Marion County — The Florida Highway Patrol said two people were killed and three children were taken to Shands following a Wednesday morning crash.
The accident occurred on I-75 in Marion County at mile marker 365, which is just south of County Road 318.
FHP said the crash happened after a minivan clipped the left front of a semi. The driver of the minivan then lost control, went off the highway, slammed into two trees, and burst into flames.
The semi-driver was able to pull the children from the burning van, however, they suffered serious injuries.
A Washington state police officer who was on the run after killing his ex-wife and his underage girlfriend shot himself in the head Tuesday following a high-speed chase.
Elias Huizar, 39, was under investigation after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl who was unconscious following a night of drinking. Additionally, Huizar was under investigation for having a relationship with a 17-year-old girl with whom he had gotten pregnant.
Huizar was on the run after kidnapping his 1-year-old son. Authorities said he was headed to Mexico.
Huizar was spotted driving southbound on Interstate 5 in Oregon Tuesday and fled after a trooper tried to pull him over.
According to reports, troopers chased Huizar’s vehicle at high speeds and exchanged gunfire with him during the pursuit. The chase came to an end when Huizar slammed into a truck that had been involved in another accident.
When troopers attempted to make contact with Huizar, he shot himself in the head while his 1-year-old son watched.
On Monday, Huizar shot his ex-wife, Amber Marie Rodriguez, outside William Wiley Elementary School in front of their 9-year-old son. Rodriguez was shot eight times. Rodriguez had a restraining order against Huizar.
Huizar’s 17-year-old girlfriend was found dead inside his South Highlands Boulevard home Monday evening. Authorities believe Huizar had been having sex with the 17-year-old since she was 11.
People who knew Huizar posted on Facebook that they could never understand how he became a cop because he always had a temper and was known for liking young girls. Huizar also used to work for the Richland School District. The school district had recommended Huizar to the Yakima Police Department.
Huizar was accused of raping another teen while he was married. His wife divorced him in 2020 and immediately filed a restraining order against him.
Huizar was arrested but posted a $200,000 bond after his arrest. Another rape case was pending at the time of his wife’s and girlfriend’s murders on Monday.
Yakima Police Department, said, “We are extremely disheartened that information about Mr. Huizar’s past was not disclosed to us through the various processes we have in place.”
Huizar’s son was taken into state custody and is safe.
“Rock the Country” will feature headliners such as Jason Aldean and Kid Rock.
The show is coming to Ocala on June 7 and 8, 2024 and will be at Majestic Oaks Ocala, a 100-acre venue at 17500 N. U.S. 441, Reddick.
According to organizers, the Ocala show will include Brantley Gilber, Travis Tritt, Gavin Adcock, Brantley Gilbert, Colt Ford, Sadie Bass, Elvie Shane, Dee Jay Silver, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
NOTE: Colt Ford had a severe heart attack this month so he will be unable to perform.
For tickets and other information visit https://www.rockthecountry.com.
Ocala, Florida — An Ocala man was arrested Monday after a neighbor called to report someone masturbating while standing in a driveway.
Upon arrival, deputies found 65-year-old Charles Marcel Schmidt standing in the woman’s driveway with his pants around his akles. Deputies said the man was fully exposed and was masturbating.
According to the arrest affidavit, deputies had to instruct Schmidt multiple times to pull up his pants before he complied.
A neighbor also recorded the the incident which showed Schmidt masturbating.
Schmidt was arrested and charged with exposing himself.
He seemed confused as to why he was being arrested.
Dollar Tree announced they will be raising prices up to $7 for certain items.
Executive chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling, said, “The increase is part of Dollar Tree’s multi-price point strategy to offer shoppers a more relevant assortment.”
Dreiling said Dollar Tree plans to focus on customers who make $125,000 per year.
“Dollar Tree’s new shoppers in 2023 came from households earning more than $125,000 per year,” said Dreiling.
Additionally, Dollar Tree announced they will be closing at least 1,000 Family Dollar stores.
Ocala, Florida — An Ocala man is facing multiple felony charges after investigators learned he had been sexually involved with a minor.
