A Hollywood man has pleaded not guilty to a charge that he tried to detonate a bomb at a synagogue and Jewish school during Passover observances. A lawyer for 40-year-old James Medina entered the plea Monday at a brief federal court hearing in Miami. Medina faces life in prison if convicted of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. The FBI says Medina plotted with an undercover informant to acquire a bomb to attack the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center last month. Medina was arrested after the informant provided him with a real-looking dummy bomb that could not explode. FBI recordings show Medina allegedly supported the Islamic State terrorist group and claimed an obligation to attack Jews in the U.S. Medina’s lawyer says he suffers from long-term mental illness.
One police officer quits, and another is suspended after one extended a “professional courtesy” to the other. Clearwater Police Sergeant Jay Holsombach attempted to do a breath test on Jessica Nascimento after stopping her for driving 90 miles an hour through town. But when he found out she was a Pinellas Sheriff’s deputy, Holsombach wrote Nascimento a ticket for reckless driving and called her a cab. That despite clear signs she was under the influence of alcohol. Nascimento ended up resigning. Holsombach got a two day suspension.
There is still no word on the identity of the person killed when he crashed his stolen car while being chased by Polk Sheriff’s deputies in Lakeland. The driver took off after being stopped for speeding. 8 minutes later, the stolen car rolled, tossing the driver out, and crashed into a Duff Road home.
Nine people are recovering from injuries after an SUV slammed head-on into a bus near Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Both vehicles caught fire on impact. Authorities believe the SUV driver fell asleep at the wheel and drifted into the other lane.
Investigators are looking into what sparked a fire at a West Fair Oak Court mobile home in Crystal River that left one person dead.
Five people escape a raging fire and roof collapse at their Hoover Drive home in Holiday. Investigators think careless smoking sparked the blaze.
A Busch Gardens Tampa roller coaster is back open four days after mysteriously stopping mid-ride. Park officials say days of tests show “Shakeira” is safe. 64 riders were evacuated Thursday two hours after being stranded 200 feet in the air.
