November 27, 2003
Wisconsin man wounded during armed robbery
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Shark Key – A man who recently arrived in
the Keys from Wisconsin drove himself to the hospital early today (Thursday)
after being shot during an apparent armed robbery attempt.
The victim told Deputy Tom Walker he had parked his
motorcycle just north of the Shark Key boat ramp at 5 a.m. when a small,
dark colored car pulled up beside him. Thinking the occupants might want
directions, the victim approached the passenger side of the car and bent
down to see inside the window. The driver, described as a man with a “Latin
accent” demanded the victim’s wallet and motorcycle keys. The victim said
when he protested, he saw the passenger make a motion, and heard an
explosion sounding like a gun shot. He then realized he’d been wounded. The
car fled northbound on the highway. The only further description the victim
could give was the car had a loud muffler and a Florida tag from Dade
County.
The victim drove himself to the hospital, where he
reported the incident to a Key West Police Officer working a detail at the
Emergency Room. The case was then turned over to Deputy Walker from the
Sheriff’s Office for further investigation. The victim was treated for a
gunshot wound on the left side of his neck and he was released.
Anyone with information about this case should contact
the Sheriff’s Office immediately. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can
call Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys. If a tip leads to an arrest, the
caller would be eligible for a cash reward. The Crime Stoppers hot line
number is 1-800-346-TIPS.
Teen charged with burglary to business
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Little Torch Key – A 17 year old Little
Torch Key boy has been charged with burglarizing the store at the Dolphin
Marina in October.
The victim, who manages the store, discovered the break
in October 28th at 7 a.m. and called the Sheriff’s Office.
According to reports by Deputy David Chavka, someone broke in through a
window and stole cigarettes, cigarette lighters and three cans of a Nestle
Chocolate drink.
Detective Manny Cuervo and Crime Scene Investigator Gary
McCullough were assigned to the case. Investigations revealed that 17 year
old Kevin Doyle was a possible suspect. Doyle’s bicycle was found in bushes
near the store, and three empty Nestle Chocolate cans were found next to the
bike. It was later discovered that he had several lighters in his bedroom
matching those stolen during the burglary. Detective Cuervo also found a
witness who told him Doyle had bragged about breaking in to the Marina and
stealing cigarettes.
Detective Cuervo obtained a warrant for the arrest of
Doyle, who was picked up Wednesday and charged with burglary. He was booked
at the Monroe County Detention Center and turned over to the custody of the
Department of Juvenile Justice.
Stock Island man charged with burglary of a restaurant freezer
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Stock Island – A Stock Island man was
arrested Wednesday, charged with stealing a box of frozen Conch from the
freezer of a Stock Island Restaurant.
Deputy Mark Long was called to the Rusty Anchor
Restaurant November 19th to a report of someone stealing a box of
Conch. He met with a witness who told him she went to the walk in freezer in
back of the restaurant to get some pies and she saw a man leaving, carrying
a box of Conch. When he saw her, she said he began to run. She reported the
incident to the restaurant owner.
The box of Conch was found a short distance away, hidden
in some bushes. The value of the Conch is reported to be $250.00.
Detective Donald Catala was assigned to investigate the
case. During the course of his investigation, he received information that
52 year old Larry Wells might be the suspect in the case. He showed the
witness a photo line-up which included a picture of Wells. The witness
identified Wells as the man she saw stealing the Conch.
On Wednesday, Detective Catala found Wells, who was
incarcerated at the Monroe County Detention Center. Wells was in jail after
being arrested Tuesday on trespassing and weapon possession charges. Wells
was further charged with burglary of the restaurant.
November 26, 2003
Search warrant leads to drug arrest
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Stock Island – A search warrant, executed
at a Stock Island residence Tuesday night, led to the arrest of a man for
possessing crack cocaine.
At 7:15 p.m., Detectives from the Sheriff’s Special
Investigations Division served the search warrant at a residence on 3rd
Avenue, at the Wilson Apartments on Stock Island. The warrant was obtained
after numerous complaints were received by the Sheriff’s Office about
possible drug activity at that location, and after an investigation of those
complaints.
41 year old Thomas Yeatts, was arrested after detectives
found crack cocaine in his hat and drug paraphernalia inside his residence.
Yeatts was booked into the Monroe County Detention Center.
Teen charged with auto burglary
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Stock Island – A 17 year old Stock Island
boy was arrested on a warrant after a man caught him burglarizing his truck.
