Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Palmetto mother, activist Tracey Washington dissatisfied with FDLE investigation

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/palmetto-f...-investigation

Breonte Johnson-Davis was eight days shy of his 37th birthday the night he was tased and suffered cardiac arrest during an incident with Palmetto Police back in November.

His mother, Palmetto resident, and community activist Tracey Washington, says she's had nothing but sleepless nights in the three months since. She’s publicly grieved the death of her oldest child while rallying for accountability and transparency from Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler. And she's publicly reprimanded the department for its actions.

Now, following the clearing of all four officers involved and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) subsequent investigation into the tasing death, Washington is expressing her dissatisfaction and frustration with the local law enforcement agency.

Mother of Palmetto man who died following police encounter asks BOCC to consider CALL program

For full article:

https://thebradentontimes.com/storie...-program,84878

Tracy Washington, the mother of Breonte Johnson-Davis, a Palmetto man who died following an interaction with police in which he was twice tasered, appeared before the Manatee County Commission at Tuesday's meeting to ask that the board consider implementing a program aimed at improving community responses to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

Washington said that her son had a history of mental health issues and that she believed he was suffering from one during the encounter. She pleaded with commissioners to consider implementing the Community Assistance and Life Liaison program. CALL sends social workers to certain calls for service, including mental health crises, suicide intervention, truancy, homeless complaints, and neighborhood disputes.

The City of St. Petersburg began piloting CALL in 2021 and Washinton said that Tampa has just announced it will adopt it as well.

"If this program was implemented in Manatee County, I feel as if Breonte would still be alive," Washington told commissioners. "So, I just ask the commission to please consider bringing the CALL program to our county. We not only need it city-wide, but we need it county-wide. It's needed all across the nation, really, but I just ask that we start with our community."

Commissioner Amanda Ballard, whose district includes Palmetto, was one of two commissioners to respond to Washington's pleas during the "public comments on future agenda items" portion of the meeting. Ballard did not speak directly to Washington's request regarding CALL but instead listed a number of mental health support services currently available in Manatee County.

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge began his comments with a public dressing down of Commission Chair Mike Rahn for allowing what he found to be unacceptable comments from other members of the public who showed up to speak on the matter. Some used the term "killer cops" in their descriptions of the events that preceded Johnson-Davis' death, which Van Ostendbridge thought was enough to restrict their speech.

For his part, Rahn seemed sufficiently chastened, bowing his head and seeming to mutter that Van Ostenbridge—who has been called the "shadow chair," as many see him as the commissioner running the board majority—had been well understood.

Van Ostenbridge, who often seems to relish in confrontation with those who do not share his ideology and has himself demonstrated incivility from the dais on many occasions, said that while he felt for those who came in to speak, "significant facts were left out of their statements, including the toxicology report, including the fact that this gentleman was alive when he left our EMS care, and died hours later at Manatee Memorial."

"It's a shame that he died," continued Van Ostenbridge, "but you don't get to then come up here and take a tragedy and use it as part of what we know is a much larger movement to attack police and to attack first responders."

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*Here is the link to the video of Tracy Washington speaking before the Manatee County Commissioners on the April 23, 2024 - Regular Meeting. (There's also some other Manatee County content as this video is over 5 hours long. Buit it's set to start where Ms. Washington starts speaking.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFNaDy-__sQ&t=8532

[wondermint2]

Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee recognizes volunteers

Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee held their annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on Monday.

Organizers treated volunteers to lunch from Chef2Home by Metz.

President and CEO, Maribeth Phillips says volunteers are the heart and soul of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee.

If you’d like to volunteer, click here:

https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/volunteering/

[wondermint2]

Sarasota woman sentenced to 10 years prison for 10K Skyway Bridge crash into FHP trooper

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...to-fhp-trooper

A Sarasota driver was sentenced to prison after she was arrested in 2022 for barreling past barricades and colliding head-on into a Florida Highway Patrol trooper's car on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Kristen Watts, 54, pleaded no contest to charges for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and DUI property damage and was sentenced in April to 10 years in prison, followed by four years of probation, according to court documents.

Prior to sentencing, Watts submitted a memorandum explaining that in the weeks leading up the incident and her arrest, she had been experiencing paranoia, hallucinations and delusions. The symptoms, Watts indicated, became so "debilitating" that she turned to alcohol, a habit she had fallen into since first experiencing worsening mental health conditions in the early 2000s.

In March 2022, Watts was arrested by FHP after Trooper Toni Schuck drove into Watts' path after state officers were unable to stop the BMW Watts was driving. Both Schuck and Watts were injured in the nearly head-on collision.

Watts had ignored multiple barricades set up on Interstate 275 in Manatee County for the annual Armed Forces Skyway 10K race and drove past state officers, endangering the lives of nearly 7,000 participants, according to previous reporting.

Watts was charged with driving under the influence with serious injury, two counts of DUI with property damage, and two counts of reckless driving involving injury and property damage. But State Attorney Ed Brodsky's office only filed two charges: fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement office and driving under the influence with property damage and/or personal injury.

In addition to the 10 years in prison, the Manatee Circuit Court judge also ordered that Watts' driver's license will be suspended for five years, she will need to enter and complete a substance abuse evaluation, undergo a mental health evaluation, and complete any recommended treatment. Watts was also sentenced to attend at least three AA meetings per week and cannot consume alcohol or drugs and must submit to random urinalysis.

She was also sentenced to attend and complete DUI school and a victim impact panel within 11 months and complete 50 hours of public service. Watts received credit for time served while in jail, which equated to 241 days, according to court records.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota PD conducts active shooter training (Video)

FOX 13's Kellie Cowan was live Tuesday morning from a Sarasota Police Department active shooter training (inside the Van Wezel) that helped them prepare for the emergency situations.

