School nurse showed up for work ……. drunk May 24, 2013

PUNTA GORDA, FL – The scene played out at a school parking lot early Tuesday morning.

Punta Gorda Police say Noreen Freeman was driving to work drunk.

“I’m a little shocked because they usually do thorough background checks,” says Jason Thomsen, a parent with a child at The Baker Center.

Freeman is a community health advocate who works as the school nurse at The Baker Center, a pre-k school in Punta Gorda.

Police say she was slurring her words, struggling to stand up and blew three times the legal limit. They arrested her for driving under the influence.

“To show up at school and expect to do your job under the influence of alcohol is not acceptable in our district,” explains Charlotte County Public Schools Community Liaison Mike Riley.

District leaders and parents were surprised to hear about the arrest.

“It’s terrible that people let things like that take over their lives,” Thomsen points out.

He says one employee’s actions shouldn’t reflect poorly on the quality of the school.

While some parents want Freeman fired immediately, Thomsen isn’t jumping to conclusions.

“I wouldn’t expect them to fire her right away. Everyone has a chance to see if they are guilty or not,” he said.

The district will conduct an internal investigation to determine what to do next.

Meanwhile, Freeman isn’t suspended. She took the rest of the week off. The school year ends Friday. The district is offering her substance abuse help if she wants it.

We found her car parked outside of her apartment, but she didn’t answer the door.

According to police reports, Freeman admitted to drinking the night before. She also told officers she is on medication.

She’s been an employee at the Charlotte County school district since January of 2008.

Gnome Sweet Gnome: Woman accused of striking man with garden ornament

Garden gnome used in attack, police say

A domestic dispute that involved yelling and thrown household items ended in violence Sunday when, police say, a woman clonked a man on the head with a New Orleans Saints garden gnome.

A report by Gulfport police Officer Jennifer Crowson says that at about 4:17 p.m. Sunday, Lisa D. Buckley, 47, a server at a local restaurant, arrived at her home at 5407 29th Ave. S “and began yelling at the victim.” Buckley then “threw items all around the residence and then picked up a New Orleans Saints garden gnome and struck (the victim) with it.”

Crowson reported that the victim was bleeding from the ear and the left side of his head but refused medical attention. Meanwhile, she wrote, “Buckley fled the scene prior to my arrival.”

The next day, though, Buckley called and sent text messages to the victim trying to persuade him to drop the case.

Buckley was arrested Tuesday on charges of domestic battery and harassing a victim and taken to the Pinellas County Jail, where records show she was released in lieu of $5,000 bail.

U-Haul with 53 animals inside abandoned near Publix in Spring Hill May 23, 2013

On May 21, 2013 at approximately 1:25 p.m., the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a call from a Pasco County Code Enforcement Official regarding them observing a U-Haul Truck full of animals reference an active case they are working. They located the vehicle to the rear of the Publix on County Line Road and Mariner Boulevard where it was apparently abandoned. Hernando County Deputies and Animal Services Officers were dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, units located the U-Haul and could hear animals in obvious distress inside the vehicle. The door to the U-Haul was opened and “numerous” animals inside plastic containers (similar to Tupperware containers) were located inside. The temperature inside the back of the truck was extremely hot.

The Pasco Code Enforcement Officials identified the driver and owner of the animals as Frances Terry Evans W/F DOB/ 08-02-1960; due to the active case they were working regarding animal hoarding. They believed she took the animals to the Publix parking lot in an effort to hide them, as she was court ordered to turn them over to Pasco County officials by 05-21-13.

The Hernando County Animal Service Officers on scene determined that there were 50 cats on board and three dogs. It was also determined that most, if not all, of the animals were in need of immediate veterinary attention. Due to the rapid deteriorating condition of the animals, Pasco County Code Enforcement Officials refusal to accept the animals, and the extreme heat environment, Hernando County Animal Services Officers rightly determined that immediate and emergency veterinary attention was necessary. The animals were transported to Hernando County Animal Services facility for care.

On 05-21-13 Evans was issued one citation for 53 counts of Animal Abandonment. The fine for this is $500 per count, totaling $26,500. After conferring with the State Attorney’s Office, a warrant has been obtained for 53 counts of Animal Cruelty, with a total bond of $26,500.

 

Man allegedly claimed to be cop, got free admission to strip club

He walked into a strip club, waved an invalid police badge and they waived the cover charge for him and a friend.

