening in Osceola County, and Aguasvivas’ body was found inside.
A photo shows a torched white Dodge Durango driven by Katherine Aguasvivas. (Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)
Lemma told News 6 that Aguasvivas spent less than an hour in Seminole County, and his deputies had no knowledge of her living, doing business, or being in the county before this incident.
Her husband told deputies she was there to visit family. However, deputies were unable to find any relatives in the area at this point.
Instead, investigators later discovered that Aguasvivas had been in Casselberry to meet another man — Giovany Crespo Hernandez, 27 — to retrieve $170,000 in proceeds from illicit drug trafficking.
After driving from his home with the money, Crespo Hernandez and three other men conspired to rob her of the money, leading to the fatal carjacking, investigators later announced.
MIGUEL AGUASVIVAS —VICTIM’S HUSBAND
Miguel Aguasvivas is Katherine Aguasvivas’ husband. The pair owned two businesses in South Florida: a barber shop and a beauty salon.
After Katherine Aguasvivas was rammed by the green Acura, she called her husband, who reportedly told her not to stop.
After investigators found the body believed to be Katherine Aguasvivas, they called her brother and Miguel Aguasvivas to be interviewed. The two agreed to travel from Homestead to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office the next day.
Upon their arrival, Miguel Aguasvivas provided his cell phone and allowed detectives to search the device.
However, during the search, investigators discovered that Miguel Aguasvivas had been in contact with an Orange County deputy regarding the investigation.
On April 23, Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced that Miguel Aguasvivas was no longer cooperating with the investigation.
FRANCISCO ALBERTO ESTRELLA CHICON—ORANGE COUNTY DEPUTY
Photo of Francisco Estrella, 33, included in the affidavit for arrest warrant (Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)
Francisco Estrella Chicon is an Orange County deputy who became involved in this case thanks to Miguel Aguasvivas, the sheriff said.
After the discovery of Katherine Aguasvivas’ body, Estrella Chicon called one of the detectives in the case while using the pseudonym “Francisco Archuela,” according to investigators.
He claimed to be Katherine Aguasvivas’ cousin and repeatedly tried to get more details about the case from the detective. He was told it was an active investigation and that such information couldn’t be released, according to the sheriff.
While searching Miguel Aguasvivas’ phone, investigators discovered that Estrella Chicon and Miguel Aguasvivas had been sharing information about that detective, and Estrella Chicon had shared a video recording of their conversation with Miguel Aguasvivas, investigators said.
In addition, they said they found evidence that Estrella Chicon had used a law enforcement database to pull up personal information about the detective.
As such, Estrella Chicon was arrested. Four days afterward, Estrella Chicon was granted a $15,000 bond and released from jail.
Lemma later discussed Estrella Chicon’s arrest, revealing that Katherine Aguasvivas’ brother and Miguel Aguasvivas had called a mutual childhood friend — who just so happened to be Estrella Chicon’s wife.
MONICSABEL ROMERO-SOTO — DRUG SUSPECT’S GIRLFRIEND
Monicsabel Romero-Soto (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
While not directly related to the carjacking, Monicsabel Romero-Soto was arrested in a separate case involving a possible drug ring.
Investigators said they intercepted a package of cocaine via USPS that had been addressed to a St. Cloud home from Puerto Rico.
During a sting operation, Homeland Security personnel arrested Romero-Soto after she picked up the parcel at the home where it was delivered.
It was later found that Romero-Soto lived in Casselberry, and her boyfriend — Giovany Crespo Hernandez — was involved in a Central Florida drug ring, according to investigators.
Seminole County deputies executed a search warrant at Romero Soto’s home, where they said they found several thousands of dollars, drug ledgers, multiple cell phones, high-value stolen jewelry and firearms.
Detectives said that $13,701 cash, narcotics, and stolen high-value jewelry were found at Romero’s home. (U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida)
Alongside those items were several narcotics, including fentanyl, cannabis and other drug paraphernalia, detectives said.