Randy Dale, 26, was arrested and charged with Sexual Battery on a Child between 16 and 17 Years of Age, Interfering with Child Custody, and 11 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
On March 24, 2024, detectives responded to the victim’s home in reference to a series of explicit messages including photos, that Dale had sent to the girl.
Detectives said Dale discussed wanting to have sex with the victim in the messages. The messages also contained detailed information about sexual activity that had taken place between the two.
Additionally, detectives said Dale was in possession of falsified adoption papers as well as a falsified marriage license.
On March 26, 2024, the victim ran away from home and it was discovered that she was with Dale, who then begged the victim’s father not to notify law enforcement.
MCSO was notified of the victim’s disappearance, at which time the victim called to report that she was at the Marion County Fire Rescue station on Highway 326 and returned home.
The following morning, the victim’s mother discovered that the victim had run away with Dale again.
Dale and then victim were later located walking on foot, at which time they fled. A short time later they were both captured.
During questioning, Dale provided false statements about the nature of his interaction with the victim. However, he later admitted to sending and receiving images depicting sexual activity.
Dale It’s currently being held without bond. His next court date is slated for April 30.
Ocala, Florida — A career criminal who has multiple felony arrests and convictions is wanted by the Ocala Police Department.
Oscar Antonio Garcia, 38, is wanted in connection with several thefts and burglaries in the area.
Garcia has several felony arrests for Burglary, Larceny, Grand Theft, Grand Theft Auto, and more.
He may also be attempting to sell stolen goods online.
If you or someone you know has purchased an item from Garcia, including tools, trailers, motorcycles, lawn equipment, pressure washers, etc., you are asked to call Sgt. Fried at 352-369-7000.
Ocala, Florida — The Ocala Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify a man who placed a child in danger while fleeing from a traffic stop on a dirt bike.
According to OPD, the man was riding a dirt bike in the area of NW Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and State Road 40 when officers attempted to stop him.
The man then fled from OPD officers.
Upon reviewing cameras in the area, officers learned that the man had a small child on the front of the dirt bike.
If you recognize this person, OPD asks that you call Officer Kelly at 352-369-7000 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or **TIPS.
Tips can also be submitted online at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.
If you use Crime Stoppers and your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000!
Dunnellon, Florida — A Dunnellon woman was arrested after she broke into her tenant’s home and stole over $2,000 in items.
The landlord, identified as Asherlee Jeannette Armstrong, 48, said she stole the items because they were “in the trash.”
The victim stated that she left the home on March 20 and when she returned on March 22, she noticed the lock on the front door was broken and the door was open.
She reported that various items had been removed from the home.
The victim told deputies that she was in the process of moving out of the house because she could not afford the rent and had been staying with a friend.
According to the arrest affidavit, a writ of possession had also been placed near the damaged door. However, it had not been served by authorities. Instead, it was placed on the home by Armstrong.
When questioned, Armstrong stated that she was at the house and had posted the writ of possession. She wanted to bypass the “system” and take possession of the home without involving authorities. Armstrong also admitted to entering the garage and removing items from the home, but would not say specifically what items she had taken.
According to reports, as Armstrong was being arrested, she asked a child to reach into her pocket and remove some tin foil. It was later confirmed that the tin foil contained methamphetamine.
In addition to multiple felony charges, Armstrong received an additional felony charge for the drugs.
Armstrong told deputies that she did not know the methamphetamine was in her pocket.
She was charged with Burglary, Cruelty Toward a Child, Drug Possession, Possession of Drug Equipment, Contributing to the delinquency of a Minor, Larceny, and Tampering with Evidence.
Armstrong is currently being held on a $17,000 bond. Her next court date is slated for April 23.
Ocala, Florida — Loraine Dawn Snyder, 73, was arrested on March 12 after gaining entry to a tenants home without permission.
Snyder was renting the home to a man who had let his girlfriend move in.
Following her arrest, Snyder stated that she was initially okay with the girlfriend moving in, but later changed her mind.
After changing her mind about the girlfriend, Snyder went to the home and knocked on the door several times. When no one answered, she entered the home through an unlocked window.
