SWAT raid leads to more arrests, satisfying gulps of coffee

MIDDLEBURG – Pre-dawn flashing blue lights, armed SWAT officers dressed in fatigues and celebratory cups of coffee meant only one thing on March 8 – the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was making another drug raid.
Howard Wayne Haddock, 55, of 2305 Cosmos Ave. was arrested and charged three counts of selling or delivering narcotics, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver it, owning or renting a structure known to sell drugs and possession or use of drug equipment following a sweep that came as a relief to neighbors.
Another man, 34-year-old Long Wesley Dunlap Jr., was arrested at the scene for opposing officers while they tried to serve warrants to arrest Haddock and search for drugs.
According to the warrants, Haddock was accused to selling a total of 3.2 grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants on three occasions.
Haddock was jailed with a total bond set at $180,015.
Dunlap was arrested for arguing with deputies and refusing to put his arms behind his back. He was held with a $5,002 bond.
Clay County gained national attention last January when Sheriff Darryl Daniels was videoed drinking a cup of coffee during a drug bust that led to the detention of 15 residents – which eventually led to the arrest of five adults and one juvenile – and the seizure of drugs at an Orange Park home that Daniels called a well-known “narcotics house.”
“The end result ... will be me standing in your living room, like I said, drinking my morning cup of coffee,” Daniels said at the time. “Fifteen going to jail. Three big gulps. Y’all take care, Clay County.”
That video instantly went viral and led to Urban Bean Coffeehouse Café in Orange Park creating its own “Sheriff’s Blend” brand, with all proceeds going to the Clay County Police Athletic League.

Sheriffs investigate Clay buses being hit with rocks

Several school buses on County Road 218 in Clay Hill were stuck with rocks last Monday morning, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.
Nobody was injured, deputies said.
The department originally got a call reporting gunfire, but the department quickly squelched those rumors by reporting they had recovered rocks inside the buses.
CCSP also would like any information concerning the attacks to the buses or if any cars were stuck while driving through Clay Hill early Monday. Persons with information may call the Communications Section at (904) 264-6512.

Jacksonville book keeper arrested for Orange Park fraud

A Jacksonville woman was arrested in Duval County and sent back to Clay after being charged with skimming more than $6,000 from her employer, Integrity Restoration and Remediation, 26 Industrial Loop, Orange Park.
Kathleen Barnett Kaminski had been wanted since Dec. 6, but police weren’t able to find her until she finally was arrested on March 11 in Jacksonville.
She faces fraud charges after an audit of the company’s finances showed $6,511.75 that were deposited into her private account.

Man goes to jail after refusing to leave McDonald’s

An Orange Park man was jailed on March 10 for disorderly intoxication, resisting, obstructing or opposing a police office, depriving a police officer of his weapon or radio and the opportunity to defend himself, providing a false identification, threatening a public servant in the line of their duty and trespassing after he refused to leave the McDonald’s at 372 Blanding Blvd. in Orange Park.
George Chase Atchison, 54, was booked with bond totaling $21,014.
Police were called to the fast food restaurant to serve a no-trespass warning to another customer when Atchison approached both. The arresting officer said he “smelled the aroma of alcohol emitting from him.” Servers at McDonald’s then asked for Atchison to also be given a no-trespass warning.
After refusing to leave, deputies were able to put him in handcuffs. But as they attempted to search him, Atchison tried to pull a second officer’s taser from his holster, according to the arrest report. Police had to strike the suspect once to free his grip of the taser.

Homeless man busted for panhandling from highway median

A Jacksonville man was arrested for begging for money in the median of Blanding Boulevard and Henley Road on March 11.
Clyde Meeks, 57, was charged with roadway solicitation of monies from motorists without a lawful permit.
According to the arrest report, Meeks held a card that stated: “Homeless Man Need Work Anything Will Be A Blessing.” He was arrested because several drivers slowed down to read the sign, which caused a “disruption in the normal flow of traffic.”