The
Bonifay Police Department
is asking for some
assistance in obtaining
more history about the
department. Chief Chris
Wells stated that since
taking over as Chief in
February of last year, it
has come to his attention
that very little
information on past
administrations and
employees exists. Wells
would like to have a
photo gallery of past
Police Chiefs and Fire
Chiefs on display at the
Police and Fire
Headquarters as well as
on the Departments
websites at www.bonifaypolice.com
and www.bonifayfire.com
Anyone who can provide
photographs of former
chiefs, officers, staff,
events, etc is
asked to do so. Also, any
information to create a
time-line for the
department from its
creation to the
1980s would be
greatly appreciated as
well.
Tuesday,
March 2nd, 2010
SEXUAL
OFFENDER ARRESTED FOR
FAILURE TO REGISTER
The
Bonifay Police Department
received a call to
Bonifay City Hall
regarding a possible
ordinance violation and
an unruly customer.
Contact was made with
Aaron Jackson Sellers
(W/M 73 yoa) who was
being verbally aggressive
with city employees.
Sellers stated that he
was attempting to have
utilities activated at an
address on West Indiana
Avenue. A new city
ordinance has recently
been created that would
prevent Sellers, who is
required to register as a
sexual offender from
living at this address.
The reason being that the
address on West Indiana
is located near a child
daycare facility. When
Sellers was informed of
the ordinance, he
admitted to having lived
at the location since
January of this year and
had been obtaining
drinking water elsewhere.
According to the FDLE
Sexual Offender Registry,
Sellers listed an address
of 701 East Highway 90,
Lot #19, Bonifay as of
December 2, 2009. Sellers
was found to be in
violation of Florida
State Statute
943.0435(9)(a) by his own
admission and was placed
under arrest and
transported to the Holmes
County Jail.
February
& March 2010
ROADSIDE
SAFETY AND DUI
CHECKPOINTS
The
Bonifay Police Department
will be conducting
Roadside
Safety checkpoints
throughout February and
March 2010 at the
following locations:
State Road 79, North
Avenue, County Road
177-A, County Road 173,
US Highway 90, North
Caryville Road, St.
Johns Road, Jenkins
Boulevard, Weeks Street,
Brock Avenue, McGee Road
and Son-In-Law Road.
Checkpoints will include,
but are not limited to,
these locations.
Recognizing the danger
presented to the public
by defective vehicle
equipment, officers will
concentrate their efforts
on vehicles being
operated with defects
such as, but not limited
to, bad brakes, worn
tires, and defective
lighting equipment. In
addition, attention will
be directed to drivers
who violate the drivers
license and seatbelt laws
of the State of Florida.
Tuesday,
February 23rd, 2010
ALERT
RELATIVE
NEEDS MONEY SCAM
RESURFACES
The
Bonifay Police Department
is receiving reports that
a scam that made the
rounds in the region last
year is back once again.
In this scam, you get a
phone call from someone
claiming to be a relative
in distress or the friend
of a relative in
distress. Grandparents
are the most common
targets. For instance,
the caller will sometimes
claim to be the friend of
a grandson who has been
arrested and needs money
to make bond, or a family
member who has been
involved in a traffic
crash. In the most recent
complaint, the relative
was attending the Olympic
Games and had been
involved in a traffic
crash. The caller usually
requests that the money
be sent through Western
Union to either Canada or
overseas. This
unfortunately places the
crime out of local law
enforcements
jurisdiction. If you're
unsure whether the call
is legitimate, try to get
as much detailed
information as possible
that only the relative
would know. Also, verify
the distress story
through a third party, if
at all possible.
Sunday,
February 7th, 2010
SEXUAL
PREDATOR ARRESTED FOR
FLEEING
On
February 7th the Bonifay
Police Department
arrested Jeffrey S.
Morrill (W/M 27 yoa) of
Bonifay after he fled
from law enforcement in a
vehicle pursuit. An
officer observed a white
Ford Taurus being driven
by Morrill in a reckless
manner near a residential
apartment complex. When
the officer attempted to
initiate a traffic stop,
Morrill accelerated and
began traveling down
residential streets at a
high rate of speed. The
pursuit was cancelled,
but Morrill was later
located and transported
to the Holmes County Jail
on charges of felony
fleeing and eluding,
reckless driving and
violation of probation.