Police say Darren Philip Walker, 24, came into Bare Assets on West New Haven Avenue in Melbourne with an Ammomack County Sheriff’s Office badge he bought off the internet while he was employed with the agency.

The club’s manager told Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputies that Walker claimed to be an undercover federal agent and wanted to question and arrest a woman named “Mason.” When confronted, Walker said he had not been employed by any law enforcement agency since 2011.

Walker allowed deputies to search his car – they found a brown “Deputy Sheriff” hat, an expandable baton, handcuffs, a blue strobe light and an orange traffic vest.

Walker was arrested early Thursday for impersonating a law enforcement officer. He is being held in Brevard County Jail.

No .. not Santa Claus …. Deputy busted armed ‘sovereign citizen’ on school grounds

School Resource Deputy encounters self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” on school grounds.

• Thursday
• May 16, 2013
• Time: 4:00 PM

• Turkey Creek Middle School
• 5005 Turkey Creek Road
• Plant City, Florida

Arrested:

Bruce Chalmers Hicks DOB: 06/24/1966 5004 Calhoun Road Plant City, Florida

Charges:

• Possession of a Firearm on School Property
• Felon in Possession of a Firearm
• Open Carrying of Weapon

Details:

On May 16, 2013, at approximately 4 p.m., HCSO School Resource Deputy Patrick Diaz and the school principal of Turkey Creek Middle School, 5005 Turkey Creek Road in Plant City, were outside of the school monitoring students in the parent pick-up line.
Deputy Diaz then spotted Bruce Hicks walking along Connell Road which next to the school. He was pushing a “dolly” which had an old plastic toy car attached. As Hicks walked past Deputy Diaz, he spotted what appeared to be small firearm holstered on his left hip. As he continued walking, Deputy Diaz called for Hicks who turned around stepping on the grass of the school’s property.
Upon initial contact with Hicks, he stated there was a $250 fine for every fifteen minutes of unlawful detention. He stated that he is a sovereign citizen and is not subject to the laws of the United States or Hillsborough County. Deputy Diaz asked him if he was carrying a firearm and Hicks stated that he was and repeated that he was not subject to laws.
Deputy Diaz then seized Hicks’ Davis Industries two shot thirty-two caliber handgun(over under barrel). There were two live cartridges in the barrels. Hicks was transported to a Hillsborough County jail without incident. Hicks has an extensive criminal history including Lewd Or Lascivious Molestation of Victims Under 18.

Woman accused of etching image of male genitalia on stranger’s SUV at Publix, left note

WESLEY CHAPEL — At noon in the Publix parking lot, a woman took to a silver Kia with a key and a vendetta. She dug the key into the passenger-side paint so hard it exposed the bare metal underneath. On the hood, she etched a crude sketch of male genitalia.

Then the woman walked into the supermarket at 1920 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and went to the customer service desk, where a clerk handed her a Post-it note.

Security camera footage shows the woman scribbling something on the note, then walking back out to the parking lot.

The woman affixed the note to the SUV’s windshield, where the owner was sure to notice:

“Hey I keyed your car,” it read. “You didn’t stop for pedestrians as is law. Since no cop to enforce a ticket, this should cover the cost of your fine. Have a good day. P.S. Don’t be a d—.”

The owner of the car, Debra Streets, 63, found the note and the damage soon after it happened on April 17. She went into the Publix and called 911. The damage to the SUV: $1,240.13.

After reviewing the surveillance footage, Pasco sheriff’s deputies determined the culprit was 23-year-old Natasha Myers, who was arrested this week.

Streets told deputies she didn’t have any confrontations with any pedestrians that day as she pulled into the parking lot off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. She said she came into the parking lot from the back of the store complex where people don’t usually walk.

Investigators took surveillance footage from the store and identified the vandal as Myers, though the process of doing so was unclear, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Melanie Snow.

Deputies went to Myers’ Wesley Chapel home, and she told them she was the one who keyed the car, the report states.

Myers, whose occupation was listed as a student, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of criminal mischief. She remained in the Land O’Lakes jail Wednesday in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Woman jailed after allegedly shooting man on dialysis table May 22, 2013

A woman has been charged with a shooting Monday morning that wounded a patient at an Orlando dialysis center, according to police.

Shemira R. Hargrove was charged with attempted murder (domestic violence) for the 9:30 a.m. shooting at the Florida Dialysis Center of Orlando on 34th Street, according to police spokesman Diego Toruno.

