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Police briefs 7/18/19

Clay County Sheriff's Office
Posted 7/17/19

Suspects in drive-by shooting caught after they run out of gasORANGE PARK – Two men were arrested after they ran out of gas after firing seven bullets into a home on Tanglewood …

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Police briefs 7/18/19


Posted

Suspects in drive-by shooting caught after they run out of gas

ORANGE PARK – Two men were arrested after they ran out of gas after firing seven bullets into a home on Tanglewood Boulevard.
Kenneth Quinn McCombs, 19, of Lake City and Justus Amiel Harper of Orange Park both were charged with five counts of attempted premeditated murder Wednesday night, July 10, after Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies said they fired a .380 caliber pistol at the home while occupants slept inside. Nobody was injured.
Deputies found bullet six bullet holes leading into the living room, through the dining room and into the kitchen, striking the counter, refrigerator and rear window. The charges specify the men “consciously, intentionally and with reckless indifference to the consequences, coordinated with the [other] defendants, with knowledge the victim would be home” before shooting at the house.
Shortly after the drive-by shooting, a friend of one of the suspects said the two were stranded after running out of gas near the Clay/Duval county line.
Harper also was charged lewd and lascivious battery by having sex with a minor between the ages of 12-16 two nights early on Fleming Island.

SWAT, Street Crimes Unit arrest 71-year-old man following drug raid

MIDDLEBURG – A raid by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT and Street Crimes Unit last week ended with an arrest of a 71-year-old man and the seizure of several drugs.
Andrew Conte, who lives on Fleming Island, was found inside a camper July 12 on Greenwood Lane in Middleburg. He was charged with possession of a firearm or ammo by a convicted felon, as well as possession of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, heroin and methamphetamine.
According to the National and Florida crime information centers, Conte already has 11 felony convictions.
His bond was set at $102,514.

Deputies trace March car break-ins to Jacksonville man

ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville man already in the Duval County Jail was sent back to Clay County on Tuesday, July 16, to face a multitude of car break-in charges.
Tyrone J. Dowthard, 18, was charged with five counts of unarmed car break-ins and one count of breaking into a car while armed in connection with a rash of break-ins reported on March 25 and 26 on Blairmore Boulevard East.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Dowthard broke into several cars that were parked within 170 feet of each other in March. Detectives eventually tied the crimes to Dowthard.
His bond was set at $100,018.

Local man linked to pair of recent robberies

ORANGE PARK – A man being questioned for a recent robbery wound up being arrested in connection to a four-month-old break-in, Clay County Sheriff’s Office reported.
John Clayton Garvin, 27, was charged with a March 4 burglary at Gulfstream Construction in Orange Park where $6,500 of equipment was reported missing and grand theft after the Quigley House Thrift Store was robbed on June 25.
Authorities arrested Dustin Sparkman, 36, on July 2 for burglary, giving false information to a pawn broker and dealing in stolen property. That arrest apparently led CCSO to Garvin.

CCSO: Jailed man called victim 14 times to change story

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A Middleburg man already in jail and charged with domestic violence was charged with tampering during a proceeding and violating his pre-trial release to avoid the victim by calling her 14 times.
Richard Paul Wehrly, 31, reported attempted to tell his victim to lie during the investigation, according to arrest documents.
Wehrly originally was arrested on July 3 and booked into the Clay County Jail for domestic battery. Judge Timothy Collins signed an order that prohibited Wehrly from any contact with the victim, including, “communicating orally or in any written form, either in person, telephonically, electronically or in any other manner, either directly or indirectly through a third person, with the victim or any other person named in the order.”
Nonetheless, court records and the jail’s phone logs showed Wehrly called the victim 14 times. He was arrested inside the jail on July 11.
He now is being held without bond.

Man busted using his pickup truck during an argument

MIDDLEBURG – A man was arrested for trying to win a fight by hitting the victim with his pickup truck.
Brian Scott Williams, 38, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and failure to appear to answer for a charge of possession of methamphetamine.
According to the sheriff’s office, the victim approached Williams while he sat in his truck on Peregrine Place on July 7. Williams reportedly pulled the truck forward, forcing the victim to jump out of the way. Williams then backed up and drove it toward the victim a second time, Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.
Williams was arrested on July 11. He is being held without bond.

Man faces additional charges for punch officer at Clay County Jail

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A Fort Walton Beach man was charged with recently hitting a correction’s officer at the Clay County Jail.
Christopher Dain Conner, 18, was charged with battery on a detention officer after an officer suffered punches to his left and right cheeks with a closed fist.
Conner originally was arrested for violating his probation order from Okaloosa County for drug charges.