Florida boy accused of assault with rubber band

13-year-old suspended 10 days after confrontation with teacher

A 13-year-old student in Orange County, Fla., was suspended for 10 days and could be banned from school over an alleged assault with a rubber band, according to a WKMG Local 6 News report. Robert Gomez, a seventh-grader at Liberty Middle School, said he picked up a rubber band at school and slipped it on his wrist. Gomez said when his science teacher demanded the rubber band, the student said he tossed it on her desk. After the incident, Gomez received a 10-day suspension for threatening his teacher with what administrators say was a weapon, Local 6 News reported. "They said if he would have aimed it a little more and he would have gotten it closer to her face he would have hit her in the eye," mother Jenette Rojas said. Rojas said she was shocked to learn that her son was being punished for a Level 4 offense -- the highest Level at the school. Other violations that also receive level 4 punishment include arson, assault and battery, bomb threats and explosives, according to the Code of Student Conduct. The district said a Level 4 offense includes the use of any object or instrument used to make a threat or inflict harm, including a rubber band. Rojas plans to fight the ruling but her son still faces expulsion. "It's ridiculous, it's a rubber band," Rojas said. The school's principal could not comment because the case is still under investigation. A district spokesman said there is still a series of meetings the district will have before Gomez is officially expelled.

(Florida Today article here)

Man Burning Cards From Girlfriend Sets House On Fire

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.- A 19-year-old man in College Park who was burning cards from an old girlfriend in a house they once shared caused a fire that caused $100,000 worth of damage and gutted most of the structure. Fifty Orlando firefighters responded to flames at a home located at 33 Langston Court near Edgewater Drive Wednesday. Firefighters at the scene said Michael Ohoro told them he started the fire, Local 6 News reported. Friends and family told Local 6 News that Ohoro was being forced out of the house. He appeared to be emotionally upset when firefighters arrived at the scene, Local 6 News reported. Ohoro was taken into custody but not arrested in connection with the fire. He was sent to a mental-health facility for a psychiatric evaluation.


(AP article here)

Fla. Man Finds 6-Foot African Rock Python In Toilet

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- A St. Petersburg man received a rude awakening Tuesday when he lifted the lid on his toilet and found a snake curled inside, with its head sticking out of the bowl. With the help of his wife, Shannon Scavotto caught the snake using an improvised noose and put it in a pillowcase. The reptile was confirmed to be a 6-foot African rock python. Experts said the serpent is just a baby, as African rock pythons get as big as 20 feet long or longer. Scavotto called his boss to tell him he'd be late because he'd had to wrestle a snake out of his toilet. His boss joked he would need a better excuse than that. Scavotto told the boss he'd bring it in so he could see it. So he did. One of Scavotto's co-workers called a friend who raises snakes. The friend said she would come and get it and try to rehabilitate it. The Scavottos are placing an ad in the paper for anyone who may have lost the snake.

(AP article here)

Man Offered Girls $5 For Sexual Favors, Police Say

MIAMI- Police arrested an accused sexual predator, who investigators said was targeting children, at a Miami apartment complex Wednesday night. William Pierce is accused of propositioning at least four girls, ages 6 through 12, for sex. Police said he would offer the girls $5 if they would allow him to be their secret admirer and perform sexual acts. Police think there might be other victims.


(Local 6 article here)

