Top 100 SE Volusia County Stories of 2009

43. Edgewater teen found dead Tuesday morning in ditch in front of his family's home

Originally posted Tue, 2009-12-22 16:12

Courtesy photo/Facebook profile. Jonathan R. Novenski, 18, of Edgewater, was found dead this morning in a ditch in front of his family's home.

EDGEWATER -- An 18-year-old man was found dead in in a ditch in front of his father's Needle Palm Drive home this morning by a passerby, Edgewater police said.

The body, identified as that of Jonathan R. Novenski, was spotted by a person walking by at 7 a.m., police said.

Foul play is not suspected at this time in the teen's death who may have died as a result of an accidental overdose of some kind while at a party hours earlier, police said.

44. Oak Hill man charged with raping woman when she was 9 years old

Originally posted Tue, 2009-01-20 18:45

Courtesy photo/Jail mug.  Earl Lee Sutton Jr., 34, of Oak Hill, was charged  in January with capital sexual battery on a woman who claimed the sexual attack occurred when she was a child.

OAK HILL -- A 34-year-old Oak Hill man was arrested Monday night after a woman came forward over the weekend with allegations she was raped and sexually molested 16 years ago by the accused when she was 9 years old.

46.NSB High teacher and Show Dolls coach Kelly Conway named Volusia County teacher of the year

Originally posted Fri, 2009-01-30 23:06

DAYTONA BEACH -- Kelly Conway, a teacher at New Smyrna Beach High School known throughout Southeast Volusia as the coach of the Show Dolls dance team, was named Volusia County Teacher of the Year tonight at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.

47. Sheriff's Office: Homeless man found stabbed with knife left in his chest near Edgewater

Originally posted Thu, 2009-06-18 10:52

Courtesy photo. Robert Herron, a 53-year-old homelesss man from DeLand was in surgery June 18 for a knife wound to his chest. He was found in a wooded area outside the Edgewater city limits with a knife sticking out of his chest.

EDGEWATER -- A 53-year-old homeless DeLand man was found stabbed in the chest, with the knife still stuck in him last night, the Volusia Sheriff's Office reported, adding he remains hospitalized in stable condition today.

48. NSB inaugural balloon festival draws 10,000 spectators

Originally posted Sat, 2009-01-10 00:58

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. Cutline: At least 10,000 spectators descended on New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport on Friday evening to watch the testing of 10 large hot-air balloons that will take flight with several more this morning at dawn. This was the inaugural Seaside Balloon Fest sponsored by the City of New Smyrna Beach.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Spencer Harris' eyes grew real big when he looked up at the towering hot-air balloons that lit up the night sky Friday night at the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport.

51. NSB cops: 67-year-old woman robbed of purse in Publix lot; 4th such crime in 3 days on S.R. 44 commercial stretch

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A 67-year-old woman was walking through the parking lot at the Publix in the New Smyrna Beach Regional Shopping Center just before 2 p.m. Saturday when a woman jumped out of a sport utility vehicle, snatched her purse, jumped back in and drove off, New Smyrna Beach police said.

52. Edgewater man, 21, gets 25 years in prison for arson fire in NSB's Westside community

Originally posted Thu, 2009-06-18 10:29

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. This photo of the charred remains of a home on Palm Street was taken the day after an Aug. 6, 2008, arson fire that resulted Wednesday in a 25-year prison sentence for Desmond Matthew Blount, 21, of Edgewater.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Retaliation by burning a man's home for a stolen bicycle has landed a 21-year-old Edgewater man in prison for 25 years.

53. NSB cops: 84-year-old woman refuses to give up money to would-be teen robber outside K-Mart store

Originally posted Sat, 2009-05-02 18:15

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An 84-year-old Edgewater woman refused to give up her money to a hooded teenager who approached her in her car at the K-Mart plaza on State Road 44, earlier today, even though he told her he had a weapon under his sweatshirt, after which he ran off, New Smyrna Beach police said.

54. NSB man sentenced to 5 years in prison for near fatal shooting last spring

Originally posted Fri, 2009-12-11 23:19

Courtesy photos.Roy Deion Fudge Jr.,  sent to prison in December for five years for attempted murder in the May 17 shooting of Marcus Peterson, also of New Smyrna Beach.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Roy Deion Fudge Jr., has been sentenced to five years in prison for last May's near-fatal shooting of another New Smyrna Beach man.