According to reports by Deputy Tom Walker, the victim
walked out of his home on 6th Avenue at 5 a.m. November 13th
and caught 17 year old Martin Martinez going through his truck. When he
confronted Martinez, the boy threw coins in his face, then ran.
The victim told Deputy Walker he recognized the boy and
had seen him hanging around the area before. He was able to identify him
from photographs.
A warrant was obtained for Martinez’ arrest. He was
taken into custody on burglary charges Tuesday afternoon. He was booked at
the Monroe County Detention Center.
November 25, 2003
Sugarloaf Middle School student charged with making false bomb threat
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Sugarloaf Key – A 13 year old Big Pine boy
was arrested Monday, charged with writing a false bomb threat on the wall of
the boy’s bathroom in the Sugarloaf Middle School building.
The bomb threat was discovered Friday afternoon.
Students of the school were evacuated and the school was searched. No bomb
was found. On Monday, interviews were done with several students who said
they heard 13 year old Mark Thompson say he was going to make a bomb threat
because he didn’t want to take a test in fourth period. Another student said
Thompson admitted to him that he made the bomb threat.
Thompson was arrested and charged with making a false
bomb threat Monday and he was booked at the Monroe County Detention Center.
Dive gear found; believed to belong to missing Massachusetts diver
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Islamorada – Dive gear believed to belong
to a missing Massachusetts diver was recovered by a lobster fisherman
Saturday.
28 year old Osmani Cuellar was fishing off shore of
Islamorada Saturday when he found a buoyancy compensator, regulator, scuba
tanks and a dive computer. He brought them to shore and took them home. He
was beginning to clean them when he remembered the missing diver and decided
to call the Sheriff’s Office.
Detective James Norman called the husband of 29 year old
Tatyana Smirnov of Farmingham, Massachusetts. He described her dive
equipment in detail, and, based on the husband’s descriptions, it appears
the dive equipment found Saturday does match hers.
Smirnov disappeared November 9th after a dive
at Crocker Reef. She was one of 13 divers on board the dive boat “Tropic
Vista”. She was diving with a buddy at the time of her disappearance. The
dive buddy, 35 year old Alexei Elinson, also of Massachusetts, said the two
of them were diving in approximately 40 feet of water late in the afternoon.
He said they surfaced to check the location of the dive boat, and realized
it was time to return to the boat. He said they began swimming back and he
got a little ahead of Smirnov. He looked back to check on her and could not
locate her. He then realized he was too far from the boat to make it back on
his own.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the dive boat reported the two
missing divers. The Coast Guard responded, along with officers from the Fish
and Wildlife Commission and the Sheriff’s Night Star helicopter. Elinson was
found floating, in good condition a short time later. There was no sign of
Smirnov. Her body has still not been recovered.
November 21, 2003
Search warrant leads to drug arrest
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Marathon – A search warrant served at a
Marathon residence early today (Friday) led to the arrest of a Marathon man.
Sheriff’s detectives from the Special Investigations
Division say the investigation into drug activity at the 96th
Street residence has been a lengthy one. On Friday morning at 4:41 a.m., a
search warrant was served at #292 on the Oceanside of that street. Inside
the house, detectives found a felony amount of marijuana. They also seized
drug paraphernalia and almost $5,000.00 in cash.
31 year old Guillermo Aryan was arrested for possession
of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Monroe County
Detention Center.
Assisting with service of the search warrant was the
Sheriff’s Criminal Investigative Unit and a K-9 team from U.S. Border
Patrol.
Man charged with making a destructive device
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Key Largo – A man, arrested November 9th
for aggravated assault and discharging a firearm in public has been further
charged with making destructive devices.
34 year old David Gilliland, of Islamorada, was arrested
after he and his son discharged a handgun and a shotgun during a dispute
with four teenagers over money. The dispute took place the night of November
9th in the vicinity of the 99 mile marker of Highway U.S. One.
Detective Mark Coleman said at the time of that arrest,
they found several beer bottles filled with a flammable liquid with a piece
of rag stuffed in the top. Devices such as this are sometimes called Molotov
Cocktails. Further investigation revealed that Gilliland, Sr. was the one
who manufactured these devices.
A warrant was obtained for his arrest and he was charged
with the warrant today (Friday). He was booked into the Monroe County
Detention Center.
November 20, 2003
Big Coppitt Key man arrested for kidnapping, aggravated assault
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Big Coppitt Key – A Big Coppitt Key man
was arrested early today (Thursday), charged with kidnapping a woman at
gunpoint.
