July 27, 2024
July 27, 2024
BROOKSVILLE – The County's new Development Services Director Peter Schwarz has resigned after just eight months on the job, and sources say it may have been his only option to avoid termination. A confidential source inside Hernando County Government tells R News that Schwarz was accused of sexually harassing at least one employee. Officials would not confirm those allegations, but they did provide a copy of his resignation letter. In a letter submitted to County...
SPRING HILL – The stabbing suspect who evaded capture for nearly a week has finally been taken into custody. On Tuesday, R News reported that the Hernando County Sheriff's Office waited three days to notify residents that a violent felon, who vowed to kill someone before returning to prison, was still roaming the streets of Spring Hill. FULL STORY The suspect, 39-year-old Steven Slattery slashed a man's face at a residence on Treehaven Drive last Saturday morning and then...
BROOKSVILLE – Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis is in hot water today after an investigator with Animal Rescue Mission (ARM) claims he refused to issue arrest warrants for individuals operating an illegal slaughterhouse. ARM Investigator Richard Couto held a press conference today in Tampa, where he shared the horrific details of how owners Juan Ortiz and his son Juan Ortiz Jr used 2x4s and bats to beat animals to death before butchering and selling their meat to vendors...
WEEKI WACHEE – Firefighters are on the scene of a structure fire on Dundee Way in the Heather Subdivision. Fire Officials say they responded to the 7400 block of Dundee Way earlier this afternoon after reports of a residential fire. Upon entering the structure, firefighters determined it was a hoarder home which made battling the blaze extremely difficult. No one was inside the home at the time of the fire and no injuries have been...
SPRING HILL – On Saturday, R News received information about a stabbing that occurred in the area of Treehaven Drive. Today, officials released information about the incident and advised that the violent suspect is still at large. According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Sheriff's Deputies and Fire Rescue responded to 6715 Treehaven Drive in reference to an injured person. Upon arrival, they located the victim who had a severe laceration...
BROOKSVILLE – Three suspects could face decades behind bars on charges of Human Trafficking which sources say may have involved underage victims. R News received a tip this afternoon regarding the arrests of Jarrod Alamo, 20, Jerry Berrios, 40, and Troy Hartman, 61. All three suspects were taken into custody over the weekend but there is no record of their arrests on the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Jail website. The suspects are, however, listed on a second...
SPRING HILL – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is investing separate unrelated stabbings that occurred this week, but the details of those incidents are not being released. The first incident occurred Saturday on Treehaven Drive, according to neighbors who contacted R News, but the Sheriff's Office has not responded to requests for information regarding the incident. One source says the male victim suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries. The second incident...
BROOKSVILLE – A Spring Hill man died this morning in a two-vehicle crash on Fort Dade Ave. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 20-year-old man was traveling eastbound in a Dodge Dakota when he crossed over the center line, west of Cobb Road, and collided with a Ford F150 pickup truck. The 48-year-old driver of the Ford and his 17-year-old passenger suffered only minor injuries. The driver of the Dodge was transported a trauma center where he later died from his...
BAYPORT – Two people were hospitalized after a marine incident occurred in Gulf waters near Bayport Park. According to Hernando County Fire Rescue, two people suffered burns after their boat became disabled from mechanical problems near Channel Marker 3. Officials say Marine 6 responded to the scene and rendered Advanced Life Support (ALS) to both patients while transporting them back to the Bayport Park boat ramp. Both patients were then transported to a local hospital...
In a statement released today, President Joe Biden announced he is stepping down. My Fellow Americans, Over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a Nation. Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We've made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We've provided critically needed care to a million veterans...
UPDATE: July 21, 2024 - An arrest has been made in connection with a structure fire that destroyed a Spring Hill Home on Saturday. According to the Hernando County Detention Center website, 43-year-old Christina Marie Bock of 2080 Haulover Ave, has been charged with 2nd Degree Arson, Criminal Mischief, Failing to Report a Dangerous Fire, and Weapons Offense. Sources say Bock threw a Molotov Cocktail into her home which sparked the fire. The Sheriff's Office has not released a...