According to reports, Snyder attempted to drag the girlfriend out of the house and an altercation ensued.
Snyder was later arrested then was presumed missing after she failed to appear for her court date on March 18.
She was declared missing on March 20. Her body was found on March 21 from an apparent suicide.
Ocala, Florida — As the murder/homicide rate in Marion County continues to rise, another deadly shooting is being investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 27, at approximately 4:40 p.m. in the 2700 block of Southwest 143rd Place Road in Marion Oaks.
When deputies arrived, they found that the victim, 26-year-old John’L Davis, had been shot. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The shooter, whose name has not been released, claimed self-defense.
The investigation is ongoing.
According to FDLE, the murder rate in Marion County increased from 4.1 percent (13 murders) in 2022 to 6.4 percent (21 murders) in 2023.
Ocala is currently listed in the top 20 in the state of Florida for most violent cities. Orlando comes in as number two and Miami Beach is number one.
Florida — Former students, now grown men, may finally get compensation for the years of physical and mental torture including sexual abuse that they endured while at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.
Dozier School for Boys is a former reform school in the Florida panhandle town of Marianna which shut down in 2011 for alleged budgetary reasons.
On February 27, the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee signed off on a proposal (SB 24). The bill will create a compensation program and steer $20 million to former reform school students.
The victims, known as the “White House Boys,” have been seeking justice for 16 years.
70-year-old Cecil Gardner was one of those victims. When he was just 14, he was beaten so badly by one of the men at the school that the flesh was torn from Gardner’s body. Later that same week that same man took Gardner down to the “White House” and raped him.
In 2013, the University of South Florida began the excavation of what could be hundreds of unmarked graves at the site of a former Florida school for boys.
The school had gained a heavy reputation over its 111-year history for horrific beatings, rape, torture, and even murder of young inmates by staff.
The digging began in September 2013. USF forensics anthropologist, Erin Kimmerle, led the project.
The reasoning behind the excavation was to hopefully learn the identities of the buried boys and possibly how they died.
Kimmerle, said, “In these historic cases, it’s really about having an accurate record and finding out what happened and knowing the truth about what happened.”
Robert Straley, a former inmate of the reform school says they used to segregate the whites from the blacks and the remains are buried where they housed the black inmates. He said he believes there may be a white cemetery that has yet to be discovered.
“I think there are at least 100 more bodies up there. At some point they are going to find more bodies, I’m dead certain of that. There has to be a white graveyard on the white side,” said Straley.
The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification analyzed DNA collected from the site where in 2016, they announced 55 bodies had been recovered. Historical records show that nearly 100 boys ages 6 to 18 died at the school between 1900 and 1973. Many are not identified and were buried in unmarked locations.
Ten families provided researchers with their DNA hoping a positive match could be made. If matches are made, the remains will then be returned to families.
Kimmerle said, “They want to bury them in family plots and next to the boys’ mothers and things like that. Anyone whose remains are unidentified will be re-entered here at Boot Hill.”
The DNA will be recorded and the grave will be marked for any remains found but not identified.
A final report was released in 2016. It states that 13 of the graves were located in the school’s cemetery. However, the rest of the graves were outside the cemetery area in the woods, including under a roadway, brush, and a large mulberry tree.
The researchers stated that seven positive DNA matches and 14 presumptive identifications had been made.
Victims say the incompetence of law enforcement involved has been disheartening.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement interviewed the White House Boys and former staff but said it couldn’t find enough evidence to support the allegations and no charges were ever filed.
The coverup was so widespread that even state officials attempted to block the forensics team from searching for the bodies.
Kimmerle, said, “Why are there no records of where any of the boys who died at the school are buried?”
Kimmerle said the lack of records was suspicious.
Local law enforcement knew about the school. There had been many allegations over the 111 years of torture, but authorities always turned a blind eye to the beatings, rape, and mental anguish.
The victims said they are just glad that the case is moving forward and getting the attention it desperately needs.
Citra, Florida — Georgia authorities say a man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Citra has turned himself in.
