LOCAL NEWS 4/25/2023

A PUTNAM COUNTY MAN WAS ARRESTED ON MULTIPLE CHARGES OF SEXUAL BATTERY ON A CHILD FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION FROM 2021 THAT STEMMED FROM A TIP.

THE PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR SUBMITTED A TIP TO THE FLORIDA ABUSE HOTLINE CONCERNING A STUDENT POSSIBLY BEING A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT THROUGH A SCHOOL ACCOUNT TO OTHER STUDENTS WAS FLAGGED BECAUSE OF PROFANITY AND THE ADMINISTRATOR WHO REVIEWED IT BELIEVED THE VICTIM WAS BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED,

THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY STARTED AN INVESTIGATION WITH THE SHERIFFS OFFICE  WHEN THE VICTIM TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT 49-YEAR-OLD JOHN HUDSON STARTED THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE IN 2016 WHEN THE VICTIM WAS 11 YEARS OLD AND LASTED UNTIL THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR.

INVESTIGATORS SAID HUDSON WAS KNOWN TO THE CHILD’S FAMILY.

THE VICTIM TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE INCREASED DURING COVID WHEN SCHOOLS WERE NOT OPEN AND THE VICTIM WAS VIRTUALLY ATTENDING SCHOOL AT HOME.

INVESTIGATORS FILED AN INJUNCTION TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN HUDSON AND THE VICTIM.

A SEARCH WARRANT OF HUDSON’S HOME ON MELLON ROAD WAS ISSUED IN MAY 2021 AND INVESTIGATORS SAID SEVERAL ITEMS WERE COLLECTED FOR DNA PROCESSING.

THE ITEMS WERE SENT TO A FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CRIME LAB FOR TESTING AND THE RESULTS WERE RECEIVED ON JULY 2022, ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS.

UPON REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE, A WARRANT WAS ISSUED FOR HUDSON’S ARREST.

HE WAS ARRESTED MONDAY AND CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF CAPITAL FELONY SEXUAL BATTERY ON A CHILD UNDER 12, TWO COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE FELONY OF SEXUAL BATTERY BY CUSTODIAN ON A VICTIM UNDER 12 AND ON LIFE FELONY FOR TAMPERING WITH A VICTIM/WITNESS.

SOME OF THE WORST CHILD ABUSE IMAGINABLE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,” PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF GATOR DELOACH SAID.

“WHILE THIS CASE OCCURRED BEFORE THE PROPOSED STATE DEATH PENALTY OPTION FOR CHILD MOLESTERS, IT DEFINITELY PRESENTS A CASE TO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF PUNISHMENT FOR THESE MONSTERS,” SHERIFF H.D. ‘GATOR’ DELOACH SAID. THIS CHILD WAS SUBJECTED TO RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE ALMOST DAILY DURING COVID. THE VICTIM WAS ROBBED OF CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND TERRORIZED. AS A FATHER, I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR CHILDREN AND THIS TEARS AT MY HEARTSTRINGS. CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF SOMEONE ENTRUSTED TO CARE FOR THEM.”

FOUR OF THE SIX SEXUAL ABUSE CHARGES AGAINST HUDSON ARE CAPITAL CHARGES. FLORIDA LAWMAKERS RECENTLY PASSED SENATE BILL 450 THAT MAKES CAPITAL SEXUAL BATTERY ON A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 12 PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE BILL INTO LAW.

IF CONVICTED, HUDSON WOULD BE SPARED THE DEATH PENALTY BECAUSE HIS ALLEGED CRIMES OCCURRED BEFORE THE BILL BECAME LAW. 

 DELOACH SUPPORTS THE BILL.

“HARSH REALITY IS PEOPLE WHO ABUSE CHILDREN IN THIS MANNER ARE SICK, TWISTED DERANGED INDIVIDUALS WITH NO SENSE OF SELF-WORTH,” DELOACH SAID.

IN 2012, HE WAS THE SUSPECT IN A SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE INVOLVING ANOTHER CHILD, BUT THE CASE WAS DROPPED AFTER THE VICTIM RECANTED THE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED.

INVESTIGATORS MAY LOOK AT THAT 2012 CASE TO SEE IF IT’S WORTH REOPENING.

IF YOU KNOW OF A CHILD BEING ABUSED, YOU CAN CALL THE CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE AT 800-962-2873 OR CALL THE MONIQUE BURR FOUNDATION AT 904-642-0210.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLA. – TWO MEN ARE IN SERIOUS CONDITION AFTER A CRASH MONDAY MORNING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL.

A LITTLE BEFORE 9:30 A.M., A 56-YEAR-OLD MAN, OF ELKTON, CROSSED OVER THE SOUTHBOUND LANES OF STATE ROAD 207 IN A GNC PICKUP TRUCK FROM DON MANUEL ROAD TO THE PAVED DIVIDED MEDIAN THAT SITS IN BETWEEN THE SOUTHBOUND AND NORTHBOUND LANES, THE FHP REPORT SAID.

ACCORDING TO THE TROOPERS, THE PICKUP TRUCK CONTINUED THROUGH THE MEDIAN INTO THE PATH OF A 52-YEAR-OLD MAN, OF FLORAHOME, DRIVING A TRUCK TRACTOR THAT WAS HEADED NORTH ON SR-207. THE PICK-UP TRUCK HIT THE TRUCK TRACTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND CAUSED IT TO OVERTURN.

BOTH DRIVERS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.

CHRISTIAN ROMERO, 23, A FLAGLER PALM COAST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AND THE SON OF DAWN AND MIGUEL ROMERO, OWNERS OF ROMERO’S TUSCANY BY THE SEA RESTAURANT IN FLAGLER BEACH, DIED IN A TWO-VEHICLE CRASH CAUSED BY A 15-YEAR-OLD DRIVER’S INATTENTION IN ORLANDO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL.