SPRING HILL – The historic Spring Hill waterfall looks a lot better today, thanks to a work crew from the Hernando County Detention Center. According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, work began on July 16th with the help of several inmates who mowed the grass, trimmed bushes, and pulled weeds. Hernando County Facilities Maintenance workers and a few volunteers also helped prepare the waterfall for a full makeover, which will begin once a final plan is approved by...
BROOKSVILLE – Yesterday evening, R News reported what was originally believed to be a shooting in the area Dallas Drive and Spring Lake Highway, but officials now say it was a violent drug deal gone bad. According to a statement from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, 911 received a call about a man trying to flag down motorists. The man eventually flagged down a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and advised that he had just been robbed at gunpoint. The investigation soon...
SPRING HILL – Despite this being one of the most controversial and hotly contested election cycles in Hernando County, most voters have been kept in the dark on when and where to meet local candidates. There have only been a handful of political forums this year, and the last one to draw a substantial audience was the Hernando Beach Yacht Club forum held in May. Since then, there has been little to no public notice, even with Politics in the Park, the biggest event of the...
BROOKSVILLE – For years the citizens of Hernando County have demanded that Sheriff Al Nienhuis implement a body-worn camera (BWC) program to protect deputies and the community, but no matter how many solutions are presented, Nienhuis always finds a way to say no and dodge the issue. Nienhuis is up for reelection this year and up until candidate Joe Puglia stepped into the ring, Nienhuis thought he could once again ignore pleas for more transparency in the agency....
The following is a message from candidate for Hernando County Sheriff Joe Puglia In this election, I have typically engaged in discussions about various issues that concern us as voters, and how I will protect and serve the community. However, candidates often overlook a crucial group of stakeholders in this process: the brave men and women of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. As an employee of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, you will be the cornerstone of our...
BUTLER, Pennsylvania – At least two people are confirmed dead, including the shooter, after an assassination attempt was carried out against former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally. Trump was struck on the right side of his head after several shots were fired in his direction. Secret Service immediately surrounded Trump and rushed him to an awaiting vehicle. The shooter was shot and killed at the scene. There are unconfirmed reports that a third attendee is in...
HUDSON – The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for help in identifying a suspect in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian late Friday evening. According to officials, just after 10:00 p.m. Friday, a 2010-2011 Mazda was traveling southbound on Old Dixie Highway, south of Hudson Ave, when the driver struck a 67-year-old woman who was utilizing a walker. The driver fled the scene and did not notify authorities of the accident. The victim was transported to a...
SPRING HILL – The seventh annual Politics in the Park event went off without a hitch last night at Challenger K-8 but only one thing was missing – voters. Every two years the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce hosts the usually packed event, where residents have an opportunity to talk to candidates face-to-face. Throughout the evening, each candidate has an opportunity to deliver a short speech in the auditorium in front of a normally packed house, but this time...
DADE CITY (HERNANDO) – Hernando County Fire Rescue responded to an accident with injuries this afternoon that resulted in a hazmat incident. According to officials, Fire Rescue responded to the area of Cortez Blvd and Olancha Road around 1:00 p.m. after a rear end collision caused Muriatic Acid to spill onto the roadway. The Florida Highway Patrol shut down the roadway until a Hazmat crew could remove the corrosive chemical. One patient was airlifted to a trauma...
BROOKSVILLE – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a teenager who they say was in possession of child pornography and sexually abused an 8-year-old family member. Officials say on June 16th, detectives received information 17-year-old Noah Smith had downloaded child pornography from the internet. A search warrant was served on the social media provider which revealed that Smith was in possession of 10 files containing child sexual abuse material....
FLORIDA – A Citrus County Commission candidate is fighting to stay on the ballot after a minor technicality prompted the Supervisor of Elections to disqualify him. Republican Jesse Rumson filed in June of 2023 to run against incumbent Holly Davis, also a Republican, in the District 5 Primary. On June 6th of this year, Rumson filed a Candidate Oath form but failed to check yes or no to the question whether he owed campaign finance violation fines. Supervisor of Elections...
