37-year-old woman killed in Sarasota crash after becoming separated from her motorcycle
A 37-year-old woman was killed in a Friday afternoon crash after becoming separated from her motorcycle in a Sarasota crash.
She was traveling south on North Honore Avenue and approaching a curve when she veared off the travel lane at 6:38 p.m. After becoming separated from her motorcycle, she collided with a 'Do Not Enter Sign' and came to a final rest, troopers said in a crash report.
In case you missed it: 38-year-old woman killed in Englewood crash after walking across travel lanes
The Bradenton woman was pronounced dead at the scene. She was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
As of April 5, there have been 1,557 crashes in Sarasota County in 2025, according to the Florida Crash Dashboard. Of those, there have been nine deaths and 1,040 injuries. In Manatee County, there have been 1,464 crashes. Of those, there have been 12 deaths and 991 injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol will continue to investigate the crash.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton woman killed in motorcycle crash after veering off the road
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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Interim Osceola County Sheriff: We're going to get back to respect, trust
Christopher Blackmon, a leader at Florida Highway Patrol who was appointed to lead the Osceola County Sheriff's Office after the arrest and suspension of former sheriff Marcos Lopez, said one of his immediate goals is to ensure the agency's deputies and staff – and the community – know that there is not a systemic issue with the law enforcement agency. "We're trying to ensure the employees here that this is not a systemic problem, this is a problem that occurred with the sheriff, and he has to answer for his charges," he said. Watch his full remarks in the video player above. "It's very unsettling," Blackmon said. "To the community, I can assure you we're going to do everything we can to get back to respect and trust in the sheriff's office." The backstory Florida Gov. DeSantis suspended Marcos Lopez as Osceola County sheriff in an executive order on Thursday, and appointed Christopher Blackmon to the position, effective immediately. Lopez – and four others – are accused of running an illegal gambling operation for years in Kissimmee, where people could play the lottery and slot machines. Officials said the enterprise brought in more than $20 million over the years. Lopez has been charged with two counts of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, both felonies under Florida statutes. In Florida, there are strict rules on the types of gambling, betting, and games that people can play – and the organizations and businesses that can operate those types of games. It's managed and overseen by the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Lopez was booked on no bond and is expected to make his first appearance in front of a judge early Friday morning. He has not commented publicly, and it's unclear if he has an attorney representing him. Christopher Blackmon serves as chief of troops, overseeing Florida Highway Patrol's Troops C, D, and K in Orlando, Tampa, and the Florida Turnpike. He was promoted from Major to Chief in December 2023, according to an X post from FHP Orlando at the time. He oversees more than 850 FHP troopers and 95 civilian employees. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Blackmon has worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years. He also leads immigration-related operations across all 67 counties in Florida, according to DeSantis' executive order. In his free time, he volunteers with groups like the Special Olympics, Clermont Little League, and Make-a-Wish. He has a college degree in Homeland Security from Vincennes University. Dig deeper Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested on racketeering charges, officials say Who is Christopher Blackmon? Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez mug shot released Video: Marcos Lopez arrested by HSI agents What gambling is legal and illegal in Florida? STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source The information in this article comes from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order on June 5 suspending Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez and appointing Christopher Blackmon as sheriff; a statement from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier; the criminal complaint filed in court; and FOX 35 reporting.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Florida sheriff charged with racketeering in illegal gambling, corruption probe
Florida sheriff charged with racketeering in illegal gambling, corruption probe Show Caption Hide Caption Ex-Arkansas police chief imprisoned for murder escapes prison Grant Hardin, a former Gateway, Arkansas, police chief serving time for murder and rape, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25. unbranded - Newsworthy A sheriff in central Florida was arrested and charged in connection with an alleged massive gambling operation and public corruption scheme that generated more than $21 million in profits, authorities announced on June 5. Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was charged with one count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office said in a statement. Online inmate records showed that Lopez was booked into a jail in nearby Lake County, Florida, on the morning of June 5. