WAFC Local News – April 29, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Two LaBelle teenagers are charged with armed robbery and armed burglary. Henry County Sheriff’s deputies, the 18-year-old Demonte Othair and 18-year-old Sincere Bradford, were charged in connection with an incident earlier this year in Clueston where they made alleged threats to the resident they allegedly were armed at the time and they made off with two guns from that apartment. The Florida Highway Patrol plans to increase patrols and emphasis on impaired driving this month. One in three fatal crashes in Florida involve impaired drivers and alcohol is the leading factor in impaired driving crashes involving injury and death. Lieutenant Greg Bueno talked about more focus on DUIs. Well the goal is to save lives and the second part of that goal is to hold irresponsible drivers accountable for their actions. He says they’ll have zero tolerance for this behavior. Anyone that is anything other than sober driving a vehicle is doing something very very wrong and very dangerous. He says they now have an elite DUI patrol that has been very effective. We outfitted their cars with some special equipment where they could actually do some of the testing right roadside like like a breath sample and stuff like that. We provided them with some extra training to only enhance their abilities for DUI detection and becoming drug recognition experts. The Pahokee City Commission ranked portions of West 3rd Street as their top priority for state small county road program funds this year. They ranked West 2nd Street and West 5th Terrace as the second and third highest priorities. There were disputes again over budget amendments. Commissioners say when they direct the manager she needs to follow through and make her own decisions. Vice Mayor Sankwita Cowan-Williams said she was concerned about the frequency of budget amendments. So if money is allocated for one thing are you saying that long as the budget balance you can take and move the money around and use it as needed? The commission also heard a presentation from the United Negro College Fund. They’d like financial support from the city of Pahokee. They have 40 scholarships per year for students a total over two hundred thousand dollars for Palm Beach County. A 40 year old a bell man is facing drug and weapons charges. Henry County deputies say Aaron Williamson was pulled over near Save-A-Lot on South Lee Street for using his cell phone to text while driving. Deputies say they found some methamphetamine pills on the suspect and some ammunition for a nine millimeter. Williamson is a convicted felon. A 59 year old a bell woman faces charges of resisting arrest and battery on law enforcement. The incident began as a report of a man chasing two teens and a baby. Alcohol was a factor in the domestic situation. Karen Oliva Mendez allegedly resisted arrest and was defiant to officers. They threatened to tase her to finally bring her into custody. An adult male that was not named in the arrest report was also charged for resisting officers and battery on a deputy charges. Glades County and South Florida Water Management District were named as defendants in a negligence lawsuit filed by Ronald Blum. He claims he was injured at the Lakeport boat ramp on August 12th of 2024. The plaintiff tripped over a cracked broken and uneven walkway that was unreasonably dangerous. According to his attorney there were no visible warning signage or barricades and insufficient lighting. They allege negligence against Glades County for the claims include negligence against Glades County for failing to inspect maintain or repair the broken and dangerous walkway. They have similar claims against the Water Management District. I’m Charles Murphy WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).