Resident fights off armed burglar
ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville man is staring at multiple charges after an attempted armed burglary in which the resident fought back.
Julio Fines Quintanilla-Flores, 29, knocked on the door of Jose Alvarez on Canis Drive Nov. 19 at 9:10 p.m. When Alvarez opened his door, Quintanilla-Florez pulled a gun and pointed it at his face, police stated. Alvarez grabbed the gun in an attempt to push it away. The two men wrestled over the firearm, and it went off, with the bullet hitting the ceiling.
A witness, Noel Palacios, called 911. Police arrested Quintanilla-Flores, who was charged with burglary to an occupied dwelling while armed, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill, discharging a firearm into an occupied residence, concealed carry of a firearm, battery during a burglary and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Man busted for cocaine
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A 34-year-old Middleburg man faces a drug charge after he was caught by police with cocaine.
On Nov. 18 at noon, Joseph Lawrence Champion was trespassing at a residence on Orange Avenue, according to police. Champion tried unsuccessfully to enter, and then ended up passing out on the front porch. Police responded and discovered that Champion had a bottle with what appeared to be cocaine in it. They did a field test for cocaine, and it tested positive. A test for meth came up negative.
Champion was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

CCSO Seeks Public's Help Identifying Subjects

The subjects (white males and a white female) in the attached photos are wanted for questioning in reference to a burglary to an occupied residence that occurred in the Orange Park area. If you have any information, please contact Detective D. R. Hysler at 904-264-6512.

 Marina explosion injures three in Green Cove Springs

GREEN COVE SPRING – Three sustained injuries Saturday evening when a boat caught fire, triggering an explosion.

Firefighters found victims Stephen Glover and Randall Thompson wading in the St. Johns River with first and second-degree burns. A third victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The victims jumped into the river after one vessel caught fire, at around 5:30 p.m. The fire spread to three other boats, severely damaging them before the flames were finally extinguished. An employee reportedly pushed the boats away from the boat, saving the marina at 851 Bulkhead Rd. from major damage, according to Officer Kimberly Robinson, Green Cove Springs Police Department Spokesperson.

A 42-foot tall power boat valued at $1,500, 37 foot boat valued at $25,000 and two salvage sail boats were severely damaged.  Green Cove Springs Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, State Fire Marshal, Coast Guard and Clay County Fire & Rescue were on scene.

Clay County Fire & Rescue transported Glover and Thompson to the Gainesville Burn Unit with first and second degree burns to their arms. 

Two Keystone Heights residents killed in front on collision along State Road 100 

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – A front on collision on State Road 100 in Union County killed two Keystone Heights residents and left two other travelers with serious injuries.

Donna Crews, 41, and Kaelyn Crews, 10, died late on Nov. 21 after a collision with a Ford F150 who veered into the eastbound lane along State Road 100 resulted in a front on collision as well as a rear-end collision with a traveler driving a Kia Forte behind them.

The 2001 Ford F-150 traveled westbound along State Road 100, while Crews traveled eastbound in her 2013 Honda Civic. For unknown reasons, the Christopher Driggers, 19, who drove the truck, veered into Crews’ path, resulting in a head-on collision. A Kia Forte traveling behind Crews impacted the rear end of the Honda Civic, resulting in both vehicles rotating.

Donna and Kaelyn were pronounced dead on scene. Investigators are currently considering the crash being related to alcohol. Driggers was transported to University of Florida Health in Gainesville. 

Cops corral would-be shoplifter

ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville man is facing multiple charges after running from police in the Orange Park Mall when they pursued him for shoplifting.

Frank Smith, 31, tried to steal $71.40 worth of merchandise from Old Navy, according to police. Smith was among a group of known shoplifters, so store personnel notified security officer Christopher Balangue of Allied Universal Security Solutions.

Balangue responded, and Smith exited the store into the mall with a bag full of items. Balangue notified supervisor Berry Norris and Deputy Sheriff J.C. Saunders, who came to the scene. Malangue pointed out the suspect, and the three men approached Smith.

Officer Saunders asked to see the bag Smith was carrying. Smith began to rummage around inside the bag, and then appeared to pull something out and shove it in his pocket, and then rummaged in the bag some more. Saunders instructed Smith to drop the bag, but Smith tried to maneuver past the three men.

Officer Saunders grabbed Smith by the wrists, but Smith broke free – tearing his shirt – and darted through the mall toward Dillard’s. Saunders, Norris and Balangue all gave chase.

As Smith approached Dillard’s, security guard Michael Richter saw the commotion and ran toward Smith, but Smith lowered his shoulder and plowed past Richter, knocking him to the ground.

Smith continued running into Dillard’s, pulling down product shelves behind him as he went, trying to block the path of Saunders, Norris and Balangue, who were still in hot pursuit.

Officer Saunders noticed that Smith, out-of-control, was approaching a crowd of people. That’s when Saunders unleashed his TASER from its holster. He aimed it at Smith and unloaded the electricity into the right side of Smith’s back.

Smith, physically shocked from the stun gun, went down in a heap on the floor. As he was lying on his stomach, he held his arms in front of him and refused Saunders’ request to put his hands behind his back. Saunders used his baton to try prying Smith’s hands free, but Smith kept struggling.

By this point, Det. Sgt. Williams had arrived, so Williams zapped Smith with the TASER again. Sgt. Moreland and Det.  Sgt. Bell also came to help, and the men were able to handcuff Smith and take him into custody.

Smith was charged with battery on a uniformed security officer, retail petty theft less than $100 and vandalism of $1,000 or more. Smith caused $3,198 in damage inside Dillard’s.

Grand theft auto charge for Middleburg man

MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man faces grand theft auto charges following an investigation.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested William Mckinley Windle IV, 39, Nov. 21 at 10:40 p.m. dpursuant to a warrant for his arrest for a grand theft auto incident that occurred on July 10.

The victim left his Ford F150 unoccupied with the keys still in the ignition at 5600 Long Branch Cemetery Rd. A man in the park at the time allegedly saw a white, six foot tall man with a goatee enter the victim’s vehicle and drive away, the report said.  

On July 11, deputies recovered the vehicle on the 4000 block of Bluet Court. A neighbor told deputies he believed Windle was driving the vehicle while Windle visited with his daughter.

On Nov. 21, deputies made contact with Windle at the 1700 block of Rob Baxley road. Deputies arrested Windle pursuant to a warrant for his arrest. The report said.

Deputies transported Windle to the Clay County Jail, where he remained on a $25,003 bond.

Middleburg man faces petty theft charges

MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man faces petit theft charges after deputies discovered he allegedly placed three pairs of blue jeans in a shopping bag and walked out of the Walmart located at 1580 Branan Field Rd.

Deputies arrested Thomas Hoyt Stevens, 31, on Nov. 18 following an investigation.

The report said Stevens selected three pairs of blue jeans, put them under his arm and proceeded to allegedly drop them into a prepared bag and walk out of the store with them. A store employee approached Stevens outside the door and asked him to step back inside with the merchandise, according to the report.

Deputies arrested Stevens and transported him to the Clay County Jail. Thomas was out at press