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 30, according to inmate records. It is unclear if Lopez has an attorney. Uthmeier's office noted that the investigation remains ongoing and other charges may be announced at a later date. Lopez allegedly initially participated in the operation for personal payouts and campaign contributions before later using his position to "shield the enterprise from law enforcement," according to Uthmeier's office. Lopez was elected sheriff in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. Following his arrest, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order suspending Lopez from his position. The governor appointed Christopher Blackmon, the central region chief for the Florida Highway Patrol, as the county's sheriff. Osceola County Manager Don Fisher said in a statement that the county had no role in the investigation as the sheriff is a separate constitutional officer and apart from the county or the county commission. He added that county officials were prepared to support Blackmon as the interim sheriff. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on June 5. "As law enforcement, we are held to higher standards of integrity and character than other professions. This case revealed that Lopez violated the trust and integrity expected of him as the duly elected sheriff of Osceola County," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said in a statement. "Florida's sheriffs are leaders for not only their office and deputies, but for their community and the citizens that elected them." Why is it so hard to find him? 'Devil in the Ozarks' killer remains a fugitive. 'Multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise' Uthmeier's office accused Lopez of playing a "multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise." Prosecutors said the alleged criminal organization was uncovered in 2023 in a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the support of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The investigation revealed that the organization was operating an illegal gambling enterprise in central Florida, particularly in Lake and Osceola Counties, according to prosecutors. The operation allegedly generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds. Following his election as sheriff in November 2020, prosecutors said Lopez "continued to advance the interests" of the organization and collected a portion of the gambling proceeds for his involvement. Four people whom Uthmeier described as the sheriff's associates were also charged with racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, according to state charging documents. The four were identified as Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt, and Carol Cote. The charging documents state that the operation started in at least 2019 and continued until at least 2024. Beginning around June 2022, Lopez and his four associates owned or managed a "gambling house" out of a business known as Fusion Social Club or Eclipse Social Club, according to the charging documents. The business, which conducted a lottery and possessed a slot machine, was located in Kissimmee in central Florida's Osceola County, just south of Orlando, the charging documents stated. In a social media post on June 5, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared a video showing HSI agents arresting Lopez. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, no one is above the law — including public officials," the department said in the post. Prosecutors said other arrest warrants are expected to be served in the coming days. Inmate records showed that Fedrick and Cote were booked into Lake County Jail on the afternoon and night of June 5. The two were also being held without bond and are expected to appear in court on June 30. Death, a 'criminal enterprise': How an entire police department was put on leave Latest investigation involving Osceola County Sheriff's Office Lopez, who was born in Chicago and grew up in central Florida, was first elected as sheriff in 2020, according to his biography on the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website. He was sworn in on January 5, 2021, and became the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and state. Lopez joined the sheriff's office in 2003 while he was serving in the Navy Reserve, the website stated. He previously served 22 years in the U.S. military and received multiple awards and accolades throughout his career, according to the website. Lopez and the Osceola County Sheriff's Office have been involved in other investigations in recent years. In December 2024, Lopez pleaded no contest to a civil infraction and agreed to pay a $250 fine for posting a photo of a dead body on his personal Instagram page, FOX 35 Orlando and WFTV reported. The image was of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, who disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Kissimmee. Her body was found days later, and the boyfriend of the girl's mother was charged with her death. Lopez and the sheriff's office also came under scrutiny in 2022 after a 20-year-old was shot and killed by deputies, according to local television station WESH. Authorities said the 20-year-old and the group he was with were accused of stealing pizza and Pokémon cards from a Target store in Kissimmee, WESH reported. A grand jury declined to file charges in the case, according to WESH, but criticized the sheriff's office for its handling of the incident. The grand jury recommended policy and procedure changes for shootings involving law enforcement, WESH reported. "Our conclusion bluntly is that this should not have happened," the grand jury report states, according to Central Florida Public Media. "Our findings uncovered grave concerns about whether the appropriate amount of force was used to apprehend misdemeanor shoplifters and how insufficient training around vehicle blocks and lack of communication needlessly created circumstances where a deputy was faced with death or great bodily harm."
