CCSO: Man charged with attempted murder after shooting at car

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office served an arrest warrant for a 25-year-old man who was accused of firing shots at a car on July 5.

Michael Anthony Davis, of Keystone Heights, was jailed on July 9 after being charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, firing a weapon from a vehicle and shooting a missile into a dwelling, vehicle, building or aircraft after deputies said two people were shot at in a convenience store and restaurant parking lot on Country Road 214.

While most of the affidavit for an arrest was heavily redacted, it was revealed that Davis reported that his motorcycle was stolen on July 4.

Davis’s bond was set at $800,012. His next court appearance will be on Aug. 4.

Cook: Deputy shoots man who threatened shootout with CCSO

OAKLEAF – An armed 20-year-old man who threatened to shoot police officers and to kill himself remained at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital Friday after he was shot Wednesday afternoon by a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Daniel John Siewert, of Orange Park, sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a CCSO release. Although Siewert pointed a gun at a deputy, which prompted a second deputy to shoot the suspect, no deputies were injured.

Sheriff Michelle Cook said deputies were notified Siewert was livestreaming on TikTok about potentially committing suicide. A deputy talked with Siewert, and he denied making threats and assured the deputy he was all right.

A family member called CCSO an hour later, saying Siewert said he was going to kill himself by taking “an excessive” amount of over-the-counter pain medication.

“He also made statements to the family member that he was ready to take us on, referring to law enforcement,” Cook said. “If the law enforcement officers came back to the house, he would be ready for us.

“Mr. Siewert left the residence and began walking away on foot. It was during that time that our real-time crime center was able to pick him up on a camera walking away, walking in this business area on Blanding Boulevard near Orange Park Northway] with what appeared to be a firearm.”

Cook said deputies set up a perimeter and found him hunkered behind a dumpster. She said he was sending text messages about having a shootout with law enforcement. When he approached, he raised his weapon, and a second deputy returned fire and struck Seiwert.

As part of the sheriff’s agency’s policy, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate.

Cook said calls about suicide threats are often the most dangerous for deputies.

“Either the person calls, or a family member calls, and says this person is wanting to suicide by cop or have a shootout with cops,” she said. "That's very concerning, and the fact that we were able to get out of this situation with no deputies being injured, it speaks to the professionalism and training of our deputies. I'm just grateful that none of our deputies were injured today."

Sheriff’s Office safely ends 12-hour standoff with armed man

 OAKLEAF – A man with a gun near the Oakleaf Baptist Church was safely coaxed to surrendering on Thursday, July 9, ending a 12-hour standoff without anyone getting hurt.

After receiving a call about a person with a gun, a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy found a man who it didn’t identify sitting in a car with a gun.

The church also serves as a daycare center, and there were children and adults in the church and daycare center. According to Sheriff Michelle Cook, everyone inside was joined by deputies and ordered to shelter in place.

We [did] have our SWAT team here and our negotiator team, and we [were] doing everything we can to try to talk this person into giving up peacefully,” Cook said.

The standoff led to Oakleaf Plantation being closed, but there were no evacuations ordered for the area, Cook said.

After hours of negotiating, the man surrendered without incident.

Middleburg man guilty of possessing methamphetamine, firearms

JACKSONVILLE – A federal jury found James Malcolm Davis, 47, of Middleburg, guilty of possession of methamphetamine and firearms by a convicted felon.

Davis faces a maximum of 16 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 31, 2024, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, Clay County Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives conducted a traffic stop on Davis and located a baggie containing methamphetamine in Davis’s pants pocket and approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine in his backpack.

Following his arrest, the detectives applied for and executed a search warrant for Davis’s camper. Inside the camper were four firearms, more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition, pipes used to smoke methamphetamine and a bullet proof vest. The firearms included a .22 caliber rifle, two semi-automatic assault style rifles and a revolver. Davis provided a detective with the combination to a safe, inside of which were two of those firearms. 

Davis has prior felony convictions, including for aggravated assault, felony battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by CCSO, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro.

Man hospitalized after plane flips while landing at Haller Airpark

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A Haller Airpark resident was injured Thursday when his private airplane crashed and flipped on a grassy runway off Airpark Loop East and West roads shortly before noon.

The plane was upside-down when he was rescued. He eventually spoke with fire rescue responders and Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies before he was taken to a local hospital.

While CCSO is conducting its investigation, a neighbor said it appeared the front wheel collapsed as the man was attempting to land.