Santa Rosa County’s planned expenditures for 2020 are about $9.08 million above the $91.7 million budget reality, according to data presented to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) June 11. That shortfall will be the topic of debate over the next several months as the county grapples to reach a balanced budget. Read the […]
The city of Milton announced June 5 a reward of up to $3,000 for the identity of those that vandalized the Riverwalk South. A reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s) after newly installed lighting was broken and wiring stolen. According to a press release, $3,500 worth of […]
A Virginia truck driver arrested in Santa Rosa County May 15 is charged with having sex with a 15-year-old in Pace after exchanging lewd messages with her on social media. Gerald Edward Filkins, 38, is charged with committing sex acts with a 15-year-old as well as using electronic communications to seduce the child. Read the […]
The Santa Rosa County Pre-trial Release Program resulted in an estimated net savings of $1,866,408 for the county in 2018, according to Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Donald Spencer. The program allows those charged with a crime to continue to work outside jail while their case is being processed. This estimate raises […]
Most of Florida’s local law enforcement agencies aren’t equipping their patrol officers with body cameras and Santa Rosa Sheriff Bob Johnson is among them. Thus the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office is part of a shrinking majority. Read the full article in the April 25 issue of Navarre Press. Visit https://navarrepress.com/subscribe/ to view subscription options – […]
‘Bad boys’ be wary when the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office comes for you. The popular television show “COPS” will be featuring Santa Rosa County deputies in an episode airing this weekend. Read the full article in the April 25 issue of Navarre Press. Visit https://navarrepress.com/subscribe/ to view subscription options – or sign up to […]
Michael Lee DePine, 62, of Pensacola, pleaded guilty April 5 to the production and possession of child pornography. The guilty plea was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Read the full article in the April 11 issue of Navarre Press. Visit https://navarrepress.com/subscribe/ to view subscription options – or […]
As the guest speaker for the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast Friday, Sheriff Bob Johnson gave staggering statistics of drug arrests which include opioids. “Heroin is making a strong return,” Johnson said. Read the full article in the April 4 issue of Navarre Press. Visit https://navarrepress.com/subscribe/ to view subscription options – or sign […]
A man arrested in Gulf Breeze on March 1 faces charges of drug possession and driving with an expired license. Douglas Leon Craig, 64, of Fort Walton Beach, was stopped by Gulf Breeze police while traveling west on Hwy 98 on the morning of March 1. Read the full article in the March 7 issue […]
A Milton woman has been arrested for orchestrating armed robbery of a man in Milton Feb. 9. According to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office report, Samantha Scarcella, 18, allegedly asked the victim to bring her money for narcotics and he was then shot by one of her accomplices. Read the full article in the […]
A Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office sergeant from Navarre has been arrested on multiple counts of child pornography after a search of his phone. Jeffrey Perkins was arrested Monday and charged with eight counts of child pornography following an investigation by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Read the full article in the Dec. 20 issue […]
A homicide investigation is underway after Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Deputies said Monday they believe a body found in a shallow grave in Jay is a woman that has been missing since May 28. Felecia Kuswandy, 38, was last seen alive at the same property along Highway 4 where the body was discovered last week according […]
Santa Rosa Sheriff’s deputies are seeking any information regarding a suspect in the Milton homicide of Tyler Lee Howell Sunday evening near Highway 87. According to sheriff’s office press releases, deputies have identified a black male through video that is a suspect in the case. There are three individuals suspected in the shooting, and it […]
A Milton man was found guilty Thursday of battery of law enforcement by having his dogs attack deputies, leading to one of the dogs being killed. A Santa Rosa County jury found David William Trappman, 27, guilty of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer […]
In the age of smart phones, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is pushing for residents to embrace an app to connect them directly to their neighbors and law enforcement. The app is called Nextdoor, and Public Information Officer Sgt. Rich Aloy said it has crime-fighting capabilities. Read the full article in the Aug. 23 […]