The victim told Deputy John Gabay she and a friend were
drinking beer with 30 year old Alexei Sanchez at 12:45 a.m. in the vicinity
of Barcelona Drive on Big Coppitt Key. She said they ran out of beer, so
they all got into Sanchez’ car to get some more. As they were driving to the
store, Sanchez told the victim, “You are my new girlfriend now.” The comment
made the victim uncomfortable, so when they returned to Barcelona Drive, the
two women walked away from him, joining another group of people down the
street.
Sanchez drove up to the group the two women were with.
He asked one person in the group, “How come she doesn’t want to be with me?”
He then pulled out a gun and pointed at the victim, ordering her into the
car. She said she complied because she was afraid he’d kill her if she
didn’t. Sanchez drove away with her. Her friend then called the Sheriff’s
Office to report the incident.
Deputy Gabay arrived and the friend showed him Sanchez’
residence, on Avenue C, Big Coppitt Key. The deputy walked around the house
and looked in a French door. He saw the victim, naked on a bed with the
suspect. She told the deputy he forced her to get undressed at gunpoint.
Sanchez was arrested, charged with kidnapping and
aggravated assault. The gun he allegedly threatened her with was found in
his car. It turned out to be a BB gun which looked just like a real handgun.
Big Pine Key man charged with drug possession
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Big Pine Key – Deputies responding to an
attempted suicide call found drugs in plain view in a Big Pine Key home. A
search later revealed more illegal drugs.
Deputy Jennifer LaScala responded to the Cedar Lane
residence to reports that a woman had attempted suicide by taking pills.
When she arrived, she saw a white powder resembling cocaine on the dining
room table. A test revealed it was, indeed, cocaine. Deputy LaScala called
for a medical unit to check on the woman’s condition and she called for
assistance from Sheriff’s Special Investigations detectives, who responded
to the scene.
The detectives asked 48 year old Ivan Eaton for
permission to search the residence. Eaton gave written consent to search.
The search revealed cocaine, marijuana, and a variety of pills including
methadone, Oxycontin, Ambien and Xanex. Also found was drug paraphernalia
and almost $10,000 in cash.
Eaton was arrested and charged with possession of a
controlled substance, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and
possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Monroe County
Detention Center. The woman was checked out by paramedics, but refused
further medical treatment.
November 18, 2003
Search warrant leads to cocaine arrest
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Stock Island – A Stock Island man was
arrested Monday afternoon after 30 grams of powdered cocaine were found in
his apartment.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Special Investigation
Division received information that 54 year old Antonio Morales was in
possession of illegal narcotics. They obtained a search warrant for his
apartment, located on 6th Street, Stock Island. At 5:40 p.m., the
warrant was served with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Special Weapons and
Tactics Team. A search of the residence turned up 30 grams of cocaine in the
bedroom.
Morales was arrested and charged with trafficking in
cocaine. He was booked into the Monroe County Detention Center.
Key Largo man charged with burglary, aggravated battery
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Plantation Key – A Key Largo man who broke
into a house and a car and ran into a woman with his car was arrested by
Sheriff’s deputies Friday.
According to the victim, she was staying with a friend
at a house in Venetian Shores when 44 year old Steven Wozeniak called her
and said he was coming over. According to Deputy David Minor she and
Wozeniak have a child together, but are not married and have never lived
together. The victim told him not to come to the house, but he showed up
anyway. She refused to open the door, so he forced his way in through a
sliding glass door, breaking the lock in the process. The two argued, and
Wozeniak refused to leave when ordered to do so.
The owner of the property then showed up and also
ordered him out of the house, but he refused to go. He finally left the
house and broke into a car belonging to the victim. He took her backpack and
a child seat that was in the car and put them in his vehicle. He got into
his car to leave and the victim stood in front of it, attempting to retrieve
her belongings. Wozeniak ran into her leg with the car as he was driving
away.
Deputies stopped him at the 96 mile marker of the
highway. Wozeniak was arrested and charged with two counts of burglary,
theft and aggravated battery. He was taken to jail.
Theft of custom made French doors leads to arrest
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Tavernier - A Tavernier man was arrested
Friday, charged with stealing two sets of custom made French doors from a
construction site on Burton Drive in Tavernier.
The theft took place October 16th. When
workers showed up at the site to install the doors, they realized they were
missing, along with some scaffolding. According to Deputy Eric Christensen,
the doors were distinctive – they were eight feet tall with unusual green
glass in them. They are valued at $6,000.00.