BROOKSVILLE – Just over a year after it was passed, the Hernando Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) overturned an ordinance that prohibited anyone from operating an ATV on unpaved roadways. Commissioner Steve Champion led the effort after several Royal Highlands residents said the measure is overreaching, restricts basic freedoms, and allowed the Sheriff's Office to conduct traffic stops without probable cause. Commissioner Champion, who cast the only "No Vote" when the...
Dear Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Mitch McConnell: President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has been an across-the-board failure. The law arguably made inflation worse by wasting billions on progressive boondoggles such as "Green New Deal" tax credits that benefit China, electric vehicle giveaways, and bigger handouts to insurance companies and affluent families who enroll in Obamacare. The law imposed costly new taxes on U.S. businesses that employ millions of...
FLORIDA – A recent report by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration suggests a decrease in the number of abortions performed in the state. The data, released on July 1, 2024, shows 36,221 abortions for the 2024 year, compared to the previous month's tally of 32,081. However, it's important to note that these figures may not fully capture the impact of recent legislation. Florida enacted a 15-week abortion ban in July 2022, with exceptions for medical emergencies....
WEBSTER – One person is dead, and two others injured in a multivehicle crash involving a tractor trailer. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a Ford Expedition driven by a 69-year-old Winter Garden man was traveling westbound on SR-50 and ran a red light at SR-471. As a result, the driver struck the passenger side of a tractor trailer driven by a 58-year-old North Port man. Subsequently, the tractor trailer traveled into the southbound lanes where it collided with a...
BROOKSVILLE – Democrat Candidate for County Commissioner Kathleen Cummings has died, sources say. Fire Rescue responded to her residence on Winding Creek Drive after receiving reports that Cummings was discovered unresponsive inside her home on Saturday. Cummings taught 12th-grade English at Springstead High School and planned to return to teaching this fall. A close friend of Cummings, Carla Johns, tells R News, "Despite our political difference, Cummings was an amazing...
CITRUS COUNTY – Sad news to report out of Citrus County today, after a 4th of July boating accident claimed the life of a beloved Citrus County Fire Captain. Citrus County Fire Rescue released the following statement: It is with profound sadness that Citrus County Fire Rescue announces the passing of one of our esteemed training captains, Michael Fletcher, due to an off-duty boating incident that occurred in Crystal River on the night of Thursday, July 4, 2024. 42-year-old...
FLORIDA – A heat advisory has been issued for portions of southwest and west central Florida, effective Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns of dangerous heat conditions, with heat indexes expected to reach 112 degrees in some areas. High temperatures can lead to heatstroke, a serious medical condition that can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms of heatstroke include high body temperature (above 103°F), confusion, disorientation,...
LECANTO – A New York City man died early this morning after crashing into a light pole on South Lecanto Highway. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 19-year-old driver was traveling southbound, when just west of Black Diamond Circle, he lost control of his Nissan Altima, veered off the roadway, and struck a concrete light pole. The driver was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later...
BROOKSVILLE – On Sunday, R News reported the arrest of 43-year-old Jerry Dean Glisson, who deputies say fought with them while attempting to place him into custody. Recently acquired dash cam video may paint a different picture than what deputies say led up to the violent confrontation, which left Glisson with lacerations to the head and a swollen face. (ORIGINAL STORY) After reviewing the reports of every deputy on the scene and watching dash cam video from three patrol...
HERNANDO – Cameras are everywhere and there is no expectation of privacy when you are outside and in a public area, but when the government uses spy cameras to track your every move, that's when people say it violates their right to privacy. That's exactly what Hernando County Commissioner Steve Champion said during a recent Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting regarding the use of surveillance cameras by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. The issue first came...
SPRING HILL – The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting the arrest of a Spring Hill woman after she crashed her vehicle into a home on Autumn Road Sunday evening. According to reports, 29-year-old Ann Marie Estevez was traveling eastbound on Spring Hill Drive when she lost control of her car and crashed into a home located at 1370 Autumn Road. Two people were inside the home at the time of the crash, but officials say no one was injured. Estevez told Troopers that someone...
