WAFC Local News – July 03, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. The Glade Sheriff finished his probe into Ortona man’s death in a brush fire. 73-year-old Douglas Allen was burned on 90 percent of his face and body in the fire January 17th. He was flown to Blake Hospital in Bradenton and died there. The cause of death was ruled thermal injury and the manner of death accidental. The three-acre brush fire threatened several homes and led to evacuations. A Department of Agriculture is also investigating. A volunteer fireman Sheldon Barracuillo also suffered severe burns to seven percent of his body. Sheriff deputies and rescuers had difficulty in locating the two men but found them near 2582 Ortona Locks Road after a delay surrounded by active flames. At one point deputies suspected that maybe a methamphetamine lab had sparked the fire but they were able to eliminate that as a possible cause. The City of LaBelle approves a contract with Enterprise to take over their fleet management. The plan may save the city $300,000 over 10 years and replace vehicles after five years of service and purchase the existing fleet. The sheriff had a similar contract with Enterprise and thinks it’s been a money saver for Hendry County. Commissioner Bobby Spratt worries about the perception saying it’s everything with residents and new cars. I don’t want people in the city to think we’re being frivolous with their money because it’s their money it’s not ours. Public works director Mitchell Wills says he thinks they’ll get more money for their current vehicles this way. So what we’re looking at now is the buyback that we’re getting all these vehicles now is actually creating income to where we’re usually getting scrap metal cost on our trucks. A Hendry County man was sentenced to five years in prison for child abuse charges. Charges of attempted sexual battery against Roberto de la Cruz Bautista were dropped in the plea deal. He was accused of biting a special needs child in the chest and neck and dragging her across the street against her will. The original charges included kidnapping and giving false information to law enforcement. The child says the suspect had grabbed her by the arm dragged her inside of his residence and tried to remove her pants. Bautista says he was intoxicated denied knowing the victim and denied any sexual relations. Deputies say the suspect did change his story. He was also accused of other lewd acts. Kennedy rallies have begun in Glades County already for this year’s election. They had one yesterday at the Washington Park Community Center and will have one this week on Thursday at the Muse Community Center at 6 30 p.m. A Moorhaven man Josheed Stevens facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery. It followed a domestic incident on June 16th in Glades County. He allegedly threatened to kill two females. The highway patrol pulled over the vehicle in Clewiston at the marathon station on US 27. Stevens denied any wrongdoing. The offense report said that Stevens removed one of the children from a vehicle and caused her to fall to the ground. He later armed himself with a shovel allegedly and battered another female knocking her out. Glades County man Daniel Santana is facing charges from an incident six years ago where he allegedly possessed methamphetamine, possessed a cell phone at Moorhaven Correctional Facility and also possessed methamphetamine at the prison. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).