The victim has not been identified or the nature of his relationship with Hargrove. Details about the shooting also have not be released.

Hargrove, 32, who had been questioned at police headquarters since the shooting, will be taken to the Orange County Jail to be booked.

In December 2000, Hargrove was charged with shooting or throwing a missile into a dwelling or vehicle and criminal mischief. The charges were dismissed.

On Monday, the victim was taken to a local hospital and was described as alert when he left the dialysis center, Toruno said.

Man accused of exposing himself to cop at park

A 60-year-old man was arrested Monday and charged with exposure of sexual organs and loitering in a public bathroom after officials said he exposed himself to an under­cover officer inside a bathroom at a park.

Around 1:30 p.m. at Scott Springs Park at 2300 SW 24th Ave., the officer saw a man opening and closing the bathroom door several times while he was looking in the officer’s direction, according to reports.

The officer approached the door, and found it locked. He knocked on the door and the man, later identified as Robert Purdon, opened the door while rubbing his genitals. The officer said Purdon then pulled up his right shorts leg, exposing his genitals, according to reports.

Purdon was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

The police department has received numerous complaints about blatant sexual activity and other illegal occurrences at the park. Early last year, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn, who oversees the police department, started a crackdown at the public venue. From April 1, 2012, to the present, officers have arrested 18 men there for exposure of sexual organs and one for prostitution.

“We are dedicated in preserv­ing our parks for families and children without having to expose them to this kind of behavior,” said Sgt. Eric Hooper of the Special Deployment and Bicycle Units.

Purdon was released from the jail at 7:27 p.m. Monday. He said Tuesday he inadvertently exposed himself and it wasn’t intentional. He said it was a hot day and he did not have on any underwear.

“It’s his word against mine,” Purdon said of the arresting officer. “I went into the bath­room to wash my hands. I knew better not to do something like that.”

Purdon said he saw two other men expose themselves at the park, the report noted.

USSS girl’s softball coach jailed after headbutting umpire

Coach arrested for battery on a sports official.

• Sunday
• May 19, 2013
• Time: 3:54 PM

• FishHawk Sports Complex
• 16210 FishHawk Boulevard
• Lithia, Florida

Suspect:

Gordon Elliott Moore DOB 08/26/1975 4324 Melbrooke Ct. Lakeland, FL

Charge:

• Battery on a Specified Official or Employee

Victim:

Stephen H. Connell DOB 01/21/1957 4235 Tennyson Way Venice, FL

Details:

On May 19, 2013 at 3:54 p.m., Stephen H. Connell, who is an umpire for USSSA, was umpiring a softball game in which the defendant, Gordon E. Moore, was the coach for Christina Girls Minor Division, 12 and under team.
After the last out of the game, Gordon Moore got into a verbal argument with the home plate umpire, Kimberly Anderson. The victim, Stephen Connell, who was working the shortstop position, noticed Moore gesturing his arms and talking loudly got between Moore and Ms. Anderson.
During the verbal confrontation, Moore bumped Connell in the chest and then headbutted him on his nose. Moore then tried to headbutt Connell a second time, but Connell moved and struck Moore once in the face with a closed fist. Moore was arrested a short time later without incident.

Florida Teacher Suspended for Touching Student with ‘Banana Penis’ May 21, 2013

A former Teacher of the Year at North Marion High School in Marion County, Florida, was suspended without pay after a student complained that he touched her inappropriately with a banana during a college-level lecture on “cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols.”

The incident took place three months ago, but the student only came forward last week.

A discipline letter sent to Jonathan Hampton claims the teacher “crossed a line” while discussing the “Freudian implications” of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

The student alleges that Hampton “rubbed [her] head and neck area with a banana,” leaving her embarrassed and humiliated.

“That is disgusting, very disgusting,” said the grandmother of a student at the school. “I don’t think he should be allowed to teach kids. You don’t do stuff like that and get away with it.”

Hampton’s lawyer (and stepfather) Mark Fiedelholtz says the entire thing was blown out of proportion, and that Hampton tapped a student with a banana from his lunch to get her attention, and that sometimes a banana is just a banana.

“There was nothing else to it,” the attorney said.

After conducting its own investigation into the matter, the school district issued Hampton an official reprimand saying it was poor judgement on his part to use “a banana to make physical contact with a student.”

The teacher has since completed the three-day suspension and was allowed to return to class.