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Man pushing motorcycle dies after being hit by car

Near New Smyrna Beach, a 59-year-old local resident was killed as he pushed his motorcycle along Samsula Drive. According to Florida Highway Patrol, John Turners' motorcycle broke down in the Samsula area late one recent night. He was pushing it along the edge of the roadway when a vehicle hit him and the bike. Charges against the driver of the car, a 29- year-old Jacksonville woman, are pending.

Police warn sex offenders

Children all over our area enjoyed a long Halloween day because it fell on a Saturday. Police were busy as well, ensuring all the little ones stayed safe. In New Smyrna Beach, police distributed a flyer to 20 registered sex predators and offenders who may be prohibited from unsupervised contact with children. The offenders were warned not to display decorations that could lure children to their homes and not to have any contact with children if that was a part of their probation.

Man arrested for burglary

A 25-year-old man in New Smyrna Beach is under arrest after police said he broke into a home on Faulkner Street. Brian Steen is accused of burglary after investigators said they found Mr. Steen trying to sell a television he allegedly stole from the Faulkner Street home. Police think others were involved in the burglary at the home of William Brigman, 55, and said other items were also taken from the home that may yet turn up in area pawnshops.

Tourism is looking up

Things may be looking up in the Daytona Beach area tourism trade. September Hotel occupancy rates are up four percent over last year and the average daily rate increased. Officials with the Halifax Area advertising authority understand that part of the reason is because this year's Labor Day weekend was all in the month of September, rather than spilling over from August in 2008. Still, they're hoping the numbers just keep climbing.

Man arrested for sexual assault

A Port Orange man is under arrest for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl several times in a four-month period. Joseph Hurst, 53, was picked up in his mobile home community after sex crimes investigators with the Sheriff's Department spent three weeks looking into the allegations.

Mr. Hurst, who knows the victim and her family, was at their home near Ormond Beach when the child's mother came out of the shower and saw him standing in front of the child with his pants down. Mr. Hurst claimed the child accidentally kicked off his pants when he picked her up, but investigators who interviewed the child shared alarming details. She told them about months of inappropriate touching to make, as she described it, Mr. Hurst feel good.

The child also told investigators Mr. Hurst touched an 18-month-old in the house. Neighbors in his mobile home park told WESH 2 Mr. Hurst had issues there, but they were still stunned by the allegations of child sex abuse. Hurst is being held on $200,000 bond for sexual battery.

Woman in electric wheelchair dies after being hit by car

A South Daytona woman, hit by a car while crossing the street in an electric wheelchair, died of her injuries. Police say Diane Knoop, 59, was hit by a southbound vehicle in the 2200 block of U.S. Highway 1. Ms. Knoop was not at a designated crossing area and she was pushed 25 feet on impact. Still, rescuers thought she would survive after being rushed to the hospital, but we later learned her injuries were too severe. The driver of the car was not hurt and was not at fault in the crash.

Man arrested for attempted murder

In Daytona Beach Shores, a man was recently arrested for attempted murder after police said he stabbed another man he thought was coming on to his girlfriend. Police said John Falwell, 37, stabbed Matthew Alcott, 26, at an apartment on South Atlantic Avenue. The victim was critically injured and Mr. Falwell fled the area. The next morning, police spotted Mr. Falwell near the scene of the crime and after a short chase, they caught him. Mr. Falwell complained of an injury from the fight, so before being taken to jail, he was treated at the hospital.

Man arrested for exposing himself

Port Orange Police arrested a man who they say repeatedly exposed himself to a newspaper delivery woman. Laterell Humphries, 44, had been staying with relatives at the Ocean Oaks Apartments on Dunlawton Avenue and police said at least four times, Mr. Humphries was waiting outside without pants on when the woman delivered the paper. Police said on several occasions, Mr. Humphries was touching himself. Investigators said relatives told them the suspect left town, but Detective Eric Fields spotted him not far from the complex hours after the warrant was issued and arrested Mr. Humphries.

One person dies in rip currents

A sad end to the Halloween weekend in Ormond Beach when rip currents pulled two Indiana visitors out at the Granada Beach approach, and one of them died. Authorities said the victims were in waist deep water and couldn't make their way back to shore without help.

A lifeguard rescued the first man, then swam back to save his brother. Beach Patrol officers said when she returned to the shore, the first man, Phillip Standley, 55, was unconscious and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Lifeguards successfully pulled other swimmers out of the dangerous rips. It was a warm, sunny weekend, but the sea kicked up and swimmers unfamiliar with the drag rip currents bring were, in some cases, overwhelmed. I happened to be on the beach with friends the same day, including colleague and WESH 2 meteorologist Jason Brewer. He noticed a young woman struggling in the water. He grabbed a by-stander's surfboard and helped the woman in to shore. Mr. Brewer, who lives in Orlando, was amazed at how strong the current was running but had predicted rips would be a problem.

