Top 100 Volusia County Stories

DAYTONA BEACH - A city worker in Daytona Beach was arrested April 18 on charges of stealing money in her former job in the accounting department at Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach police said.

Elgena Wallace, 32, of Port Orange, who has worked in the Daytona Beach utility-department for about a year, was charged with organized scheme to defraud.

Wallace is accused of taking $40,000 from student checks and depositing the money into her own bank account. She faces a potential prison sentence if convicted of the felony charge.

DELEON SPRINGS -- An 80-year-old woman was found dead inside a mobile home near DeLeon Springs that caught on fire during the early morning hours of Nov. 30.

Firefighters along with Volusia County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to 47 Valley Drive after a 911 call about the fire was received at approximately 3 a.m.

The structure was fully engulfed in flames when deputies and Volusia County Fire Services got on scene.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona Beach International Airport recently was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Mark of Distinction Award in November.

The award recognized DBIA staff for dedication, exemplary effort and support to improve airport safety. Airport staff was praised by FAA’s Airports Division Manager Robert B. Chapman for improving procedures through programs such as the Graphic Notam System and Wildlife Hazard Management. Chapman also noted the airport’s “impressive operations during NASCAR races.”

DELAND -- A 17-year-old DeLand girl was killed at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, when her pick-up truck crashed on Emporia Road and caught fire, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Daniela Revera was alone and behind the vehicle when she crashed on Emporia, just east of Old Stead Road north of DeLand in the northwest area of the county, the highway patrol said.

She over-corrected the vehicle and ended up in a ditch where she flipped over, the FHP reported, adding she was not wearing her seatbelt.

DELTONA -- A 14-year-old Galaxy Middle School student was arrested May 12, after she made a 5-second 911 call, claiming there was a bomb at the school, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

The 8th-grade student was charged with making a false report of a bomb when she told the 911 operator, "There's a bomb at Galaxy Middle School" and immediately hung up, Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.

School administrators and Sheriff's deputies quickly tracked down the 14-year-old girl who had made the call on her cell phone just before 2 p.m. while on campus.

PONCE INLET -- A 250-pound, 5-foot-long loggerhead sea turtle was released Nov. 26, after being cared for at the Volusia County Marine Science Center and at a Clearwater facility after nearly a year of coordinated care.

The adult female loggerhead sea turtle now known as Patti was released at 11 a.m on the north side of Winter Haven Park, 4589 S. Atlantic Ave.

The turtle was found stranded in Ormond-by-the-Sea on Dec. 1, 2007. With the help of the Volusia County’s sea turtle patrol volunteers and the county’s Beach Patrol staff, Patti was brought to the center.

DELEON SPRINGS -- A fire at 1 a.m on the morning after Christmas at the Strawn Property was the work of an arsonist, Volusia County officials said.

Volusia County Fire Services responded to 911 calls for the blaze fire at 5175 N. Hwy 17.

Crews arrived to find the single-story, wooden structure fully engulfed in flames. Volusia County Fire Services Battalion Commander John Moak reported 16 crew members launched a defensive attack from the outside upon arrival. On scene were three engines, one squad, two battalions, and three tankers from Volusia County Fire Services.

PORT ORANGE -- A 9th-grader at Atlantic High School was arrested on campus Oct. 10 on charges of bringing a gun to school.

The boy kept the gun -- which was unloaded -- along with some ammunition in a case in his book bag and didn't display it or threaten anyone. A Volusia County Sheriff's
deputy stationed at the school seized the weapon early that morning before classes started.

The deputy was alerted by the boy's mother after she discovered the gun was missing from the house and called the deputy because she suspected her son may have taken it to school.

DeLAND -- A woman was taken into custody April 16 after interrupting the flow of traffic by walking around topless, city police reported.

Police received a number of calls about the 30-year-old woman's state of undress at the intersection of South Orange and West Euclid avenues.

Police reported finding the woman "foaming at the mouth" while talking to herself when they arrived.

She told cops she was instructed by God to direct traffic, according to a police report.