News Update for 7/18/19

A motorcyclist lost her life during the pre-dawn hours in Avon Park. It reportedly happened about 1:30 when 41-year-old Mayra Teresa Torres Muniz reportedly ran the stop sign at the intersection at Bell Street and Hart Avenue.
Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate Muniz’ Suzuki pulled into the path of an oncoming Chrysler 300, being driven by 20-year-old Lewis Gunter.
Muniz was thrown from her cycle and into a fence. Authorities say she was wearing a helmet – but was killed in the accident. No charges have yet been filed.

Last week, Highlands County Sheriff’s Special Operations deputies rounded up 17 alleged drug dealers in a sweep dubbed “Operation Collateral Damage.”
Authorities report Ramon Luis Archeval and Jamal Rashard Ward, two of the wanted subjects from the operation also now are in the Highlands County Jail.
Charges in the sweep involved a variety of drugs including methamphetmines, cocaine, synthetic cannabis and opioid-based pills.

A jury is awarding $700 million to the parents of a Sebring man who died after being beaten unconscious and then set afire while still alive.
The jury reached its verdict in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Aaron Doty. He was killed in June 2012 at Sun ‘N Lake.
However, collecting the award might be difficult. The verdict was against Jonathan Ray Rodriguez and Kenneth Edward Felipe. They were convicted of Doty’s murder in 2015. Both are serving dual life sentences kidnapping and murder convictions.
Investigators said the men were at a party when Felipe punched Doty. Rodriguez then beat him unconscious. The men set him on fire hours later when Doty was unconscious but still alive.

Officials in West Palm Beach are hoping a continuous loop of children’s songs played throughout the night will keep homeless people from sleeping on the patio of a city-owned rental banquet facility.
West Palm Beach parks and recreation director Leah Rockwell says they’re trying to discourage people from sleeping outside the glass-walled Waterfront Lake Pavilion, which she says rakes in some $240,000 annually from events.
The loop of “Baby Shark” and “Raining Tacos” is a temporary fix to keep homeless people off the patio. Rockwell says the city wants to formalize hours for the facility, which should make trespassing laws easier to enforce.
Illaya Champion tells the Post “it’s wrong” to chase people away with music. He says he’ll still sleep there, but “it’s on and on, the same songs.”