Grove Park Elementary crossing guard seriously struck in crosswalk 

According to Orange Park Police Chief Cody Monroe, the driver of the truck turned southbound from Gano Avenue onto Miller Street at the school. The guard, identified by friends as Sheri Hamilton but affectionately known as "Miss Sheri," was struck although she was wearing a high-visibility traffic vest and holding a stop sign. 

Monroe said the driver stopped after the accident and was “cooperating with the investigation.” 

"Our crossing guards put their own safety on the line each day to help ensure our children make it safely across our roadways," Monroe said. "They are dedicated members of our community, and we are incredibly grateful for the work they do. 

“With school back in session, we cannot emphasize this enough: Please slow down, stay alert, and use extra caution when driving near schools, crosswalks, and crossing guards. A few extra seconds of patience can make all the difference."

CCSO: Keystone Heights men caught in meth trafficking sting

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – A confidential informant helped the Clay County Sheriff’s Office make an arrest of two men on Monday, Aug. 17, for trafficking methamphetamine. More charges and an additional arrest followed a day later.

Cory Blake Hedding, 30, and Glenn Gary Stanton, 63, both of Keystone Heights, were arrested after the informant bought methamphetamine during a controlled buy on Aug. 4.

Stanton was arrested during a traffic stop at Twin Lakes Park and County Road 214, and Hedding was arrested at their home.

On Aug. 18, CCSO added an additional trafficking of methamphetamine and a sale/delivery of methamphetamine charge for Stanton, and Hedding was charged with introducing a controlled substance into the Clay County Jail.

Also, Jennifer Lynn Bedford, 47, of Keystone Heights, was added to the sting when she was charged with the sale and delivery of methamphetamine.

Bonds for both men was set at $350,003. Both men will return to court on Sept. 22.

Man already wanted for trafficking meth arrested for trafficking meth, fentanyl

ORANGE PARK – A 24-year-old man was charged on a variety of drug-related charges after the Clay County Sheriff’s Office’s Task Force made a traffic stop because he had outstanding warrants.

Cam’ron Jermaine Dove, of Jacksonville, was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, two counts of selling counterfeit controlled substances, possessing drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony after Dove ran his car into the front of a CCSO patrol car while trying to flee, according to the arrest report.

After Dove’s Dodge hit the patrol car, he veered into a curb, where the car became disabled.

A K-9 deputy later alerted deputies of the likely presence of illegal narcotics inside the car. They found three bags with fentanyl totaling 20.4 grams and two baggies with methamphetamine totaling 163.2 grams in a bag on the driver’s side floorboard. Deputies also found two scales, foil, a box of sandwich bags, a pack of small clear baggies, three glass pipes, tweezers, a silver pouch and one bottle each of Super MSM and Super Mannitol.

According to CCSO, Dove had two outstanding warrants for trafficking methamphetamine.

His bond was set at $1,210,028. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Man arrested for using toy gun to steal soft drink, snack

CLAY COUNTY – A Jacksonville man was arrested for taking a canned soft drink and a taquito roller with a fake handgun during an armed robbery at a convenience store on Thursday, Aug. 13.

Patrick Demario Brown, 29, used a toy gun with a green slide, black handle and red muzzle to take a Diet Mountain Dew and the snack from the roller grill, according to the arrest report. He also was wearing a ski-mask when he entered the store. He went to the back of the store and pulled the weapon.

A Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy found Brown behind the store and arrested him. He had marijuana in his right-front jeans pocket when he was arrested.

Brown’s bond was set at $15,005.

CCSO: St. Augustine man charged with luring a child for sex

ORANGE PARK – A Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigator posed as a child in an internet chatroom, which led to the arrest of a 65-year-old man for transmitting harmful information to minors, use of a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child for sex and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.

Charles Troy Hendry, of St. Augustine, was booked into the Clay County Jail with a $350,009 bond after CCSO said he used the Adam4Adam app to contact what he believed was a child on July 15. Adam4Adam is a “location-based social networking and dating platform that enables adult men to locate, view, message, and arrange meetings with other men through photographs and private electronic communication,” according to the nine-page arrest report.

On Aug. 3, the investigator said Hendry’s picture matched the photograph in the Adam4Adam app. Hendry was arrested on Aug. 10 after he met with CCSO investigators at the Orange Park Substation. Images and videos from their conversations were submitted into evidence via an online digital portal.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Informant helps CCSO arrest man for trafficking fentanyl

JACKSONVILLE – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential informant to turn a tip into an arrest of a man suspected of trafficking fentanyl and a controlled substance.

Jokwon Alanzo Tribune, 23, of Jacksonville was transported from the Duval County Jail on Thursday, Aug. 13, to face three charges of trafficking fentanyl and using his cellphone to facilitate a felony after CCSO used an informant to set up controlled purchases. One of the buys happened on June 10.

Tribune’s bond was set at $1,000,003. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 8.

Rolling through red light leads to drug charges for GCS man

MIDDLEBURG – A traffic stop for rolling through a red light led to a man's eventual arrest on a bevy of drug charges.

Jeffery Nolan Brannen, 43, of Green Cove Springs, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia after a K-9 deputy alerted deputies of the likely presence of illegal substances inside the car.

According to the arrest report, once detained, deputies found the methamphetamine, marijuana and paraphernalia in the center console. When he was placed in the backseat of the patrol car, a deputy noticed Brannen trying to conceal a bag in his right shoe or sock. He was removed from the car, and deputies uncovered the crack cocaine.

His bond was set at $50,013.