Santa Rosa Sheriff’s deputies are actively investigating the theft of four vehicles in the Navarre and Gulf Breeze area. The vehicles were reported stolen last night. According to a press release, a tow truck was reported stolen from Tiger Point Paint and Body in Gulf Breeze. Three private vehicles were also reported stolen in the […]
In the most recent debate, District 4 Commissioner and candidate for re-election Rob Williamson was asked by candidate Dave Piech if he had any regrets in the nearly four years that he has served as county commissioner. The question seemed to be a gift to Rob – a chance for Rob to redeem himself. The answer […]
For the first time in Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office history, a drug dealer was charged and convicted for having a role in the death of someone who overdosed on heroin. Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley is calling the case a victory. Read the full article in the July 5 issue of Navarre Press. Click here to […]
In the past six months, crime in Santa Rosa County has dropped 23 percent according to Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Rich Aloy. Accompanying the dropping crime rate has been an increase in clearing of cases by the department, meaning the cases were resolved. Read the full article in the July 5 […]
At first glance, some of the annual crime statistics released last week by state officials make Santa Rosa appear to be trending worse than Florida overall and neighboring counties. What’s more, Santa Rosa’s violent crime rate rose by 10.4 percent, while it fell by double digits in both Escambia and Okaloosa. Read the full article […]
A registered sexual predator was arrested in Milton May 10 on multiple counts of possession of child pornography on his cell phone. Richard Andrew Jackson allegedly had 20 images of confirmed child pornography on his phone when it was seized by deputies, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said. Read the full article in the […]
Navarre Beach resident Larry Hoffman did not know what hit him. He went for his daily run on the morning of March 3 along White Sands Boulevard. Less than a block from his home, while Hoffman was jogging about a foot off the shoulder of the road, a sport utility (SUV) vehicle hit him from […]
For the hundreds of inmates struggling with opioid addiction, Santa Rosa County Jail is offering a solution, free of charge. The jail will cover medication-assisted treatment for a full year, even if the person doesn’t remain incarcerated for the entire 12 months. Read the full article in the April 5 issue of Navarre Press. Visit […]
It’s rarely good news when you get pulled over by a deputy, but getting pulled over by the Sheriff himself is surely worse. And that is what happened March 2 at approximately 9 p.m. in Navarre. Read the full article in the Mar. 8 issue of Navarre Press. Visit www.navarrepress.com/subscribe to view subscription options. Sign […]
In the evening hours of Jan. 12, 1993, Susan Morris, 21, was walking to her car in a parking lot at the back of the University of West Florida campus. She had been attending a late class, and she was expected to make her way home to her parents’ house later that evening. Read the […]
After relations went sour with the TV show “Live PD,” Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s deputies will be in the lime light and in television viewers’ living rooms once again. Film crews for the television series “COPS” will be following and filming Santa Rosa’s officers as they perform their tasks. Read the full article in the […]
Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Deputies are looking for two individuals suspected of vandalizing private property in the Navarre area. Tyree Travon Hawkins, 21, and Kaitlin Elizabeth Skrivanie, 19, are facing six counts of criminal mischief and one felony in connection to an incident that occurred Dec. 2, 2017. During the overnight hours, the Santa Rosa County […]
The name of the Milton man accused of stabbing two people Thursday morning has been released. Jevon Lamar Husfelt, 22, is facing two counts of first degree felony attempted homicide in relation to an incident that occurred at an address on Kabel Drive in Milton according to Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office press release. Deputies […]
Two teenaged detainees of a juvenile justice facility allegedly assaulted another detainee with a chicken bone and bare fists. According to Okaloosa County Sheriff’s office reports, Oct. 8, Dakota Davis, 15 of Navarre, admitted to attacking the victim at the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Crestview. Davis was allegedly joined in the attack by […]
“Kill yourself.” Those harsh words in big, black spray painted letters greeted the neighbors along Bahama Street Monday morning in Holley by the Sea. It was sprayed across the garage door of the home of Dylan Bruce, 19. His car parked in the driveway was worse off with white spray painted profanities on all sides. […]