October 28, 2024
October 28, 2024
BROOKSVILLE, FL - As anticipated, Tuesday's Hernando Board of County Commission (BOCC) meeting turned into a chaotic affair, with now-former Commissioner Beth Narverud making her final appearance as a lame-duck commissioner to support Sheriff Al Nienhuis' agenda to take over Animal Services. Animal Services Director James Terry has been under fire for over a year for issues that were mostly out of his control due to network interruptions, delays by the University of Florida...
NEW PORT RICHEY, FL - The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting the death of a woman who fell out of a vehicle and was run over. According to reports, a Ford F-150 was traveling westbound on Ridge Road when the driver attempted to turn left onto Lemon Road. While negotiating the turn, a 38-year-old Port Richey woman fell out of the passenger side and was struck by another vehicle traveling eastbound on Ridge Road. The victim suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene....
BROOKSVILLE, FL - One-term Commissioner Beth Narverud isn't happy about her loss to newcomer Ryan Amsler during the Primary Election, but she's not going away quietly. Narverud, the former Domino's Pizza owner turned real estate agent, colluded with Hernando County Sheriff (HCSO) Al Nienhuis to hand over Animal Services to HCSO. Bad blood between Nienhuis and the current Animal Service Director and former HCSO Major, James Terry, is the alleged reason for the attempted coup....
BROOKSVILLE - The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting the death of a 4-year-old girl after a single-vehicle rollover crash on the Suncoast Expressway Saturday. According to Officials, a 47-year-old Lee County woman was traveling southbound on SR-589 when she lost control of her Kia Optima and struck a concrete culvert. The vehicle then overturned and came to rest on the shoulder. The driver and a 7-year-old girl suffered serious injuries and were transported to a local...
SPRING HILL - The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a 16-year-old Spring Hill teen who officials say was allegedly in possession of child pornography. According to reports, detectives received a tip that 16-year-old Andor Gabriel Storz was in possession of child porn on August 20th, 2024, and subsequently obtained a search warrant for his residence on Little Farms Drive on October 15th, 2024. During an interview with Storz, he admitted to possessing...
HERNANDO, FL (CITRUS) - The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting the overnight storm-related death of an Inverness man. According to officials, the 46-year-old victim was driving a Ford Taurus eastbound on East Parsons Point Road, around 1:30 a.m. this morning, when he collided with a fallen tree near North Tomberlin Point. The driver suffered fatal injuries and died at the...
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL - Hurricane Milton has strengthened into a strong category 5, but experts say it will most likely lose strength before making landfall somewhere near the Tampa Bay area. Unfortunately, the storm is expected to double in size, which will impact a much larger portion of Florida. Mandatory evacuations are underway for zones A, B, and C, as Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings have been issued for the area. Government Offices & Schools – Closed for the...
HUDSON, FL - One person is confirmed dead in a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle on US-19. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 63-year-old Spring Hill man was driving a Kawasaki motorcycle southbound on US-19 when he lost control and crossed the median into northbound traffic. As a result, the motorcycle struck a Ford Edge driven by a 34-year-old Crystal River woman head-on. The driver of the motorcycle died at the scene, and the driver and 12-year-old...
HUDSON, FL - A Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy suffered serious injuries after colliding with a propane truck on Hudson Ave, early this morning. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 60-year-old Spring Hill man was backing a propane tanker truck into a driveway at 15222 Hudson Ave, when a marked Pinellas County Sheriff's Chevy Tahoe collided with tanker. The 32-year-old male deputy suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to a local hospital for...
BROOKSVILLE – A 24-year-old Brooksville man barely escaped with his life after colliding with the rear of a logging truck early Thursday morning. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a Chevy Silverado was traveling westbound on SR-50 when he collided with the rear of a logging truck that was beginning to accelerate from a traffic light at Emerson Road. The driver suffered serious injuries and was transported to a trauma center for treatment. Sources say...
HOMOSASSA SPRINGS, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting the death of a Homosassa woman after she was struck and killed while riding a bicycle. According to officials, just after 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, a 59-year-old woman was riding a bicycle northbound on West Homosassa Trail when a 30-year-old Crystal River man driving a pickup truck attempted to pass her. Just south of South Regal Lilly Way, the pickup truck struck the bicycle which caused...
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Here is the latest from Hernando County Emergency Management and State Officials: Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a State of Emergency for 41 Counties throughout Florida, including Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus Counties. There is a mandatory evacuation order in place that includes zones A, B, and C west of US-19, beginning at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. Officials say anyone who remains in their homes will not receive emergency services once tropical...
BROOKSVILLE – The mother of a 23-month-old child is behind bars today after officials say she committed sexual acts on the toddler and tried to sell video of the abuse on social media. According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, a tip led detectives to an address on Snow Memorial Highway in reference to possible child sex crimes. Officials say 20-year-old Jenna Ann Hoffman was offered money by a "stranger" on social media to record videos of her sexually abusing her...