On November 2nd, Deputy Don Dalton received
information from the site’s contractor that the doors had been located
behind a house at the end of Ocean Drive and were being installed at that
house. Detective David Carey was assigned to the case and contacted the
Islamorada Building Department and discovered no building permit had been
issued for that home. He went with a building inspector to the house and
located the doors there.
The owner of the house said he bought the doors from 35
year old Sergio Yero for $1,500.00.
A warrant was obtained for Yero and on November 14th,
he was arrested. He was booked into the Monroe County Detention Center on
charges of burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.
November 13, 2003
Two men arrested for drugs after search of Key Largo residence
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Key Largo – Detectives from the Sheriff’s
Special Investigations Division arrested two men after a search of a Key
Largo residence turned up large amounts of marijuana.
Undercover operatives purchased marijuana four times
from 23 year old Steve Walters prior to obtaining the search warrant. On
Wednesday evening, another purchase of the drug was arranged, and when
Walters went into the house on Buttonwood Avenue in Key Largo to retrieve
the marijuana he was going to sell, they served the warrant at the
residence.
The owner of the home, 40 year old Richard Marr was also
present inside when the warrant was served. Marijuana was found all over the
house, as well as in the pockets of both men. A total of 122 grams of
marijuana were found, along with various items of drug paraphernalia,
including smoking pipes, a scale, empty plastic bags and a grinder with
marijuana residue inside and rolling papers.
Walters was arrested and charged with possession of
marijuana and with four warrants for sale of marijuana. Marr was arrested
for possession of marijuana with intent to sell and with possession of drug
paraphernalia. They were booked into the Monroe County Detention Center.
November 10, 2003
Diver missing off of Islamorada
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Islamorada – A diver is missing off the
upper Keys after going out on a commercial dive vessel Sunday off of
Islamorada.
29 year old Tatyana Smirnov of Farmingham, Massachusetts
was one of 13 divers on board the dive boat “Tropic Vista” Sunday afternoon.
She was diving with a buddy at the time of her disappearance. The dive
buddy, 35 year old Alexei Elinson, also of Massachusetts said the two of
them were diving in approximately 40 feet of water late in the afternoon
Sunday at Crocker Reef. He said they surfaced to check the location of the
dive boat, and realized it was time to return to the boat. He said they
began swimming back and he got a little ahead of Smirnov. He looked back to
check on her and could not locate her. He then realized he was too far from
the boat to make it back on his own.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the dive boat reported two
missing divers. The Coast Guard responded, along with officers from the Fish
and Wildlife Commission and the Sheriff’s Night Star helicopter. Elinson was
found floating, in good condition. There was no sign of Smirnov. Searchers
have returned to the area today, but so far have not found her.
Restaurant employee robbed, tied up
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Key Largo – An employee at Arby’s
Restaurant in Key Largo told detectives she was robbed at gunpoint Sunday
morning when she opened the restaurant just after 6 a.m.
The victim said she walked in the restaurant, and turned
on the lights. She said suddenly, she felt the gun against her cheek and a
person behind her. He ordered her to open the safe, ordered her to lie on
the ground, then tied her hands and feet. He stole items from the safe,
along with her keys to the restaurant, then fled.
When Deputies Andrew Leird and Luis Garcia arrived, they
saw the employee inside the restaurant, hopping around with her arms and
legs still tied. They found the back door of the building unlocked, entered
and untied her. A search of the area failed to find the suspect.
The victim said the man who robbed her was a black male,
approximately five feet ten inches tall, 160 pounds wearing a dark long
sleeved shirt, pants and gloves.
Detective Larry O’Neill is investigating. Anyone with
information about this case should contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately
at 853-3211. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers of
the Florida Keys. If a tip leads to an arrest, the caller would be eligible
for a cash reward. The Crime Stoppers hot line number is 1-800-346-TIPS.
Father and son arrested for shooting guns during possible drug dispute
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Key Largo – A father and son from
Islamorada have been arrested, charged with shooting guns at four teens
during an argument about drugs.
According to the four victims, they went to the area
behind Ganim’s Restaurant at the 99 mile marker Sunday night at 9 p.m. to
meet with 34 year old David Gilliland and his 16 year old son, David, Jr.
The victims said they thought they were just going to talk about a dispute
they were having over money the Gilliland’s claim is owed to them. The money
had something to do with a drug dispute, but the victims would not be more
specific about the details of the dispute.
