WAFC Local News – January 21, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. A Henry County woman is accused of fraud, allegedly making a false last will and testament, trying to get property worth over a hundred thousand dollars. The case investigated by the Florida Department of Financial Services, 55-year-old Betty Salabria and Maricela Vega are both facing first-degree grand theft charges. The case also involved insurance claims from Hurricane Ian damage. One estimate on the damage was only 5,200, another was over 108,000. They settled with the insurer for 50 grand. The fraudulent will cut out the victim’s five children. The home was valued over 287,000. Vega also fraudulently transferred four vehicles and vessels, three of them antiques, according to the affidavits. Handwriting experts say the documents were forged. Salabria allegedly admitted the will was fraudulent and that she had forged a notary signature on the document. She’s being charged as an accessory. The entire state was valued over half a million dollars. A LaBelle man is held after a traffic stop involving Collier County deputies. 36-year-old Alpha Edwards was clocked at doing 106 miles an hour on a section of I-75. The arrest report from deputies say he was driving dangerously, changing lanes and cutting off vehicles in a construction zone at high speed. He was charged under the new super speeder law. The Henry County School District announced their employees of the year. The 2026 School Related Employee of the Year is Dolly Burke. The Brilliant Orange Teacher of the Year Abigail Barraza. The Golden Apple Teacher of the Year or First Year Teacher is Christy Hamilton. And the Heritage Award was given to Dr. Robert Eggly. Belgrade City Manager Lomax Harrell says new housing projects are going in behind the Winn-Dixie, 17 homes behind Walgreens and also new homes behind the old bowling alley. Palm Beach Fire Rescue reported the average response time has been reduced to five minutes and 30 seconds in the Glades. They have a new squad 73. It has what is called a paratex. It allows them to raise heavier weights to handle industrial accidents and tractor-trailer crashes. The Florida Highway Patrol says two items, a seat belt cutter and window buster, might save your life with all these canals. Lieutenant Indiana Miranda says there are a lot of roads with canals in South Florida and you must be prepared if your vehicle enters a canal. She calls it a great way to stay alive. Try to have it hanging and easily to just snatch it out and be able to cut those seat belts or punch that window if you’re you know in one of those bad crashes where you get inside of a canal or you seem that you’re locked in your vehicle you can’t open the door. A Belgrade man was caught on cameras trying to break into and burglarize vehicles at Napleton Auto in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens. Palm Beach County Sheriff deputies say Julius Wright is facing numerous charges of burglary to a conveyance, possession of burglars tools and possession of cocaine along with trespassing. Cameras caught him checking for unlocked vehicles in the parking lot at Napleton Kia and entering three vehicles. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).