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Police Briefs 8/2/18

Clay County Sheriff's Office
Posted 8/1/18

Medical Examiner identifies body found last FridayJACKSONVILLE – The Duval County Medical Examiner’s Officer identified the body of the man who was pulled from the St. Johns River near …

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Police Briefs 8/2/18


Posted

Medical Examiner identifies body found last Friday
JACKSONVILLE – The Duval County Medical Examiner’s Officer identified the body of the man who was pulled from the St. Johns River near the Doctors Lake Bridge on July 27.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the body was identified as 65-year-old Keith Edward Pereau who was reported missing on July 15 after he went on a short boat ride with his girlfriend. He was last seen after the couple had returned from the boat ride.
Last Friday, CCSO had the area at Fleming Street and River Avenue cordoned off after the body was pulled from the water.
“At this time investigation into his cause of death continues, though we have no further information to provide at this time,” states a CCSO press release.
When he was reported missing, a search was launched that involved his family, law enforcement and members of the community.
Earlier in the week last week, CCSO said there was no evidence of foul play.

OPMC resident student arrested for sexual battery on teen
DEBARY, Fla. – A physician in residency training at Orange Park Medical Center remains in jail in Volusia County where he faces charges of sexual battery on a male 15-year-old.
Police charged Alexander J. Ralys, 30, with sexual battery on a victim over the age of 12 and under the age of 18 after he was discovered in bed with the teen in the early morning of July 25 at a home in DeBary.
A witness told deputies that Ralys was on top of the victim and neither had clothes on from the waist down. The victim told detectives Ralys sexually battered him.
The witness removed Ralys from the house immediately after he walked in on the incident, and Ralys was still outside the home when deputies arrived.
Ralys is listed as a first-year resident in family medicine at Orange Park Medical Center. According to hospital spokesman Pete Moberg, Ralys has been suspended from the residency program since the arrest.
Ralys had his first court appearance in a Deland courtroom on July 27 and was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail to be held without bond.
Additional charges are possible pending further investigation. While there are no reports of any additional potential victims at this time, anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Child Exploitation Unit at (386) 323-3574.

Charges pending in traffic fatality
JACKSONVILLE – Charges are pending against an Orange Park man who was involved in a traffic fatality on Interstate 295 on July 26, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Police said Victor Juan Palma, 51, of Orange Park, was driving a 2018 GMA Terrain SUV heading southbound on I-295 when he made a U-turn in a turn lane set aside for only official police use. When he made the U-turn at 6:45 p.m. on July 26, his GMC collided with a 2009 Triumph Motorcycle driven by Vincenzo Contessa, 25, of Jacksonville.
Contessa was transported to Orange Park Medical Center where he later died.

2017 crime spree leader arrested
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A Clay County man was extradited from the Lake City Correctional Institution to stand charges for a 2017 crime spree that started with a carjacking on Blanding Boulevard.
Using warrants obtained from 4th Circuit Court Judge John Skinner, police charged Qwentin DeShaun Simmons, 19, with carjacking while carrying firearm or other deadly weapon, grand theft auto, grand theft valued between $300 and 4,999 and four counts of burglary after an investigation into a crime spree that took place July 2017.
According to the arrest warrant, Simmons committed an armed carjacking on July 15, 2017 when he stole a black Kia Forte from 950 Blanding Blvd. Police said the victim was sitting in his car in a parking lot checking his bank balance on his phone when Simmons approached him with a gun and stole his car.
“He then drove to Green Cove Springs and picked up five juveniles positively as [report redacted]. The subjects rode to the Fleming Island Plantation Subdivision, smoking marijuana on the way. Once there, they began pulling car door handles in search of unlocked ones.”
Two days later, Green Cove Springs Police found the stolen Kia in the 1000 block of Buccaneer Boulevard. A search of the car led police to items that had been reported stolen in a home burglary that was reported on July 15, 2017 in the 1700 block of Covington Lane in Fleming Island Plantation.
Simmons’ crime spree also involved the break-in of a Ford F-150 in the 1425 block of Woodland View Drive and the theft of a $5,000 valued at vehicle from a home in the 1400 block of Golden Willow Court, both in Fleming Island Plantation.
At press time, Simmons remained in the Clay County Jail where his bond is set at $302,521.