THE CRASH WAS REPORTED AT 4:36 A.M. AT DEAN ROAD AND STATE ROAD 408.

ACCORDING TO FHP, ROMERO WAS DRIVING A 2016 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, TRAVELING EAST FROM THE S.R. 408 EXIT RAMP TO DEAN ROAD, IN THE INSIDE LEFT TURN LANE. HE WAS TRAVELING ALONE. HE HAD A GREEN LIGHT, AND PROCEEDED ACCORDINGLY.

THE 15-YEAR-OLD AT THE WHEEL OF A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, WITH FIVE PASSENGERS ABOARD–ALL BETWEEN 13 AND 16 YEARS OLD–WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON DEAN ROAD, APPROACHING STATE ROAD 408 IN THE OUTSIDE LANE. THE 15 YEAR OLD WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON DEAN ROAD, RAN THE RED LIGHT WHILE TRAVELING ABOVE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, AND STRUCK THE LEFT SIDE OF ROMERO’S 4RUNNER, CATAPULTING IT AGAINST THE CENTER-MEDIAN CURB AND CAUSING THE SUV TO OVERTURN ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

THE PASSENGERS INCLUDED THREE GIRLS, 13, 14 AND 15, AND TWO BOYS, 13 AND 16, ALL FROM ORLANDO WITH ONE EXCEPTION, FROM ST. CLOUD. THE 15-YEAR-OLD DRIVER AND FOUR OF THE FIVE PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN TO ARNOLD PALMER HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. THE FIFTH WAS TAKEN TO ORLANDO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, ALSO WITH NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES.

FLAGLER COUNTY, FLA. — CREWS HAVE FOUND A CAR WITH A BODY INSIDE IN A FLAGLER COUNTY POND AS THEY CONTINUED THEIR SEARCH MONDAY FOR A 49-YEAR-OLD WOMAN LAST SEEN LAST THURSDAY.

ERICA BERGERON’S FAMILY REPORTED HER MISSING AFTER SHE DIDN’T SHOW UP TO MEET WITH HER SON ON SUNDAY. THEY SAID SHE WAS LAST SEEN THURSDAY LEAVING THE PALM COAST LANES BOWLING ALLEY ON OLD KINGS ROAD.

DEPUTIES SAID A CREW NOTICED FRIDAY MORNING THAT A TREE WAS KNOCKED DOWN NEAR A POND ON CREEK COURSE DRIVE NEAR PALM HARBOR PARKWAY IN PALM COAST, BUT AT THAT POINT, BERGERON HADN’T BEEN REPORTED MISSING.

INVESTIGATORS NOTICED TIRE TRACKS HEADING INTO THE POND AND BEGAN THEIR SEARCH MONDAY.]

“THERE ARE TIRE TRACKS LEADING FROM THE ROADWAY GOING OVER WHERE THE TREE ONCE STOOD AND LEADING INTO THE POND THAT SUGGEST A VEHICLE MAY HAVE POSSIBLY TRAVERSED THE SIDEWALK, STRUCK A TREE AND WENT INTO THE POND,” SAID CHIEF DAVID WILLIAMS WITH THE FLAGLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

HE SAID DIVE TEAMS FOCUSED ON THE MIDDLE OF THE POND, NEAR THE FOUNTAIN, BUT THE WATER IN THAT AREA IS 15 TO 25 FEET DEEP. THEY SAID THE WATER IS ALSO MURKY SO DIVERS COULDN’T SEE VERY FAR IN FRONT OF THEM.

DEPUTIES SAID THEY HAVE LOCATED A CAR IN THE POND WITH A BODY INSIDE, BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF IT BELONGED TO BERGERON. BUT THEY SAID THE CAR PULLED FROM THE WATER DID MATCH THE DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE SHE WAS LAST SEEN DRIVING.

TROOPERS RELEASED A CRASH REPORT MONDAY NIGHT STATING THAT A 49-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FROM JACKSONVILLE WAS FOUND DEAD INSIDE A CAR THAT CRASHED INTO A RETENTION POND NEAR THE SAME INTERSECTION.

A MEMORIAL WAS HELD SATURDAY FOR A RETIRED PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF K-9.

K-9 PUTNAM WAS A 12-YEAR-OLD BLOODHOUND WHO WORKED FOR THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND HELPED FIND PEOPLE WHO WERE LOST AND DISORIENTED.

THE JACKSONVILLE PET FUNERAL HOME, PET CREMATION CENTER AND PET MEMORIAL PARK HOSTED THE MEMORIAL.

SGT. EMMETT MERRITT WAS PUTNAM’S HANDLER AND SAID THE K-9 JOINED THE FORCE AT ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD

A RETIREMENT CEREMONY WAS HELD FOR MASTER SGNT TOMMY OWENS OF THE PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE.  SHERIFF GATOR DELOACH PRESENTED HIM WITH A PLAQUE AND HIS FIREARM.  THERE IS A TRADITION AT THE SHERIFFS OFFICE TO ALLOW THEIR RETIRED DEPUTES TO TAKE THEIR FIREARM THAT HAS PROTECTED THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER WITH THEM WHEN THEY LEAVE.  OWEN HAD BEEN WITH THE SHERIFFS OFFICE FOR 18 YEARS AND BEFORE THAT HE WORKED AT THE PALATKA POLICE DEPARTMENT.  HE HAS SERVED IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, TRAINING AND OVERSAW THE BAILIFFS AT THE PUTNAM COUNTY COURTHOUSE.