SPRING HILL, FL – A homicide investigation is underway after sources say the body of a male victim was discovered behind a shopping plaza on Wendy Court. Officials have not commented on the investigation, but several sources tell R News that the victim's body was discovered in a homeless camp near Algood Road. Those same sources say the suspect(s) attempted to dispose of his body in a shallow grave (Pictured) and that his throat appeared to have been cut. According to the...
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Several families are grieving the loss of loved ones after a tragic weekend of fatal crashes on Hernando County roadways. The first crash occurred around 8:35 p.m. Saturday, when officials say a 42-year-old Brooksville man was operating an electric bicycle on the Nature Coast Trail. As the driver approached the intersection of Highfield Road, he failed to stop and was struck by a Chevy Trailblazer. The driver suffered fatal injuries and died at the...
SPRING HILL, FL – Earlier this afternoon R News reported two shooting incidents that officials now say are related. Around 4:00 p.m. today, deputies responded to the area of Holiday Drive and Newhope Road to investigate a shooting. Officials say two men were injured during a shootout, but their injuries are not life-threatening. There are no further details at this...
DADE CITY, FL – A tragic end to the search for a Webster man who disappeared from his home earlier this month. On September 8th, officials say 63-year-old Boby Joe McCall walked away from his home on Kramer Street to try and purchase a car title on Snyder Street, less than a mile from his home. On Thursday, authorities received a tip about a hit-and-run victim lying on the side of US-301, north of SR-50. The Florida Highway Patrol responded and confirmed the deceased to be...
BROOKSVILLE – Each year, the Hernando Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) holds budget hearings to review each department's proposed increases and that often leads to a fiery debate between the most conservative County Commissioner and an extremely liberal County Sheriff. Last week's budget hearing proved no different than prior years when Commissioner Steve Champion asked Sheriff Al Nienhuis why he's asking for another double-digit increase and refuses to make cuts....
CITRUS COUNTY, FL – A Citrus Hills man will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after he shot at a group of ATV operators, severely injuring a teenager. FULL STORY 66-year-old Michael Regalski was found guilty during a trial last month for three counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder, Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle, and Tampering with Evidence. Earlier today, Judge Joel Fritton sentenced Regalski to 65 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Even...
WEBSTER – A search is underway for a missing Webster man who disappeared from his home earlier this month. According to officials, on September 8, 2024, 63-year-old Boby Joe McCall walked away from his home on Kramer Street to try and purchase a vehicle title on Snyder Street, less than a mile away. Investigators say McCall never reached his destination and did not return home. Officials say McCall's family did not report McCall missing until September 13th, four days after...
SPRING HILL – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a Spring Hill man who they say possessed and distributed child pornography. A search warrant was executed at a residence on Crossline Drive in the Sterling Hills subdivision this morning, where detectives arrested 21-year-old Caleb Elijah Sumner on related charges. Sumner is held without bond at the Hernando County Jail at this time. Officials have not released...
SPRING HILL, FL – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office has announced the arrest of a Spring Hill man who lured pedophiles into believing they could purchase images of child pornography on a social media site. During a search warrant, Investigators didn't locate child pornography, but they did locate images of sexual activity with animals. According to officials, a tip led detectives to a residence located at 10512 Blythville Road on Wednesday, where they say 34-year-old...
BROOKSVILLE, FL – Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis announced the death of a female Detention Deputy during a County Budget hearing this evening. Nienhuis did not identify or share further details regarding the...
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Hernando County School Board has notified parents of a series of threatening statements made against several schools. In a statement to all parents, school officials said, "Local law enforcement agencies, throughout the area, are aware of an individual who is believed to be responsible for personal writings that express homicidal thoughts and includes a broad list of local sites and schools- HCSD schools are listed. The individual makes NO threat...
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Today Hernando County Fire Rescue did their part in memorializing the tragic events of 9/11. Chief Hasenmeier and other First Responders gathered to remember the hundreds of responders and thousands of civilian and military personnel who lost their lives on and after 9-11-2001. "It has been 23 years since the event that changed our country forever. Let us never forget the sacrifices countless numbers of people made that day." – A Facebook post from...
BROOKSVILLE, FL – Two people were arrested during a Hernando County Planning and Zoning Committee meeting Monday after a woman blasted committee members over a proposed low-income housing project being considered near Cortez Blvd and Mariner Blvd. Several residents living near the proposed development attended the event to voice opposition of the project but one woman took things to the extreme when she refused to abide by the committee's rules of decorum. CLICK HERE FOR...
RIDGE MANOR – Hernando County Sheriff's Deputies are searching for an armed burglary suspect who fled from the area of Reynolds Street and Dale Anne Drive. Officials say the suspect jumped into the Withlacoochee River in an attempt to reach Pasco County. The suspect is described as a white male, bald, no shirt, jean shorts, and is armed with a...
HUDSON, FL – An arrest has been made in an early morning fatal crash on US-19 that claimed the life of a 21-year-old Inverness man. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 25-year-old Melissa Annette Lopez was traveling northbound on US-19 while the driver of a Kawasaki motorcycle was traveling southbound. At the intersection of Sea Ranch Drive, Lopez turned left under a flashing yellow light into the path of the motorcycle. The impact caused the motorcycle to burst into...
