Key West The Newspaper

Man arrested for gun threats on Big Coppitt Key

A 21 year old Big Coppitt Key man was arrested this morning for making threats with a gun.

Sheriff’s dispatchers received a call at 7:45 a.m. of a man waving a gun in the vicinity of Barcelona Drive on Big Coppitt Key. Detectives David Cruz and Spencer Curry were in the area and responded. The suspect was reported to be wearing a gold sweater and a belt with a Chrome belt buckle.

They found Douby Ernest in the area. He fit the description. He was walking, straddling a bike, with a woman beside him. When the Detectives ordered him to stop, he failed to comply.

He finally began to get off of his bike and fell into some bushes. When the detectives finally got him handcuffed on the ground, they found he was in possession of a .22 caliber handgun. He was also found to have a bag full of ammunition for the gun and some marijuana.

Deputy Darren Jensen arrived as backup. He took custody of Douby and took him to jail. Witnesses interviewed by the detectives said they saw Douby talking with a man and waving the gun around. One witness said she heard him making threats.

Douby was charged with aggravated assault, carrying a concealed weapon without a license, improper exhibition of a firearm and possession of marijuana.

Man arrested for sexual battery attempt, false imprisonment

A 42 year old Key Largo man was arrested today, accused of attempting to rape a co-worker while holding her against her will and choking her.

The incident took place in the early morning hours in the vicinity of employee housing at the Ocean Reef Resort in Key Largo. Deputies and detectives responded to investigate at 3:20 a.m.

The female victim told investigators she and Jeremiah Kielman went to his room to get some cigarettes. Once in the room, she says he threw her on the bed, held her down, choked her and attempted to rape her.

The victim managed to fight him off and escaped from the room, reporting the incident to her boyfriend, and then to Ocean Reef Public Safety. Ocean Reef Public Safety officers in turn called the Sheriff’s Office.

After an investigation by Major Crimes detectives, Kielman was arrested. He was charged with attempted sexual battery, aggravated battery and false imprisonment. He was booked into jail.

Woman arrested for slashing Trump sign

A woman from Oakland, California who slashed a Trump sign on Big Pine Key was arrested Friday. She told deputies she did it because the sign “ruined her chill”.

Deputies Josh Baer and James Pettorini responded to R & T Vinyl Signs at 5 p.m. The owners of the business told them a woman had slashed their vinyl “Trump” sign. They said she also threatened them while holding a knife in her hand. One of the men was able to take a picture of her vehicle as she was leaving, traveling southbound on highway U.S. One.

Lt. Derek Paul spotted the vehicle at the 19 mile marker of the highway and pulled it over. The driver was identified as 30 year old Elizabeth McSurdy. At first she denied slashing the signs and threatening the men; after she was confronted with the photo and after the victim identified her as the suspect, she admitted to doing the damage to the sign. She denied threatening the men, but admitted to holding the knife during the confrontation. The knife she used was found in the glove compartment.

McSurdy was arrested. She was charged with criminal mischief and aggravated assault and she was booked into jail.

Man arrested for ramming golf cart with truck

A man from Sunrise, Florida was arrested after he rammed his truck into an occupied golf cart at Calusa Campground in Key Largo.

A security guard at the campground told Deputies Titus Hodges and Cody Jackson he went to Lot 361 at 11:30 p.m. Saturday to a report of a disturbance. He said he pulled up in his golf cart, behind a pickup truck parked at the residence.

He said he was sitting in the golf cart when 40 year old Christopher Soccol got into the truck and backed up into the golf cart. He then pulled the truck forward and parked it. A short time later, Soccol got back into the truck and backed into the golf cart a second time.

When deputies arrived, they found Soccol still on the scene. He showed clear signs of intoxication and refused any communication with the deputies. Witnesses at the scene corroborated the victim’s story.

Soccol was arrested. He was charged with aggravated battery and with driving under the influence of alcohol. He was booked into jail.

Man airlifted after fight

A Marathon man was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital after a fight with three other men early this morning on 65th Street Oceanside in Marathon.

