Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1. Each segment includes a 2022 update.
Headline Surfer photo illustration / ABOVE: Allison Murphy is arrested on animal cruelty charges for throwing her dog over the railing of a second-floor motel balcony in Daytona Beach in late 2020, but the real story here is the German shepherd's adoption in March by a disabled war veteran and his wife back in March of 2021. LEFT: The veteran, whose name was not released for his privacy, as shown here. with the dog, Miracle.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It was a miracle that a German shepherd thrown from the second-floor balcony of a motel in Daytona by a crazed owner survived.
The terrified dog landed on its feet and ran behind some cars whimpering as it ran off while deputies were there responding to a complaint that a registered guest had physically attacked a motel cleaning lady.
The owner, upon being confronted by deputies, picked the German Shepherd puppy up and brazenly threw it over over the railing of the Motel 6 on West International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach.
The dog was located minutes later by deputies after a physical struggle with handcuffing the woman who was arrested on animal cruelty charges.
That ugly incident led to Miracle being turned over to Volusia County Animal Services custody after the dog's owner, Allison Murphy, was arrested leading to the release of a VCSO body cam video showing her throwing the dog off a second-floor motel balcony during an interaction with Sheriff's deputies.
Animal Services officials didn't want the dog living in a cage during subsequent criminal court proceedings in early 2021 so they found a temporary foster home.
Miracle received a new ‘leash’ on life -- trained as a service dog before she was given a new forever home on March 29 with a disabled military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who needed a dog just as tough. His name was not released to afford him and his wife privacy.
The Marine Corps veteran was in need of a service dog and he and Miracle hit it off right away.
Alicia Dease, one of the responding officers and Volusia County Animal Services Field Supervisor, fostered Miracle and described her as “incredibly intelligent. She’s eager to please, love, and have fun.”
Adam Leath, director of the Volusia County Animal Services Department of Public Protection, told Inside Edition Digital that Miracle sustained soft-tissue injuries as a result of the fall. He said she made a “remarkable recovery given her ordeal."
Her story pulled at the heartstrings of animal lovers all over the country.
“We had over a hundred people contact us from across the country wanting to adopt Miracle," Leath said. "Legally, we had to wait for a court order placing custody of Miracle with the county before moving forward with placement. This order was received at the beginning of this month, and placement took place right after the order was finalized.”
A Volusia County judge ruled Murphy unable to provide for the dog and granted a petition to have the dog permanently removed from her care. She was also barred from owning or possessing any animals for five years and must cover the expenses for Miracle’s care since the dog was taken by authorities.
Murphy was charged with third-degree felony animal cruelty and resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, stemming from the violent toss back on Dec. 14, 2020. The release of the VCSO dashcam video of the ugly incident led to extensive news coverage across the country in early 2021 due to publicity on TV shows such as Inside Edition and TMZ.
As for Allison Murphy's criminal charges, she pleaded no contest before Volusia County Judge Wesley Heidt on Oct. 12, 2021, to cruelty to animals, and adjudication of guilt was withheld. Murphy spent a total of 303 days in the Volusia County Jail in Daytona Beach from the time of her arrest through the disposition of her criminal court case.
Multimedia video:
Facebook embedding / Volusia County Animal Services video / Deputy's body-cam video shows a woman tossing her German shepherd puppy over the second-floor railing of the Motel 6 on West International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach. Fortunately, the dog landed on its four paws and scampered away before deputies found it. The woman, Allison Murphy, was arrested on animal cruelty charges. Miracle is shown with her new owner, a disabled mititary vet, and is much happier.
Update on the criminal case:
A court order signed by Volusia County Judge Wesley Heidt on March 5, 2022, mandates Allison Murphy must pay the sum of $1,127.24 to Volusia County Animal Services for the examination and care rendered for the dog she tossed over the second-floor motel balcony in Daytona Beach.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.