This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.
A grandmother found herself without help after her granddaughter left her stranded at a gas station on Palm Harbor Parkway. Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the BP station Saturday after a call from the woman who said her granddaughter left her there after she refused to sign over her house. Contacted by phone, Amber Dodd, 26, said her grandmother didn’t get in the car and she left her because she’d been driving with her grandmother and daughter for six hours and she needed to get home. Home was Deltona where the two women lived together. When deputies told her to return for her grandmother, Dodd said she would be back in a few hours. Deputies said she displayed a blatant disregard for the well-being and safety of the grandmother who had no way of providing for herself. Family Life Center took her in for the night. Department of Children and Families is investigating.
A 35-year-old Interlachen man is in jail without bond charged with arson and kidnapping. Hector Rosas was arrested Saturday following an investigation into the June 10 incident where Rosas came to the woman’s house about a car she reportedly sold him. She told officers Rosas was acting out of it before getting a bottle filled with gas, attempting to spray her and then the couch on the porch. He allegedly struck her in the mouth and then set the couch on fire. Rosas fled the house with friends who later said they dropped him off on Kin Avenue. Lake Estates Fire Department put out the fire which caused major damage to the side porch.
A St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office dive team was searching a pond in the West Augustine community Monday afternoon reportedly looking for evidence in a case that might be related to murder. The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the search of the retention pond at the corner of West Seventh Street and St. Johns Street.
An unauthorized event at John Theobold Sports Complex Sunday night had a variety of agencies cleaning up the mess Monday. St. Johns Parks and Recreation Putnam Sanitation, Putnam Fire/Rescue and Putnam deputies as well as inmates on a work crew were called in to help as was Keep Putnam Beautiful. Large piles of trash were found after an apparent party at the park which is located off U.S. 17, one of the gateways to Palatka.
A reserve deputy with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is on administrative leave after being arrested for operating a vessel while normal faculties impaired. Zachary Prevatt, 30, was arrested by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officer Sunday while boating. Prevatt had been a full-time deputy until October of last year when he asked to go on reserve status, according to a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. He’ll be on administrative leave pending a decision both by the State Attorney’s office regarding pursuing charges and an internal investigation.
Flagler Beach City Commission has given the ok to resume First Friday events at Veterans Park in September. Coronavirus led to the decision to stop the popular even nearly a year-and-a-half ago. Commissioners say they do want to see the event refocus on city businesses, city sponsors and benefits that primarily go to the city.
Summer has swimmers hard at work. A home swim meet is set for tonight at Putnam Aquatic Center with the Putnam Sharks competing against Pace Island Piranhas and Eagle Landing Screaming Eagles. The 5 p.m. event off Wesover Drive is open to the public
And also on the sports scene, congrats to James “JR” Lobinsky in St. Augustine. He’s been chosen to compete for all Publix stores in St. Johns County in the upcoming Special Olympics. An employee at a St. Augustine Publix for the past 12 years, JR , who has autism, will be doing a pentathlon, including an 800-meter run, high jumps and long jumps.
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