GIOVANY CRESPO HERNANDEZ — SUSPECTED RINGLEADER
Giovany Crespo Hernandez (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
Romero-Soto’s boyfriend, Giovany Crespo Hernandez, was arrested on fentanyl possession charges days after Lemma announced in a news conference that authorities were searching for him.
Crespo Hernandez is believed to be the last person whom Katherine Aguasvivas spoke to. Lemma said those details were courtesy of the victim’s brother, who had apparently been investigating on his own.
Lemma said the brother didn’t recognize Crespo Hernandez, but he called him, took a screenshot of him, and gave that to detectives.
Detectives discovered Katherine Aguasvivas drove to Casselberry to meet with Crespo Hernandez, which prompted the search of his and Romero-Soto’s home.
In court documents released on Thursday, investigators said that Crespo Hernandez was responsible for arranging the robbery and carjacking to retrieve the $170,000 from Katherine Aguasvivas.
Crespo Hernandez is charged with carjacking, kidnapping and the use of a firearm — all of which resulted in Katherine Aguasvivas’ death.
JORDANISH TORRES-GARCIA — SUSPECTED GUNMAN
Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, was arrested on Friday in Seminole County. (SCSO)
Jordanish Torres-Garcia is the man whom investigators said held Katherine Aguasvivas at gunpoint during the carjacking.
Investigators said he conspired with Crespo Hernandez to rob Katherine Aguasvivas of the $170,000 she received, and he was spotted at a gas station with another suspect buying lighter fluid shortly before the carjacking took place.
Investigators said that Torres-Garcia and Ocasio Justiniano were caught on surveillance footage at a local gas station. (Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)
He was arrested by U.S. Marshals at a business in Orange County over a week after Katherine Aguasvivas’ body was found.
Lemma said his detectives had evidence Torres-Garcia bought the green Acura used in the carjacking on April 11.
They believe the same car was also seen at another homicide the day before, which involved a tow truck driver being gunned down in Orange County.
Torres-Garcia’s Facebook profile picture shows him wearing the same sweatshirt as the masked gunman during the carjacking, according to Lemma.
After his initial arrest in April, he was held in custody because he was wanted on gun charges out of Puerto Rico.
Court documents obtained by News 6 show Torres-Garcia was charged in federal court in 2015 after police searched an apartment where he was living and seized multiple guns and ammunition.
According to the documents, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Records show Torres-Garcia was released from Coleman Federal Prison in Sumter County in October 2023.
He was instructed to report to the Casa Alborada Residential Reentry Center in Puerto Rico, but according to court documents, he never showed up.
A federal judge issued a warrant for his arrest in March, but he was not caught until law enforcement took him into custody on April 19.
When Torres-Garcia was arrested by Homeland Security in 2015, a records check revealed he had been convicted of a crime before.
Court records show Torres-Garcia also has a criminal history in Orange County.
Torres-Garcia is charged with carjacking, kidnapping and the use of a firearm — all of which resulted in Katherine Aguasvivas’ death.
KEVIN OCASIO JUSTINIANO — SUSPECTED DRIVER
28 year-old Kevin Ocasio Justiniano, also referred to as “Kevo” (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
Kevin Ocasio Justiniano — also known as “Kevo” — is another suspect in the armed carjacking case.
Investigators said Ocasio Justiniano was the driver in the green Acura, and he drove to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee alongside Katherine Aguasvivas in her Durango as she was held at gunpoint by Torres-Garcia.
After arriving there, Ocasio Justiniano then met with a fourth suspect to receive a firearm, which was used to shoot Katherine Aguasvivas after she was doused in lighter fluid, investigators added.
According to Lemma, a red Toyota Corolla was seen at the apartment complex where the green Acura was dropped off, and it picked up the occupants of the Acura after they finished cleaning off the Acura.
Lemma added that Ocasio Justiniano is believed to be the driver of the Corolla at that time.
Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced that Kevin Ocasio Justiniano is believed to have driven a red Corolla that was seen picking up the occupants of the green Acura at the apartment complex where the Acura was previously towed away. (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
Ocasio Justiniano is charged with carjacking, kidnapping and the use of a firearm — all of which resulted in Katherine Aguasvivas’ death.