Registered sex offender assaults teen

Daytona Beach police said a registered sex offender assaulted a 15-year old-boy who was passed out and they think there may be other victims who have yet to come forward. Terence Lee, 37, was arrested and held without bond after police said he invited the victim and another teenager into his home on Hollywood Avenue to watch a movie.

Police said Mr. Lee served the teens alcohol and spiked the victim's drink with something that knocked him out. The other boy told police he saw Mr. Lee put some kind of white powder in his friend's drink but thought it was sugar because Lee was using a shaker. Police said Mr. Lee inappropriately touched the victim in the house, then offered to drive the two home when the second teen became concerned.

Mr. Lee allegedly dropped that boy off, then returned to his own home and parked out back with the passed out 15-year-old still in the car. The victim told police when he woke up, Mr. Lee was assaulting him.

Though convicted of sex crimes involving children in North Carolina, Mr. Lee had no restrictions on being around children in Florida and his roommates told WESH 2 they never witnessed criminal behavior. However, neighbors in the area said teens were in and out of the home often and one 21-year-old neighbor told us Mr. Lee propositioned him.

Jury recommends death sentence

A prison inmate, convicted of murdering a local corrections officer, faces a death sentence. The same jury that convicted Enoch Hall, 40, of beating, then stabbing Officer Donna Fitzgerald as she worked at Tomoka State Prison near Daytona Beach, recommended he die for the premeditated crime. State Attorney RJ Larizza, who, with prosecutor Leah Case, represented the state in the case, said a death sentence was fitting considering the brutality of the crime.

Officer Fitzgerald, of Port Orange, was ambushed and stabbed 22 times. State Attorney Larizza said Mr. Hall, who was already serving two life sentences for kidnapping and rape, planned to rape Officer Fitzgerald who was found dead with her pants around her ankles. However, State Attorney Larizza thinks Mr. Hall couldn't complete the act and killed the officer.

Mr. Hall's defense attorneys, Matt Phillips and Jim Valerino, conceded during the trial that Mr. Hall murdered Officer Fitzgerald, but claimed he did so after she interrupted him trying to steal narcotics from a back room. During the penalty phase, the attorneys said Mr. Hall freaked out because he had already taken several pills and they asked the jury to consider that when making a punishment decision. Instead the jury voted unanimously to impose the death penalty. Judge David Walsh will make the final decision on sentence in the weeks to come.

Burglar caught on tape

A frat house burglar's every move was caught on camera and Daytona Beach police are hoping to find the suspect after WESH 2 aired the video on television. The suspect broke into the Embry-Riddle Sigma Chi fraternity house on South Ridgewood Avenue. He clearly turned to the camera, though he may have been unaware it was there. The suspect made off with $500 worth of stereo equipment.

Beach patrol officer is contesting his dismissal

A Volusia County Beach Patrol Officer, accused of having consensual sex with an underage girl, is contesting his dismissal from his long-time county job. As is required, County officials sent out formal notice advising Bobby Tameris, 44, of its intent to fire him after Mr. Tameris was arrested for having sex with a then 16-year-old girl at his home, dozens of times. Tameris had three days to appeal the dismissal and opted to do so, sending a letter through his lawyer to the county, challenging the basis of the dismissal. Mr. Tameris claims the evidence the county used as reason to fire him is faulty and Mr. Tameris' attorney said they will prevail in court. For now, Mr. Tameris remains suspended without pay but he's not fired.

Police look for robbery suspect

The same agency said nearly a dozen Biketoberfest visitors went home with a lot less cash and not because they spent it. Again, surveillance video tells the tale. A suspect wearing a leg brace was seen at the Wyndam Resort on A1A during the Biketoberfest event, in the hotel garage rifling through a dozen or so bike saddlebags. He made off with cash, GPS devices, cameras and other expensive and personal items.

Fire damages house extensively

An Ormond Beach family escaped from their home after fire broke out in a bedroom on Alamanda Drive. Someone in the house called rescuers and when they got there, flames were shooting out the bedroom window and had spread to the attic. Firefighters got a handle on the blaze, but the damage was so extensive, residents had to find someplace else to live, at least in the short-term. The Red Cross was called in to help the occupants get immediate aid.

Lottery winner may lose out

As of this writing, the person who bought a winning Fantasy 5 lotto ticket for the May 6 drawing has not come forward and has lost the $58,000 plus in winnings. The ticket was purchased at the Kangaroo Express Store on U.S. 1 near Airport Road in Ormond Beach. Four tickets were good for the jackpot and three winners claimed their portion, but a fourth ticket, purchased at the Ormond Beach store, never was claimed. WESH 2 broadcast the story before this past Monday's 11:59 p.m. deadline, but so far no one has claimed the prize.

According to Lottery officials, there are no exceptions and no appeals. If no one comes forward, 80 percent of the money goes into the education trust fund and 20 percent into promoting future prize pools. We spoke with other lottery lovers in the store and they were sick that someone may have lost a winning ticket or worse, were unaware they had it in the first place.

Claire Metz is the WESH 2 News bureau chief for Volusia and Flagler counties.