Citrus County Animal Services has temporarily closed the shelter, until further notice, due to an unknown highly contagious upper respiratory infection.
The shelter medical staff and administration have consulted with Veterinarians from the University of Florida Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program who are experts in the field of treatment and management of illnesses in shelters.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two incidents; a robbery and a theft that occurred in the early morning hours of June 19.
At about 2:45 a.m. on June 19, three black males entered the RaceTrac at 3310 W. Gulf to Lake Hwy. in Lecanto.
They attempted to distract the store clerk by making requests for him to look in the back room for specific merchandise. The three suspects then picked up several sandwiches and brought them to the cashier, presumably to cash out.
An Ocala man riding as a passenger in a car that had crashed after a brief car chase on Friday. — and then led deputies in a foot chase — could not, in the end, outrun the deputies behind him.
Eventually deputies caught up with 28-year-old Timothy Rashad Munnerlyn of Ocala, and he was eventually apprehended and arrested.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday that about 3:15 p.m., Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of North White Palm Way. Deputies said that Munnerlyn, a passenger in the vehicle, was known to be wanted.
As deputies attempted to pull over the vehicle, the driver continued and made evasive maneuvers to elude law enforcement.
A brief pursuit ensued.
Deputies ended the vehicle pursuit in the area of County Road 491 and Hampshire Boulevard in Citrus Springs, near Fero Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home. After the suspect vehicle became immobilized, the wanted subject then exited the vehicle and fled on foot.
Multiple commands were given by deputies for Munnerlyn to “stop” but he didn’t.. Numerous deputies and K-9 units searched by ground during the foot chase, while the CCSO’s Aviation Unit assisted from the air.
Munnerlyn, a convicted felon, has numerous warrants out of Marion County for:
“Offenders who flee the scene can be more dangerous because they are desperate to evade law enforcement,” said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “Munnerlyn posed a significant threat to the members of our community and to our deputies. Despite his frantic attempt to flee, he was captured and now faces new charges from his reckless actions.”
At that time, businesses and residents in the vicinity of where the suspect fled were notified to lock their doors and stay inside, including Precious Lambs Preschool and St Paul’s Lutheran School. An AlertCitrus message was issued to residents, informing them of the active investigation and advising them to contact law enforcement if they believed to see the suspect. The alert directed community members to not approach the possibly armed suspect.
After an extensive search, deputies were able to locate Munnerlyn, who had attempted to cover himself with sand and conceal his location by hiding under a tree. He was taken into custody without further incident.
His local charges are:
His bond was set at a total of $88,000.
By Cynthia Oswald
The Inverness Sertoma Club held its annual Awards Banquet and installation of officers on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at Inverness Golf and Country Club.
The popular event saw guest attendance from both the Citrus Sertoma Club (Crystal River) and Sertoma Club of the Villages, along with representatives from Camp Endeavor, Sertoma Youth Ranch, Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida, The Villages Sertoma Club Baseball Camp for Hearing Impaired Youths, and Citrus County Commissioner Jimmie T. Smith.
Ashley Pate, a former Crime Scene Specialist with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, was sentenced today after being convicted of sharing confidential information with someone outside the agency.
She appeared this afternoon before the Hon. Richard A. Howard, Administrative Judge,
She was sentenced to one-year of community control and one-year standard probation to be served consecutively. Judge Howard reflected on Pate’s career and letters of support from various community members prior to rendering his decision.
Citrus County Commissioner Jimmie T. Smith, currently District 3 representative, announced today that he will be running for District 5 in the upcoming election.
Current District 5 Commissioner Brian Coleman has said he will not seek re-election.,
Below is an official announcement from his campaign headquarters.