DERECK RODRIGUEZ BONILLA — FOURTH SUSPECT
Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla is the fourth man arrested in this case, and his arrest was revealed in court documents released on Thursday.
Investigators said Rodriguez Bonilla — along with Ocasio Justiniano — was recruited by Torres-Garcia to help with the robbery and carjacking.
After Katherine Aguasvivas was forced to drive to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee at gunpoint, Ocasio Justiniano met with Rodriguez Bonilla to receive a firearm, investigators added.
That firearm was ultimately used to kill Katherine Aguasvivas before her body was burned in the Durango.
However, Rodriguez Bonilla later “falsely denied” providing the weapon, court records show. Instead, he claimed that he went to Kissimmee that day to loan $80 to Torres-Garcia.
Rodriguez Bonilla is charged with carjacking, kidnapping and the use of a firearm — all of which resulted in Katherine Aguasvivas’ death.
Anyone with more information about the case is urged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office or the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
Alternatively, tips can be made anonymously through Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
For a day-to-day timeline of events as this story unfolds, click here.
Starting on Tuesday morning, law enforcement swarmed a home in a St. Cloud neighborhood just east of Canoe Creek Road.A man who neighbors say was known as “Santa” was arrested in a Homeland Security raid as part of a child pornography investigation.Neighbors told WESH 2 they saw up to 30 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies swarm a house on Countryside View Drive around 10 a.m. on Tuesday. At the time, officials would not confirm the nature of the raid.Neighbors say they saw a body being removed from the house and the Orange County Medical Examiner confirmed to WESH 2 that they responded to a “death call” at the home. Records filed in federal court show the target was 79-year-old James Cox and another man in the home, Henry Cox, who neighbors told WESH 2 is the elder Cox’s son. James Cox is in the Seminole County jail. St. Cloud police say Henry Cox was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in the home on Tuesday. A criminal complaint against James Cox says the investigation began with a cyber-tip about child pornography being uploaded from the family’s home. It says St. Cloud police searched the house in January and found several hard drives with images and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited.Detectives say they also found videos that appear to have been recorded secretly that showed young children using the bathroom and changing clothes. At least two of the victims appear to be kids who live in the same neighborhood as Cox.The complaint alleges Henry Cox produced some of the pornography, while the elder Cox uploaded it. “You just don’t think it’s going to be so close to your house, and having four girls myself, it’s a little unsettling,” Emily Jenkins, who lives nearby, said. “I think it confirms that we can’t be restful and let our kids play outside. It’s always play in the backyard now. It’s not like it used to be.”
ST. CLOUD, Fla. —
Starting on Tuesday morning, law enforcement swarmed a home in a St. Cloud neighborhood just east of Canoe Creek Road.
A man who neighbors say was known as “Santa” was arrested in a Homeland Security raid as part of a child pornography investigation.
Neighbors told WESH 2 they saw up to 30 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies swarm a house on Countryside View Drive around 10 a.m. on Tuesday. At the time, officials would not confirm the nature of the raid.
Neighbors say they saw a body being removed from the house and the Orange County Medical Examiner confirmed to WESH 2 that they responded to a “death call” at the home.
Records filed in federal court show the target was 79-year-old James Cox and another man in the home, Henry Cox, who neighbors told WESH 2 is the elder Cox’s son.
James Cox is in the Seminole County jail. St. Cloud police say Henry Cox was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in the home on Tuesday.
A criminal complaint against James Cox says the investigation began with a cyber-tip about child pornography being uploaded from the family’s home. It says St. Cloud police searched the house in January and found several hard drives with images and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited.
Detectives say they also found videos that appear to have been recorded secretly that showed young children using the bathroom and changing clothes. At least two of the victims appear to be kids who live in the same neighborhood as Cox.
The complaint alleges Henry Cox produced some of the pornography, while the elder Cox uploaded it.
“You just don’t think it’s going to be so close to your house, and having four girls myself, it’s a little unsettling,” Emily Jenkins, who lives nearby, said. “I think it confirms that we can’t be restful and let our kids play outside. It’s always play in the backyard now. It’s not like it used to be.”