For video:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...ooter-training

[wondermint2]

Social media photo shows alligator crossing busy Sarasota road ahead of mating season

For photo:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...-mating-season

An alligator was seen recently crossing a road in South Sarasota.

A photo posted to the social media website Facebook shows a gator walking across Honore Avenue just south of Clark Road in Sarasota. As of Tuesday morning, the post had nearly 900 likes, almost 200 comments and over 300 shares.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligator mating season occurs in May or June, while April is when gators begin courting each other.

“Females build a mound nest of soil, vegetation, or debris and deposit an average of 32 to 46 eggs in late June or early July,” FWC said on its website. “Incubation requires approximately 63-68 days, and hatching occurs from mid-August through early September.”

The American alligator was named Florida’s state reptile in 1987, and the animal is federally protected under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species, according to FWC.

[wondermint2]

What to know in Manatee: Emergency drone program, Breonte Johnson-Davis rally, baby boxes

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/34138...lly-baby-boxes

Manatee County is set to begin the first pilot program in the nation for emergency drone operations aimed at responding quickly to time-sensitive medical incidents such as cardiac arrest and opioid overdose.

County commissioners approved the pilot program during a public meeting on Tuesday, where community members also gathered to call for a special program to address mental health and drug addiction needs in memory of the death of Breonte Johnson-Davis last year.

Commissioners also approved a pilot program for a baby box to intake abandoned children, received updates from the county about steps to address dust from new development, and appointed a new human resources director.

[wondermint2]

Brush fire burns 100 acres in Carlton Reserve

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...arlton-reserve

Firefighters from the Florida Forestry Service and other agencies battled a brush fire in the sprawling T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve for most of Tuesday.

The fire was started by a lightning strike, said Patrick Mahoney, spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service's Myakka River District.

It started near Sarasota County's water treatment plant on the property at 1255 Mabry Carlton Parkway. The area is east of Venice and north of the city of North Port.

The fire burned about 100 acres, and by 6 p.m. Tuesday it was 99% contained, Mahoney said.

"Our firefighters will be back out there tomorrow to make sure it's all mopped up," Mahoney said.

While low winds and moderate humidity aided the firefighters in Tuesday's effort, Florida is entering brush fire season, and officials use caution with any type of fire around wooded and grassy areas.

The Carlton Reserve is a 24,565-acre tract of public land with 100 miles of hiking, equestrian and biking trails.

[wondermint2]

All lanes back open after multi-car crash on I-75 in Bradenton

For photo:

https://www.wtsp.com/article/traffic...d-d0f971291cc5

All northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Manatee County are back open Tuesday evening after closing due to a multi-car crash.

The Florida Highway Patrol said it responded around 5:55 p.m. to the crash on I-75 near the Tidewater Preserve area of Bradenton.

FHP said there were injuries but did not give details about how many people were involved or what caused the crash.

[wondermint2]

'Take Care of Maya' case mediation was 'spectacularly unsuccessful,' lawyer says

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...ul-lawyer-says

Court records indicate that a mediation between the Kowalski family and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital regarding motions for remaining sanctions, costs and attorney fees has been unsuccessful, with the family's attorney asking a judge to step in.

In an emailed response to Sarasota Circuit Court Judge Hunter Carroll's judicial assistant, the Kowalski family's attorney Greg Anderson said the mediation on April 15 lasted two and a half hours, despite being scheduled for a full day.

"It was spectacularly unsuccessful - even as to fees and costs," Anderson wrote.

Following an hour-long hearing Monday, court records indicate another hearing is scheduled for August to go over the family's motions for bar referral and attorney fees.

The Kowalski family first sued the St. Petersburg-based hospital in 2018 for $220 million more than a year after wife and mother, Beata Kowalski, took her life after child abuse allegations arose against her and a Florida Department of Children and Families investigation led to then 10-year-old Maya Kowalski being separated from her family.

The family took Maya to the hospital in October 2016 due to severe stomachache, which they believed was a relapse of her Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a disorder that impairs the central nervous system and heightens pain sensations.

Hospital staff began to have suspicions of possible child abuse after they observed what many testified to as inconsistencies between Maya’s behaviors and her condition. Staff placed calls to the abuse hotline, beginning a more than three-month ordeal for the Kowalski family that has haunted them since.

Following a two-month long trial, a six-person jury awarded the Kowalski family a little over $261 million in compensatory and punitive damages against Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.

In January, Carroll in part denied and granted a motion filed by Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in the 'Take Care of Maya' case decreasing some of the compensatory damages awarded by the jury in November 2023. In that same order, Carroll upheld that the hospital was liable for battery, false imprisonment, fraudulent billing, medical malpractice and intentional infliction of emotional distress on Maya and Beata Kowalski. The judge denied decreasing the $50 million in punitive damages awarded by the jury.

In total, Carroll ordered that the final judgement for the Kowalski family in terms of compensatory and punitive damages would be $208,451,176, according to court records.

The two sides were ordered to have representatives at the mediation who were to have "full authority to settle without further consultation" by April 15 as related to sanctions, costs and fees, according to court documents.

[wondermint2]

Man with knife taken into protective custody in Venice

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...tody-in-venice

A man with a knife who was threatening to harm himself in Hecksher Park was taken into protective custody by Venice Police on Tuesday morning.

The park is across West Venice Avenue from City Hall.

According to VPD’s social media page, a community resource officer saw the man run into the restrooms north of the tennis courts in the park. Officers were able to take him into protective custody.

The circumstances regarding his behavior are under investigation, according to the post.