When the victim’s arrived for the meeting, they said
Gilliland Sr. pulled out a shotgun and began shooting into the air. The son
reportedly pulled out a handgun and began firing it at a car belonging to
one of the victims.
Residents in the area heard the shots fired and called
Sheriff’s Office dispatchers to report it. When Deputies Jim Ford and Luis
Garcia arrived, they found the victims and some witnesses still on the
scene. A search of the area failed to turn up the suspects, but
investigations did reveal evidence that guns had been fired and witnesses
corroborated the victim’s story about what happened.
The case was turned over to Detective Mark Coleman for
further investigation. He was able to contact Gilliland, Sr. and convinced
him to come to the Plantation Key Substation for an interview on Sunday
afternoon. After that interview, Gilliland was arrested. His son turned
himself in Monday morning.
Both the father and son were charged with four counts of
aggravated assault, discharging a firearm in public and improper exhibition
of a firearm. The father was also charged with furnishing a firearm to a
minor and with an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court
reference driving with license suspended. The father was booked in to jail
and the son was turned over to the custody of the Department of Juvenile
Justice.
Investigations are continuing.
Tavernier woman reports robbery
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Key Largo – A Tavernier woman told
deputies she was robbed Saturday evening as she was walking home from the
vicinity of the Holiday Inn in Key Largo.
The victim said she got into an argument with her
boyfriend at about 7 p.m. and decided to walk home. As she was walking near
the 98.9 mile marker of the highway, she said she was hit in the head and
knocked to the ground by two men who stole a bag she was carrying with a
credit card and cash inside.
The victim said her attackers were a Hispanic male and a
Black male. She was unable to give any further description. Detectives are
investigating.
November 6, 2003
Three upper Keys teens charged with beating Islamorada man
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Islamorada – Three upper Keys teens have
bee arrested, charged with beating an Islamorada man and sending him to the
hospital with a broken arm and head injuries.
The 39 year old victim said on October 16th, he heard
glass breaking outside his apartment in Islamorada. When he walked outside
to check on it, he was attacked by three teenagers, one of whom had a
baseball bat. The three boys hit him repeatedly, including hitting him
several times with the bat. They then fled the area.
When Deputy Joe Moran and Sgt. Tim Hurd arrived, they
found the victim outside, bleeding from a head wound and with several other
injuries in evidence on his body. There was also blood drops leading into
his apartment, and blood on the wall of the apartment as well. The victim
was transported to Mariner’s Hospital where x-rays revealed a broken left
arm, a severely sprained right arm and several injuries to his head. He was
able to tell deputies who the boys were who attacked him. He said he thought
they might have attacked him because he owed money to the mother of one of
them.
After extensive investigation, Detective David Carey
obtained warrants for the arrest of the three teens. 18 year old Donald
Jones, 16 year old Andrew Jones and 17 year old Zachary McKeown were all
placed under arrest Wednesday for Aggravated Battery. The two Jones brothers
received a second charge of principle in the first degree ref. aggravated
battery. Donald Jones was booked into the Monroe County Detention Center and
the other two were turned over to the custody of the Department of Juvenile
Justice.
Detectives looking for information about business burglaries
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Key Largo – Detectives are looking for
information about two business burglaries which have taken place recently in
the upper Keys.
On October 23rd the Family Dollar Store in
Key Largo was burglarized. The manager of the store said he locked up the
store as usual on the night of the 22nd. When he returned the
following day, he found someone had broken into the safe, stealing the
contents. They also ransacked the office and damaged the alarm box in the
business.
On October 31st, deputies responded to the
South West Discount Store in Key Largo to reports of a break in. When they
arrived, they found someone had removed the rear door of the business and
had stolen the safe from inside, as well as numerous cartons of cigarettes
and other items.
Detectives do not believe the two crimes are connected.
They do need help from anyone with information about the two incidents.
Anyone who knows anything which might be related to these two burglaries can
call the Sheriff’s Office at 853-3211. Callers who wish to remain anonymous
can call Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys. If a tip leads to an arrest,
the caller would be eligible for a cash reward. The Crime Stoppers hot line
number is 1-800-346-TIPS.
November 5, 2003
Woman found dead of apparent self inflicted gunshot wound
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Big Coppitt Key – A Big Coppitt Key woman
was found dead this morning of what appears to be a self inflicted gun shot
would to her chest.