Fla. Girl Convicted Of Killing Friend Over Fireworks Dispute

PENSACOLA, Fla.- A 15-year-old girl was convicted of second-degree murder for slitting the throat of a longtime friend over a dispute about fireworks. After four hours of deliberation, the jury returned the verdict Tuesday against Christine Rogers, who was 13 when she was arrested in the July 2003 death of Ashley Harvey, 15. Rogers was tried as an adult and could face up to life in prison at sentencing scheduled for March 23. "It feels like this is at least some kind of closure," said Beverly Harvey, Ashley's mother. "Our family is trying to move on, but it's hard when you have to visit your daughter in the cemetery." Harvey bled to death after being stabbed in the neck by Rogers, who witnesses testified chased Harvey with a butcher knife. Neighbors and others testified that the two girls had fought that day because Rogers believed Harvey was shooting fireworks at one of her younger sisters. Rogers testified that she believed Harvey was among a group of people arguing with her sister. She told police investigators that when Harvey began to call her names, she "clicked." "She didn't mean for it to happen. She was shocked afterward, and she really didn't realize what had happened and how," defense attorney Sharon Potter said during her closing argument. Assistant State Attorney David Rimmer disagreed. "Christine Rogers chased Ashley Harvey down the street that night," Rimmer said. "She had a knife in her hand and evil in her heart."

(AP article here)

Orlando Teacher Under Investigation After Alleged Assault On Student

A teacher in Orlando is under investigation this weekend for allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old student at a middle school, Local 6 News has learned. Michael Jones, 12, said he was serving an in-school suspension at Walker Middle School when teacher Garry Chaderton confronted him, according to the report. Jones said when he talked back to Chaderton, the man walked him outside the portable classroom and lifted him off the ground. "He like grabbed me right here, picked me up off the ground and threw me into the portable," Jones said. The school's principal said the school district is investigating and Chaderton no longer has any contact with students. He was still employed with the school early Saturday. Chaderton has no history of violence in the five years he has been teaching science at the school, according to the principal. The school resource officer was still in the process of filing a report, Local 6 News reported.

(Local 6 article here)

Neo-Nazi Group Plans To Recruit At Daytona Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.- Police in Daytona Beach have been alerted that a neo-Nazi group called the National Alliance plans to promote white supremacy and recruit members at the Daytona International Speedway during race weekend, Local 6 News has learned. The organization reportedly told Local 6 News that it plans to be at the racing event in the Speedway parking lots and near the beach handing out fliers explaining its ideology to "like minded people," according to the report. "We have some information that the National Alliance may come into Daytona Beach," Daytona Beach police chief Dennis Jones said. "The biggest fear is that they could cause a problem in a crowded situation if they were to incite a disturbance." Law enforcement had already planned tight security for the Daytona 500 race. FBI agents, Florida Highway Patrol officers, local police and the county sheriff's force will be patrolling the event that will have a national audience. "I'm concerned that this hate group is going to try to associate themselves with something that is considered to be one of the greatest events," Daytona commissioner Dwayne Taylor said. The Daytona Police told Local 6 News that they have never had any problems with the National Alliance and there have been no threats made for the Daytona 500, according to Local 6 News.

(Local 6 article here)

Police: Teacher Instructed Students On Bomb-Making

Chemical Breakdown For Explosive Used By Suicide Bombers Reportedly Found

ORLANDO, Fla.- A high school chemistry teacher was arrested after students claimed he taught his class how to make a bomb, the sheriff's office said. David Pieski, 42, used an overhead projector in class to give instructions in making explosives to students at Freedom High School, including advising them to use an electric detonator to stay clear from the blast, an Orange County sheriff's arrest report said. In Pieski's classroom, authorities said they found the chemical breakdown for an explosive used by Middle East suicide bombers. It was not clear if the information found in a book labeled "Demo" was shared with students, the arrest report said. One student said he set off an explosive device at a golf course on Jan. 6 and videotaped it, an arrest warrant showed. The videotape shows an explosion, and the voice of a young man can be heard shouting. "You can see by the nature of the explosion the significant boom with a significant fire ball," Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomons said. "So, had someone been in close proximity to that device and it exploded prematurely, they could have been seriously hurt." Pieski was charged with possessing or discharging a destructive device and culpable negligence. Pieski, who was booked into the Orange County Jail on Monday, declined comment. He was later released on $1,000 bail. School district area Superintendent Judy Cunningham said Pieski was reassigned to a desk job in her office after he was interviewed by authorities. He is still earning his salary. Pieski told investigators he detonated chemicals in a coffee can by a ball field four times for his students, the sheriff's office said. He said he did this as a chemistry project to show a reaction rate, the arrest report said. "Pieski admitted to me that he observed (the student's) video and approved of his successful results," the arrest warrant said. "Pieski disagreed with the project being an explosion." Pieski guided investigators to an unlocked metal cabinet in the back of a classroom, where there was "a can of black powder stored next to other chemicals," the sheriff's office said. School officials told investigators that Pieski previously had been told he was not allowed to have any form of explosive on campus.


