Convicted New Smyrna Beach arsonist James Bates allegedly sat in his yard chair, beer in one hand, cell phone in the other, while reporting an arson next door to an empty house after torching it, but waiting for flames to shoot through the roof.

In fact, it ended with the convicted arsonist who lives right next door -- the same man who called authorities in the first place to report the fire, a Volusia County Sheriff's official said.

A motorist was twice shot on the Dunlawton Bridge as shown in this locator map by someone in a Fordd F-150 pick-up truck just before midnight Saturday.

PORT ORANGE -- A 46-year-old motorist was in critical condition this morning with gunshot wounds suffered just before midnight by an unknown person in another vehicle who pulled up next to his on the Dunlawton Bridge and fired several shots, Port Orange police said.

The victim, Kanwaljit Singh of Port Orange, was shot twice -- in the upper thigh and left side of his lower stomach. Singh had his 13-year-old son with him in the front passenger seat, but he was not injured. Police have no motive for the shooting.

A woman was robbed at gunpoint of cash and prescriptions at 218 N. Dixie Freeway in New Smyrna Beach just after 11 p.m. as shown in this locator map.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 26-year-old petty criminal robbed a woman of cash and medicine at gunpoint Wednesday night, but he couldn't outrun the long arm of the law even after ditching his getaway car, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

Eddie Selph was taken down by a K-9 dog and arrested after a brief chase through a wooded area and charged with armed robbery. Here is a synopsis of what happened in the 11:09 p.m. pursuit as described by Sgt. Valerie Joyce: Regina Krouse, 36, told cops she had been robbed at gunpoint of cash and prescriptions at 218 N. Dixie Freeway.

Victim is Volusia County's first reported homicide of 2013

Volusia County's first homicide of the New Year was reported in the 900 block of South Parsons Avenue outside DeLand as shown here.

DELAND -- Sheriff's investigators have are investigating what appears to be Volusia County's first reported murder of 2013, after a shotgun victim was dropped off late Tuesday at Florida Hospital Hospital-DeLand where he died less than an 40 minutes later, an agency spokesman said.

The victim was described only as an adult male, and though authorities know his identity, they're not releasing any further information until his family is first notified.

A still photo taken from a surveillance camera provided to media by New Smyrna Beach police shows robbers confronting the young clerk early Wednesday inside TK's Right Stop, 218 N. Dixie Freeway.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The cops are looking for five people who robbed a clerk at T.K.'s Right Stop early this morning and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Here is a synopsis of the 3 a.m. strong arm robbery at TK's, 218 N. Dixie Freeway, also known as US1, as described by New Smyrna Beach Police Sgt. Christopher Roos: A dark-colored car with five people in it pulled up to the store. Three of them walked inside and accosted the 20-year-old clerk, Charles Michaux, with two of the assailants them jumping on him and holding him down while the third grabbed a cash box before they all three bolted out the door and hopped into the car, which sped off.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- When it comes to police teamwork, there is no better partnership than duo than Bruce Holcomb and his K9 partner Buddy. 

Prosecutor: Victim killed in 'ambush' shoot-out

Jerry Crew was found guilty of second-degree murder in the April 16, 2011, shooting death of 19-year-old Donnell Ellis Jr., even though he didn't pull the trigger. Ellis was actually killed when he and Crews lured a drug dealer and two associates into a motel room with the intention of robbing them and shots were fired.

DAYTONA BEACH -- After a lasting four days, a Volusia County jury deliberated for three hours Thursday before finding 56-year-old Jerry Roy Crew of Holly Hill guilty of second-degree felony murder and robbery, offenses that could net him a sentence of up to life in prison.

35-year-old killed instantly by two rounds to head from .22-caliber Ruger rifle

HOLLY HILL -- Police Chief Mark Barker shook his head in disgust in describing what set off 55-year-old Thomas Mathew Hahn Jr. to the point where he allegedly retrieved a .22-caliber Ruger rifle and blasted away at housemate Robert Gray until he lay dead in the living room of the residence they shared with two others.

When cops arrived, they found 35-year-old Gray dead on the floor of Hahn's living room in the 800 block of May Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday while Hahn sat in a chair near the body.

Requests for details from Daytona cops by Internet newspaper go unanswered 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona Beach police responded to a report of a possible explosive device that turned out to be a toy hand grenade tied to a utility poll across the street from the Star Family Shelter in the 600 block of North Segrave St. that had caused traffic tied-ups just after 11 p.m. Thursday, according to a story in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

The story indicated the device was destroyed by the Sheriff's Bom squad. Calls by Headline Surfer to the DBPD's office public information office as well as e-mail messages went unanswered.