46 year old Nancy Rossell was found dead in her car at
9:20 a.m. The car was parked in front of her apartment on Big Coppitt Key. A
suicide note was found with her body. She appeared to have only been dead
for a short time.
An autopsy will be done tomorrow to determine the exact
cause of her death, but detectives say there is nothing immediately obvious
at the scene which would indicate the death is anything but suicide.
The investigation is continuing.
November 4, 2003
Marathon teen arrested for knife threats
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Marathon – An 18 year old Marathon man was
arrested Monday on an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault. He’s
accused of threatening another teen with a knife at a football game in
Marathon October 23rd.
18 year old Keino Segree was arrested on the outstanding
warrant at Marathon High School Monday morning. At the time of his arrest,
he was found to be armed with a pocket knife, located in the front pocket of
his shorts. He was booked into the Monroe County Detention Center for
aggravated assault and for possessing a knife on school grounds.
According to the victim, a 16 year old student at the
school, Segree threatened to cut him with a knife when he asked Segree to
move his leg so he could get by him in the bleachers at the game. The victim
said over the course of at least 15 minutes, Segree repeatedly threatened
him, at one point removing a knife from his pocket, opening it and telling
the victim he would cut him with it.
Witnesses corroborated the victim’s statements about the
threats.
Bond on the outstanding warrant is set at $10,000.00.
Fort Lauderdale man charged with gun threats
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Key Largo – A Fort Lauderdale man is in
jail charged with threatening to kill two women on board his boat, docked at
a Key Largo marina.
80 year old Sam Rhodes is accused of threatening to kill
the two women, then shooting a gun into the air to emphasize the threats.
One of the victim’s told Deputy Greg LaRochelle she and her girlfriend met
Rhodes at the Tiki Bar at Gilbert’s Marina. He reportedly invited them back
to his yacht at 10:30 p.m. Monday. Once on board the vessel, she said he
“went crazy”, took out a gun and threatened them, then fired the gun into
the air.
When Deputies LaRochelle and Lyle Agins arrived, one of
the women was still on the boat, hysterically screaming for help. The other
woman had fled the area. After repeated commands to come out of the boat
with his hands in the air, Rhodes finally complied. A search of the boat
turned up a .38 caliber revolver in the cabin with one spent shell inside.
Rhodes was charged with aggravated assault and he was
taken to jail.
Road rage leads to arrest
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Summerland Key – A Big Pine Key man is
under arrest today, charged with ramming the back of a woman’s car in what
appears to be a road rage incident.
According to the victim, she was driving southbound on
U.S. One on Summerland Key at 11:15 a.m. behind a pickup truck full of yard
debris. She said the truck was traveling slowly, and was about to turn off
the highway onto a side road when she passed the truck on the right hand
side. As she passed, she and the driver of the truck both reportedly made
obscene gestures to each other. At that point, he stopped turning off the
highway and pursued her southbound instead.
She said they both traveled a short distance farther
southbound, when she was forced to stop behind another car. At that point,
she claims he rammed her car repeatedly from behind with his truck. He then
left the area and she called 911 to report the incident.
Deputy Freddy Rodriguez, with assistance from Detective
Manny Cuervo and Lt. Mitch Snider, stopped the truck at the 22.5 mile marker
of the highway. There was evidence on the truck and on the car indicating
the incident had, indeed, occurred. The driver, 44 year old Daniel Kelsey,
was arrested. He was charged with aggravated battery and he was taken to
jail.
November 3, 2003
Building inspector beaten by Key Largo man
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Key Largo – A Monroe County building
inspector was allegedly beaten with a metal broom handle Saturday afternoon.
The man accused of beating him was taken to jail.
The victim, 54 year old Stephen Sullivan, said he was
passing by a home on Mahogany Drive in Key Largo at 5:30 p.m. when he
decided to stop and check on a project going on at a residence on that
street. He said he got out of his vehicle and began walking toward the
house. He said he realized the project was not against code, so he began
walking back toward his truck when the homeowner, 41 year old Jose Garcia,
accosted him. Sullivan said Garcia began yelling at him, then began hitting
him with a metal broom handle. He sustained bruises to his head, face and
body.
Sullivan fled to his truck and got in to escape the
attack. He called the Sheriff’s Office to report what happened. Deputy Sever
Hustad responded. After conducting an investigation, the deputy arrested
Garcia, charging him with aggravated battery. Garcia was booked into the
Monroe County Detention Center.
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