(Local 6 article here)

Deltona Man Arrested In 'Man/Boy' Sex Sting

Police: Group Charged With Planning To Travel To Mexico For Sex With Boys

Seven members of the North American Man/Boy Love Association, including two Florida men, were arrested in Southern California and charged with planning to travel to Mexico to have sex with boys, authorities said. our men were arrested in Los Angeles and three in San Diego Saturday. They were charged Monday, following a sting operation in which each man allegedly paid hundreds of dollars to an undercover agent to arrange the sex, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said during a news conference. The seven charged Monday included Gregory Mark Nusca, 43, of Dania Beach, Fla., also known as David R. Busby or Steven West, and Paul Ernest Zipszer, 39, of Deltona, Fla. An eighth man, Jeff Devore, 53, of Fullerton was charged with distributing child pornography as a result of the sting, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. Devore, a minister at the Brea Congregational Church, in Orange County, Calif., was not accused of planning to go on the Mexico trip. He was allowed to post bail but it was immediately unknown whether he had done so. A phone call to the church seeking comment and a message left on Devore's answering machine were not immediately returned. "This investigation exemplifies the FBI's commitment nationwide, and the commitment of our local, state and federal task force partners, to finding child predators within the United States and beyond our borders," Richard Garcia, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said in a statement. The men allegedly had traveled from their home to Southern California with the expectation of boarding a boat to Ensenada, Mexico, where they were told sex with the boys was awaiting them at a bed-and-breakfast, Eimiller said. Through the undercover agent, she said, they requested that the boys be as young as 8 years old. Authorities said the North American Man/Boy Love Association, which was formed in 1978 and advocates relationships with men and boys, was not charged in the case.



(AP article here)

Woman Runs During Wedding Proposal At Magic Game

ORLANDO, Fla.- What was supposed to be a magical moment at Sunday night's Orlando Magic basketball game instead turned into an embarrassing memory for one man, according to Local 6 News. The unidentified man asked his girlfriend to marry him in front of thousands of fans at the Magic's 97-94 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at the TD Waterhouse Centre. The man, who was standing on the court, dropped to a knee and asked the woman to marry him. Instead of answering, the woman turned and ran off the court with her face in her hands. Meanwhile, Steve Francis scored 22 points and handed out 10 assists to lead the Orlando. Hedo Turkoglu also had 22 points in the win.

(Local 6 article here)

Orlando Coach Resigns Following Soccer Hazing Incident

ORLANDO, Fla.- A high school soccer coach has resigned under pressure after a 15-year-old player was dropped on her head in a hazing incident. Cori Valleau, 29, said Saturday she quit as girls' soccer coach and a dean's office assistant at Bishop Moore High School after being told she would be fired otherwise. She blamed her departure on the hazing incident during a road trip to Miami on Jan. 7. Carol Brinati, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Orlando, which runs the school, said the resignation was accepted Friday but she declined to elaborate. Three teammates were suspended from playing in the state playoffs after a Bishop Moore investigation concluded students had acted improperly. A freshman goalkeeper said she was held upside down after she refused to sing songs and perform push-ups as veteran players demanded. The 15-year-old said teammates dropped her as they tried to dunk her head in a toilet bowl. The girl's mother said her daughter suffered slurred speech, blurred vision and difficulty sleeping. The mother complained she was not notified by the school and only heard about the incident after her daughter complained of headaches. The diocese has apologized to the girl's family.

