Dog Dies In Hot Car While Owner Cleans Florida Condos
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a 2-year-old Chihuahua died in a hot car while its owner was cleaning condominiums in Florida.
Now 29-year-old Angela Delandra Rogers of Banks, Alabama, faces an aggravated animal cruelty charge.
The News Herald reports Panama City Beach police officers went to the parking lot at the Calypso Condominiums on Saturday after someone called about a dog left in a vehicle. The car was not running and its windows were cracked about an inch on each side.
The newspaper reports the temperatures ranged between 85 and 90 degrees. There was no food or water inside the vehicle for the dog.
An arrest report says officers located Rogers several hours later. She was taken to jail. Records don’t list an attorney for Rogers.
1 Dead In Fire At Home Without Working Smoke Detector
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man died in a fire at a home that apparently didn’t have a working smoke detector.
Escambia County Fire Rescue officials say flames were coming from the back of the home when firefighters arrived at the Pensacola home early on Sunday. Inside, they found the body of a man.
The Pensacola News Journal reports the home is a total loss and five adults and one child are now displaced. The American Red Cross is assisting.
The Florida State Fire Marshal and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a death investigation.
Police: 99-Year-Old Man, 70-Year-Old Wife Stop Home Invasion
TAMARAC, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man who authorities say pulled a gun on his 99-year-old neighbor and his 70-year-old wife has been arrested.
News outlets report Broward County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Gina Carter says Louis and Irene Rosen were at home when their neighbor’s son 45-year-old Leonard Benitez asked to borrow sugar Friday.
Authorities say, once inside the home, Benitez pulled a gun and ordered the couple to give their banking information so he could extract $50,000.
Benitez stayed in the home for about two hours, until Irene called 911. When Benitez saw the deputies, he ran into his relative’s residence, which was then surrounded by a SWAT team.
Benitez surrendered and was charged with several offenses, including home invasion with a firearm and false imprisonment.
It’s unclear if Benitez has a lawyer.
Police: Double Shooting At Walmart In Florida
MOUNT DORA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a shooting at a Walmart in Florida has injured two people.
The Orlando Sentinel reports the shooting happened at a Walmart in Mount Dora on Friday night.
Mount Dora Police spokeswoman Lisa McDonald says police found one person shot in the back and another shot in the knee. They were both airlifted to the hospital. The victims and their conditions are still unknown.
Authorities say the suspects fled and police are still investigating how many people were involved in the shooting.
Further details have not been released.
Cash Tolls Extended Another Month At Florida Keys Bridge
NORTH KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) — Tolls for a road linking the Florida Keys with the mainland will be collected by hand for a little while longer.
Officials had expected to close the tollbooth at Card Sound Bridge in North Key Largo on Aug. 1 to prepare for the installation of electronic tolls.
Monroe County officials now say they’ll continue collecting cash tolls at the bridge through Sept. 1 in order to relocate power lines. After that, no tolls will be collected until the installation is completed in March.
The bridge and toll road are separate from U.S. 1, the other route linking the island chain with the rest of Florida. Increasing traffic and budget concerns prompted Keys officials to convert the bridge to electronic tolls.