Although the man has been identified as a suspect in the case, his name has yet to be released.
The shooting occurred on February 27 in the 16800 block of Northeast 41st Court. The victim was only identified as a black female pending next of kin notification.
Authorities did say that the victim knew the shooter.
Marion County Sheriff’s officials received word of the shooting just after 4 p.m. Tuesday. When deputies arrived, they found the victim deceased.
Is it the mark of the beast? Or straight out of a sci-fi movie?
Elon Musk says Neuralink’s first human trial participant can control a computer mouse with their mind after having the company’s chip implanted in the brain.
Musk, said, “The chip, which was installed by a robot, will record and send brain signals to an app, with the initial goal being to grant people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.”
In a statement, Musk said, “Progress is good, the patient seems to have made a full recovery … and is able to control the mouse, move the mouse around the screen just by thinking.” He went on to say, “We’re trying to get as many button presses as possible from thinking, so that’s what we’re currently working on is — can we get left mouse, right mouse, mouse down, mouse up. Which is kind of needed if you want to click and drag something, you need mouse down and to hold on mouse down.”
Nearly a month ago, Musk announced that the company had completed its first implantation surgery on a human test subject after he received approval to study the safety and functionality of its chip implant and surgical tools on humans.
Skeptics have expressed that Musk has gone too far. Some even calling it the mark of the beast. While others say that it leaves room for the technology to be abused by someone evil.
However, Musk disagrees.
He said, “One thing is clear, Consumers will not have widespread access to the technology anytime soon. Before Neuralink’s brain implants hit the broader market, they’ll need regulatory approval.”
As if insurance rates were not high enough for Florida homeowners, two insurance companies are seeking more than a 50 percent hike in premiums.
The two insurance companies, Castle Key Indemnity Company, owned by Allstate, and Amica Mutual Insurance say the hike is absolutely necessary and don’t believe the economy will be effected by the hikes.
According to reports, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation will hold hearings next week to decide if the agency will approve the rate requests.
The Insurance Information Institute is blaming the hikes on hurricane and other sever weather events
Experts say that if Florida does not get more insurance companies to write in the Sunshine State soon that homeowners could soon be paying more for insurance than a mortgage payment.
While many have said that insurance has always been a scam, some Florida residents are now looking to DeSantis for answers.
Okaloosa County, Florida — A deputy, identified as Jesse Hernandez, opened fire on his occupied patrol car after an acorn fell from a nearby tree.
The deputy said he thought the acorn was gunfire.
The incident, which was captured on dashcam video, all started when deputies responded to a call involving a domestic dispute.
The girlfriend of the alleged suspect, Marquis Jackson, told deputies that Jackson had stolen her car and made threats of violence against her. Additionally, she told deputies that Jackson had a “silencer to a gun,” but was not sure where Jackson kept it.
After speaking with the girlfriend, deputies handcuffed Jackson and placed him in the back of Hernandez’s patrol car.
According to reports, an acorn then fell and made a “popping” sound. The acorn had struck the roof of the patrol car.
Hernandez, believing he had been shot, then fell to the ground and opened fire. Hernandez emptied his magazine and then reloaded.
A second deputy, Beth Roberts, also opened fire in response to Hernandez’s actions.
The Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office said Roberts will not face any disciplinary actions because she was following Hernandez’s lead when he yelled “shots fired.”
Country singer Toby Keith died Monday at the age of 62.
In a statement posted to Facebook early Tuesday morning, Keith’s family, wrote, “Toby Keith passed away peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Keith revealed to the public in June 2022 that he had been diagnosed and was fighting stomach cancer.
Keith was best known for his 1993 hit song, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” With over 3 million plays on the radio, it was the most played country song of the 90s. However, the song was not his only number one hit. Keith had 20 number one Billboard hits.
Additionally, Keith’s 2002 song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” showcased his patriotism following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Making it his second most played country song.
Through his music, Keith always showcased his American patriotism. He was also a huge supporter of the US Military.
In addition to showing his patriotism, Keith helped to raise millions for charity, which included a home he built in Oklahoma for kids and families who were fighting cancer.