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sheriff Marcos Lopez of Florida's Osceola County charged with racketeering and suspended from office
ORLANDO, Fla. — Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has been charged with racketeering and suspended from office for involvement in a 'massive' illegal gambling operation that generated more than $20 million in proceeds and spanned Central Florida, state and federal officials announced Thursday. A charging document released by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office said the case centers around a money-laundering operation through an illegal gambling house in Kissimmee known as the Fusion Social Club run by Lopez and his co-conspirators. The establishment conducted illegal lotteries while illicitly possessing slot machines as part of an operation enriching the sheriff while in office. The U.S. Homeland Security Investigations office in Tampa, which took part in the investigation, posted video to social media of Lopez's arrest following Uthmeier's announcement of Lopez' arrest. The video shows agents surrounding Lopez, dressed in his sheriff uniform, at what appears to be one of the agency's offices. As they slap on the handcuffs, Lopez appears to ask, 'What's this about?' In his executive order suspending Lopez, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Christopher Blackmon, Florida Highway Patrol's central region chief, to replace him as Osceola sheriff. Lopez will face his charges in the Fifth Judicial Circuit — which covers Lake County and neighbors to the Ninth Judicial Circuit that covers Osceola — with prosecution handled by the Office of Statewide Prosecution. He was jailed in Lake County without bond and will be arraigned June 30, records show. It all amounts to a disgraceful denouement for Lopez, who has been a magnet for controversy since he became Osceola's first Hispanic sheriff in 2020. The longtime lawman has been accused of personal indiscretions such as receiving a nude photo of a co-worker, and professional missteps including his deputies' aggressive actions in pursuing shoplifters at a Target and killing their driver. Most recently, Lopez posted on social media a picture of the corpse of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, then lied about what he had done. According to the charging document released by Uthmeier's office, the illegal actions by Lopez and his alleged associates — Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt, Carol Cote 'and others known and unknown' — date to October 2019 and continued through last August. Lopez's involvement started during his first campaign for sheriff, document said. Finance reports reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel show one co-conspirator, Zhang, donated $1,000 to his 2020 campaign. No other co-conspirators are listed as campaign donors under their own names, records show. Lopez is further accused of using confidential law enforcement information to evade accountability. Though details of how the gambling operation functioned have not been released, HSI Tampa said in its post the scheme generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds. In a prepared statement, Uthmeier called Lopez's arrest 'a solemn day for Florida and our law enforcement community.' 'We put great trust in our constitutional officers, especially those who are our communities' first line of defense.' he said in the statement. 'However, the law must be applied equally, regardless of position, power, or branch of government. Public servants should never exploit the public's trust for personal gain. Our Statewide Prosecutors will hold Sheriff Lopez, his associates, and all lawbreakers accountable.' John Cordon, special agent in charge of HSI in Tampa, added: 'Corruption undermines the integrity of public trust, HSI along with our partners are committed to combating it.' Others are expected to face charges but they have not been named. Osceola County Manager Don Fisher issued a statement after Lopez's arrest saying the county 'had no role in this investigation,' referring questions to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, which did not respond to a message seeking comment. 'The County and the Commission stand ready at the helm to support Interim Sheriff Christopher Blackmon and the courageous men and women of the Osceola Sheriff's Department however we can during this period, as appropriate,' Fisher's statement said. Mark NeJame, an attorney whose namesake firm represents the family of Jayden Baez, killed in the Target incident, said he's not surprised by the arrest. 'It's terrible when any public official is accused of crimes and compromising the very people and laws they have sworn to protect,' NeJame said. Before State Attorney Monique Worrell could complete her investigation of the Target incident, Lopez was part of a scheme to get rid of her by forwarding to DeSantis' office accusations that she was inexplicably dropping criminal cases against accused drug traffickers. A review by the Sentinel revealed more than 60% of those cases either had charges downgraded or abandoned entirely because of botched investigations by Lopez's deputies. None of those cases were reopened by State Attorney Andrew Bain, Worrell's governor-appointed successor who lost to her in the November election. At the time of his arrest, Lopez was attempting to remove himself from the Brady list of questionable law enforcement officers maintained by Worrell's office. He was placed there by Bain after making conflicting statements about posting the photo of Kissimmee teen Madeline Soto to his Instagram page. Before that he had been accused of ogling a nude photo of one of his deputies sent by her then-boyfriend — a deputy later arrested in Orange County on a domestic battery charge for which he was acquitted. Lopez denied the accusation despite a screenshot text thread that was shared appearing to show him commenting on the photo. That screenshot was later said to be doctored, according to the Sheriff's Office. ---------------
