News Cast 6/30
News Cast for June 30th:
Woman recounts threats to life
A Waycross Georgia man was accused of beating a woman and holding her against her will on Monday.
Christopher Gornall, 58, allegedly threatened to kill the female on multiple occasions and held her in his vehicle for several hours in Basinger and the Viking Property.
A deputy on routine patrol in Viking saw the two arguing alongside the road and intervened.
Gornall was held on $255,000 bond on charges of false imprisonment, battery and resisting arrest without violence.
The arrest report claimed Gornall boasted about having killed people.
The female claimed at one point she ran away from the suspect but was caught and dragged back to the vehicle.
Gornall is a convicted felon.
Warning about hot cars
Children can die in as few as 10 minutes inside a hot car in the summer.
Okeechobee city fire chief Herb Smith directs his firemen to bust out the windows of a vehicle if they find an unaccompanied child inside a hot car.
Smith said temperatures can rise by 50 degrees in a matter of moments inside these vehicles.
“For children purposes. If a car is in a hot car, you are looking at 10 minutes before possible damage and death occurs.”
Smith said these death incidents have increased in the country and in Florida in recent years.
He said the biggest reason is a chance in routine where parents simply forget the child is in the vehicle.
One new program is having a stuffed animal to buckle into the front passenger seat to remind the driver that a child is in the vehicle.
“People say I would never do that. This can happen to anybody whether you are a preacher, or a Senator, this can happen to anybody.”
Pahokee plans Independence Day celebration
Pahokee plans to hold a public fireworks display Sunday night at the marina.
Pahokee alum Janoris Jenkins will also hold a free youth football camp on July 9th.
Pahokee Mayor Keith Babb said Pahokee Junior Senior High School made history this year with a 100% graduation rate.
The commission hired Tajuana Walker as city clerk.
Her salary is $62,500 per year.
City Commissioner Clara Murvin said she said the salary was too high.
“It is almost a $20,000 to $25,000 increase. A two percent raise for two years to five years is not fair to the other directors and other managers. You have other staff looking at this. They are saying I’m a manager and I don’t get this.”
Arrests of note
A homeless man from Miami and a 14 year old reported tried to burglarize several local businesses.
City police said Andrew Ramirez Rios, 18, allegedly shut off the power to a local shopping plaza in one of the burglary attempts.
Charges against him include two counts of attempted burglary and criminal mischief.
A stolen 2008 Jeep Cherokee from Glades County was recovered near Indiantown.
The vehicle was reported stolen on June 19 and recovered June 26.
Martin deputies have charged James Doheny, 48, of Okeechobee with grand theft auto and possession of a firearm.
They found the vehicle alongside route 710 in the 12000 block with Doheny asleep in the driver seat.