Port Orange

Courtesy photo /

PORT ORANGE -- A 57-year-old man who allegedly threatened adult family members with an axe before barricading himself in a bedroom with a knife, was taken into custody after Port Orange police stormed the house on Hawks Ridge Road, an agency spokesman said.

Police responded to a 9-1-1 call at 11:45 a.m. to the residence about a domestic situation involving a man armed with a knife. After a police negotiator was unable to get the man to surrender on his own and nearby residents were safely evacuated, the police department's emergency response team -- similar to SWAT-- stormed the house at 749 Hawks Ridge Road just after 4 p.m. Elbert Hale was taken into custody without further incident.

Pavlina Osta interviews the boy band 'Allstar Weekend' and asks about touring with Selena Gomez, in the video at left. The band members talk among themselves in the video to the right.

By Pavlina Osta

• Read more about The band 'Allstar Weekend' talks about touring with Selena Gomez in interview in Lake Buena Vista

ORMOND BEACH -- A 56-year-old motorcyclist was run over and killed Friday morning on US 1 near Airport Road by a 76-year-old motorist in a Lincoln Town Car, the Florida Highway Patrol said. 

David Holup saw the northbound car turning into his southbound lane and layed down his 1993 Harley-Davidson in an attempt to avoid a collision, but the car ran over him and his bike, witnesses told the highway patrol. He is the sixth Bike Week fatality.

PORT ORANGE -- A Winter Springs motorcyclist became the fourth Bike Week traffic fatality Monday night in a collision with a car on Dunlawton Avenue at the intersection with North Swallowtail Drive, Port Orange police said.

The biker, Thomas J. Niedziejka, 63, died early this morning, less than eight hours after the crash. The victim was riding his 2012 Harley-Davidson without a helmet westbound on Dunlawton in the center lane when Ruthann K. Mscisz, 68, of Daytona Beach Shores, was turning her 1999 Infiniti 4-door onto Dunlawton after stopping at the intersection and onto Dunlawton, police said.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Ed Schmidt of Pittsburgh is the first to admit he should be wearing a helmet. But he's not. Then again, some revelers aren't wearing much in the way of clothing either.

Interstate northbound near Dunlawton ramp remains closed due to asphalt damage

A DOT camera shows the I-95 crash scene that awoke Port Orange residents within a mile radius from a firy crash.

PORT ORANGE -- One person was killed and four were injured following a fiery crash on I-95 at 3:30 this morning involving three semis and a fourth car with a series of explosions that could be heard by residents within a 1-mile radius near the Dunlawton Avenue exit.

PORT ORANGE -- Alcohol may have been a factor in a horrific Christmas eve crash on I-95 with an Oak Hill motorist veering into the passing lane and striking a Broward County family's car, killing one of its passengers after that car flipped over, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Patsy Anne Phillips, 56, of Oak Hill, was southbound in the right lane near the Dunlawton Avenue exit at 5:25 p.m. Saturday when she crossed into the passing lane, striking the other vehicle and causing it to flip over before her own car struck a tree, the highway patrol reported. Phillips was transported to Halifax Health Center with critical injuries.

Alcohol may have been a factor in Phillips striking the other car and charges are pending the results of a homicide investigation, Florida Highway Patrol spoksewoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

PORT ORANGE, Fla. -- A robber who implied he had a gun walked up to a teller on this busy Christmas eve shopping morning at the TD Bank, 1101 Dunlawton Ave., demanded money, and after getting it, walked right back out and drove off in a tan-colored 4-door car, Port Orange police said.

Headline Surfer chose this video from YouTube to illustrate the beauty and power of the German shepherd. Those who want to challenge a police dog may want to check out this clip first.

By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer

PORT ORANGE, Fla. --  Headline Surfer called around to the the cop shops in Volusia County about their canine dogs and Port Orange Asst. Police Chief Wayne Miller wrote up the following which we found impressive enough to break out into a sidebar story.

We started our canine program here at POPD in 2005, via a federal grant and purchased a drug detection dog. The breed of the dog was a labrador retriever. This canine unit supports the patrol and criminal investigations improving effectiveness in the suppression of criminal activity.