The 30 year old victim, Yandy Carrillo, was at the Nowhere Bar and Grill with friends. The group had a dispute amongst themselves at the bar and the victim and two women who were with him left the bar.

When they got out side and were waiting for a taxi, an acquaintance offered them a ride home. There were two other men in the car with him. The group got into the car and they all drove to 65th Street.

Once there, the two women got out of the car and began walking across the street to go home. They heard arguing behind them. The three men in the car, who are from Guatemala, were arguing with the victim, who is Cuban. The argument was reportedly over the difference in their nationalities.

The three men attacked the victim, hitting and punching him. One of the women intervened and tried to stop the fight. She was pushed to the ground and punched numerous times.

When deputies arrived just after 4 a.m., the three attackers had fled the scene. The victim had to be airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment of severe injuries to his face and head. The women were able to identify the attackers. Their car was found parked at a nearby apartment complex, but deputies were unable to locate the suspects at that location.

Detectives will be investigating the case.

Burglar apprehended by homeowner in Marathon

A Marathon man was charged with burglary early Saturday after he was caught inside a home on 4th Avenue in Marathon.

The owner of the home told Deputies Vincent Torres and Shannon O’Connell he was sleeping at 6 a.m. when he heard the door to his downstairs garage open and close. He went downstairs to check and found 34 year old Jeffrey Preston in the garage, staring at his workbench.

He confronted Preston, asking what he was doing. Preston said he was “just trying to help his people”. The victim told Preston to follow him upstairs and instructed his wife to call the police.

As the victim was waiting for deputies to arrive, Preston became agitated. When deputies arrived, the victim was controlling Preston by holding him in a choke hold from behind.

Preston was arrested. When deputies asked him what he was doing in the home, he could not explain. He said he’d been drinking at the Hurricane Bar and Grill and does not know why he was inside the home on 4th Avenue. When the deputies asked what he meant when he said he wanted to “help his people”, he could not elaborate. A search of his pockets turned up a cigarette pack with marijuana inside.

Preston was charged with burglary and possession of marijuana. He was booked into jail.

Homeless man faces multiple burglary and theft charges

A 54 year old homeless man was arrested Saturday. He is accused of burglarizing several boats at Strike Zone Charters on Big Pine Key.

Deputy Ken Fricke responded to the business on Friday after the owner reported catching 54 year old Bart Hesson rummaging through boats on the property and taking items. He said he confronted Hesson and told him to leave the area. He snapped a photo of Hesson as he left and then called the Sheriff’s Office to report it.

Deputy Fricke searched for Hesson in the area but could not find him. The following day, Deputy Fricke responded back to the charter business. The owner said video surveillance of the property showed Hesson returning to the property and going through more boats. He is also shown on video trying to pry open a shed door. The shed has an alarm, which went off and interrupted the attempt. He said he thinks Hesson slept on one of the boats because he found a bed made out of towels.

Deputy Fricke found Hesson at Winn Dixie Plaza on Big Pine Key later on Saturday. Hesson was caught leaving the Winn Dixie store without paying for a Foster’s beer he had in his pocket. Hesson admitted to going on to boats on both days and taking items from them that did not belong to him. He was charged with four counts of burglary, four counts of theft and one count of attempted burglary. He was also charged with theft of the beer from the store.

Hesson was booked into jail.

Key West man charged with illegal dumping

A Key West man is in jail, charged with illegally dumping a felony amount of trash on Sugarloaf Key.

In December, Deputies James Hager, Todd Jones and Ken Fricke investigated the dumping of a large pile of debris on Old Pappy Road, Lower Sugarloaf Key. The pile had been dumped on the right of way at the end of the road. In the pile of trash, they found shipping labels on several card board boxes along with a bill of lading in one of the bags that had been dumped. This evidence led back to an Estate Liquidating business located on Duval Street in Key West.

The owner of the business said he paid David Pulido $100 to properly dispose of the trash at the landfill. When Deputy Fricke met with Pulido, he admitted to illegally dumping the trash even though he saw a no dumping sign at that location and knew he was doing something wrong.

The deputies properly disposed of the trash and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Pulido. He was booked into jail last week on felony illegal dumping charges.