(AP article here)

Man Gets Life For Burning Tire Necklace That Killed Woman

GAINESVILLE, Fla.- For the second time, a Gainesville man has been sentenced to life in prison for burning a woman to death by putting a tire around her neck and lighting it on fire. Christopher Beckham, 27, was found guilty in December of the January 2000 second-degree murder of Annette Graham, 47, of Gainesville. Circuit Court Judge George H. Pierce imposed the sentence Monday. Beckham was initially convicted in December 2002, but the verdict was overturned because the court did not explain the manslaughter charge to the jury, which is required in a murder trial. The state attorney's office ordered a new trial. Graham's body was found burning in a field on Jan. 7, 2000, behind a convenience store in Gainesville. Investigators said she was missing her clothes, jewelry and money. State Attorney Bill Cervone said he was pleased with the sentence. "He got a life sentence, and that is what we had requested and expected," Cervone said. "He was tried and convicted before, and he got life, but it was reversed because of an instructional error. So it was our hope that when he was convicted a second time, the outcome would be the same." Beckham's defense attorney John M.Stokes said he already was working on an appeal because of the state law requiring a mandatory sentence. "This is the downside of mandatory-sentencing law. It takes away discretion when judges wish to use it, if that was the case here." During Beckham's trial last year, prosecutors used DNA evidence from blood-stained clothes. Beckham has a criminal history including battery of a law enforcement officer and theft. He was released from the Florida Department of Corrections in 1997.

(AP article here)

Beer-Bottle Attack Ends Up Saving Woman

NAPLES, Fla.- A blow to the head with a beer bottle may have saved Sally Hampton's life. While doctors were examining her after the barroom attack, they discovered a brain tumor that could have killed her. The tumor was removed, and Hampton, 64, is fully recovered. On Monday, she testified against her attacker, Fidel Trujillo, who was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison. "It was one of the worst things that could happen to an elderly person, but in the end it saved her life," prosecutor Erik Lombillo said. Hampton was attacked July 4 at a bar in Immokalee, a farming town in southwestern Florida. According to prosecutors, she put her hand on Trujillo's shoulder to lead him out of the place when the bartender wanted to close up. Trujillo bashed her with a bottle and kicked her in the head and body when she fell. Hampton was taken to Lehigh Regional Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. During a test, doctors found the tumor.

(Original article here)

Police: Housekeeper Tortured Over Missing Money

Household Chemicals, Bleach Reportedly Poured Down Woman's Throat

A housekeeper in Brevard County, Fla., had household chemicals, including bleach, poured down her throat, was strangled and then buried in a shallow grave over some missing money, according to authorities. Titusville police received information Friday that a body was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere off state Road 46. When investigators began questioning people, they learned that Wenda Wright, (pictured, left) who was a housekeeper for Margaret Allen at 415 South Robbins Avenue had allegedly been killed in the house and transported to some nearby woods. "Chemicals were poured into her mouth, duct tape was placed over her mouth, so this was not a fast death. It was a torturous death unfortunately," Titusville police spokesman Warren Van Buren said. Allen, 39, reportedly told investigators that she killed Wright because she thought Wright had stolen her purse containing $2,000. When Wright would not admit to taking the purse, Allen reportedly became enraged and started beating Wright. Police said Allen's son, Quintin, 19, helped hold the woman down as Margaret Allen allegedly poured chemicals down her throat. Margaret Allen and son then allegedly strangled her with a belt, according to the report. After questioning Quintin Allen, he reportedly revealed to police the approximate location of Wright's body. James Martin, 50, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact. It is believed that Martin helped bring Wright's body out to a remote area. All three were arrested and transported to the Brevard County Jail. Margaret Allen and Quintin Allen are both charged with first-degree murder and false imprisonment.