According to the Florida
Department of Corrections
website, Morrill was
under probation
supervision for the
offense of capital sexual
battery (victim less than
12 yoa). Further
investigation is being
conducted as to why
Morrill fled and
additional charges are
possible.
Monday,
February 1st, 2010
TWO
ARRESTED IN SEPARATE
FELONY OFFENSES
Margaret
S. Rabon
The
Bonifay Police Department
made arrests in two
felony cases over the
weekend. Both
investigations began with
anonymous calls to Holmes
County Central Dispatch.
On Friday afternoon, a
call was received from a
concerned motorist of a
vehicle being driven
recklessly traveling
south on State Road 79.
An officer was able to
intercept the vehicle and
conduct a traffic stop.
Further investigation led
to the arrest of the
driver, identified as
Joel Phillip Fussell Jr.
(W/M 41 yoa) of Midland
City, Alabama. Fussell
was charged with
possession of
prescription medication
without a prescription
(Xanax) and transported
to the Holmes County
Jail. Fussell was also
cited for not wearing a
seatbelt and an open
container violation.
Later in the evening on
Friday, an anonymous
caller reported to
dispatch that
methamphetamine was being
manufactured at a
residence on South Weeks
Street in Bonifay.
Officers traveled to the
location provided by the
caller to conduct what is
commonly called a
knock and
talk investigation.
The officers obtained
permission to search the
residence where items
commonly used to
manufacture
methamphetamine was
located. Officers
discovered several
components used in the
manufacturing process
including plastic bottles
with suspected
methamphetamine oil and
other unknown bi-layered
liquids. As a result,
Margaret S. Rabon (W/F 41
yoa) of Bonifay was
arrested and charged with
a single count of
manufacturing a
controlled substance
(methamphetamine). Rabon
was transported to the
Holmes County Jail where
she is being held on a
$10,000.00 bond.
Anyone that has
information regarding
criminal activity, please
contact the Bonifay
Police Department at
850-547-3661 or
Crimestoppers of Holmes
County at 1-866-689-8477.
Callers to Crimestoppers
are eligible for a reward
up to $1,000.00.
Thursday,
January 14th, 2010
TWO
ARRESTED IN CONNECTION
WITH RECENT BURGLARIES
Anthony
Allen Dault
Robert
Leslie "Bobby"
Cummings Jr.
The
Bonifay Police Department
has arrested two suspects
involved in the recent
burglaries occurring at
downtown businesses. The
suspects are identified
as Anthony Allen Dault
(W/M 18 yoa) and Robert
Leslie Bobby
Cummings Jr. (W/M 16 yoa)
both of Bonifay. Dault
faces a total of twenty
four criminal charges,
including ten counts of
burglary. Cummings faces
twenty two criminal
charges with nine of
those being for burglary.
Additional charges are
likely as information
obtained in the
investigation has
revealed that the
suspects are responsible
for offenses that were
not initially reported to
law enforcement. The 14th
Judicial State
Attorneys Office
has filed necessary
paperwork to charge
Cummings as an adult for
his involvement in these
offenses. Cummings was
arrested today and awaits
first appearance tomorrow
at the Holmes County
Courthouse. Dault was
arrested yesterday
(January 13th) and had
his first appearance
before the Honorable
Judge Owen Powell this
morning. Dault is now
being held on a total of
$132,000.00 bond and
sentenced to serve 60
days for a previous
charge of petit theft.
Dault had initially
received county probation
for that offense. Chief
Chris Wells would like to
thank all of his officers
for their hard work and
diligence with the
investigation of the
burglaries and their
attention to detail when
processing the crime
scenes. Also, receiving
thanks is the
Crimestoppers Board for
their continued support
of law enforcement
operations in Bonifay and
Holmes County. While the
two arrestees were
considered suspects, it
was an anonymous tip to
Crimestoppers of Holmes
County that ultimately
led to their arrest.
Crimestoppers Board
President Lt. Larry White
(Ret.) and the current
sitting Board members are
much appreciated for
their service.
If
anyone has additional
information regarding
these offenses or any
other crime please
contact the:
Bonifay
Police Department at
850-547-3661 or
Crimestoppers
of Holmes County at
1-866-689-8477.
All
prior news release articles can be found
below in their year of issue...