(Local 6 article here)

'Chunky' Boy Avoids Serious Injury After Being Shot

LAUREL HILL, Fla.- A few extra pounds may have saved James "Bubba" Taylor's life. The boy, who turns 9 on Tuesday, avoided serious injury after being struck by a .38-caliber bullet during a target-shooting accident, officials said. "He's a little chunky," his grandmother, Alice Harper, told the Northwest Florida Daily News for its Tuesday editions. "Thank God." Taylor was shot Saturday by a neighbor, James Hinshaw, 44, who was practicing marksmanship with the child. The bullet entered Taylor's right side, and traveled through his flesh without striking any organs. Harper said the boy didn't even originally realize he'd been shot until he looked down and saw blood. "He heard the shot and it scared him because he was so close," Harper said. Taylor was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where he was treated and released the same day. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is classifying the incident as an accident.

(AP article here)

Car Slams Into Orlando Home

"This is the fourth car that has run into my yard," neighbor Dana Martin said. "It's just scary. I've got two young kids, an 8 year old and a 4 year old, always out here riding on their bikes. I have tried so many times to get someone to come out and take a look and to do whatever they can to put some speed bumps or whatever. I was told in order to get speed bumps, we're going to have to raise the funds for it ourselves."

(Local 6 article here)

Firefighter Accused Of Biting Head Off Pet Parrot

Report: 34-Year-Old Offers To Replace The Parrot

An Edgewater, Fla., firefighter faces animal cruelty charges after allegedly biting the head off a pet parrot during a pre-Super Bowl party, according to Local 6 News. Police said the incident occurred at a party early Sunday morning at the home of Bruce Coates, 34, (pictured, left) of the Saddle Club Estates community near state Road 44 and state Road 415. Coates, 34, told deputies that he was drinking alcohol and couldn’t remember what happened. He was apologetic and offered to replace the parrot, according to the sheriff's report. Witnesses told deputies that Coates and several other people were playing billiards. The parrot was on one of the player's shoulder when Coates grabbed the parrot, put the bird’s head in his mouth and bit it off. Witnesses said blood splattered on the wall and formed a puddle on the carpet. Coates fled the clubhouse after the incident. On Sunday, deputies filed a complaint affidavit charging Coates with a felony count of animal cruelty and one count of criminal mischief, a misdemeanor offense. The Sheriff’s Office plans to seek a warrant for Coates' arrest.

(Local 6 article here)

Central Fla. Woman Accused Of Beating Boyfriend With Hammer

A woman in Osceola County, Fla., was arrested Friday for allegedly beating her boyfriend with a hammer, according to Local 6 News. Helen Weber (pictured, left) told deputies that her boyfriend began hitting her so she retaliated by hitting him over the head with the hammer until he stopped. Detectives believe alcohol may have played a factor, Local 6 News reported. Weber was charged with aggravated abuse in connection with the alleged attack.

(Local 6 article here)

Florida "Torture" Couple Caught In Utah

INVERNESS, Fla.- A Florida couple accused of torturing and starving five adopted children - including pulling out their toenails and subjecting them to electric shocks - were captured Friday in southeastern Utah after police tracked them through their cell phones, officials said. John and Linda Dollar were picked up by two deputies around 7:30 p.m. EST south of Blanding in southeastern Utah, according to the San Juan County (Utah) Sheriff's Department. They were being held in county jail on Florida warrants of felony aggravated child abuse. The couple were easily tracked because they continued using their cell phones in Utah, Citrus County sheriff's Capt. Jim Cernich said. The Dollar family included seven adopted children between the ages of 12 and 17. Five of the children have told investigators they were tortured by the couple, subjected to electric shocks, beatings with hammers and having their toenails yanked out with pliers. Deputies who raided their central Florida home Friday found an electric cattle prod, sticks, belts and a vise that were allegedly used in the torture, Cernich said. Authorities said the abused five had physical injuries supporting their claims and were so severely malnourished that they weighed no more than elementary school children. "They looked like the photos that we've seen of Auschwitz," said Citrus sheriff's spokeswoman Gail Tierney, describing 14-year-old twins, one weighing 36 pounds, the other 38 pounds.



(Local 6 article here)