PORT CHARLOTTE -- Authorities have identified the 29-year-old woman whose body was found in a car parked outside a southwest Florida Wal-Mart.
Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputies said Jennifer Anne Simpson’s decomposed body was found Friday night in the back seat of a white car after reports of a foul smell.
Employees told detectives the car had been in the Port Charlotte parking lot for several days.
The body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy. Authorities have not released how she died.
Six people arrested in motel meth lab bust
LAKELAND -- Six people are behind bars after police busted a motel methamphetamine lab in central Florida.
A tip led Lakeland Police to the Relax Inn on Saturday. Officers found drug paraphernalia and drugs scattered around the room, including “meth oil,” which is part of the meth making process.
Authorities arrested six adults who were inside the room, including 36-year-old Jerome Smith. He had outstanding warrants for other meth-related charges.
Officers dismantled the lab and removed the chemicals from the room.
Suspect arrested after man killed at bar
TAMPA -- Authorities say a fight between two men has turned deadly at a Tampa bar.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 47-year-old Santos Rene Herrera-Cruz at his home without incident Sunday. Herrera-Cruz and another man got into a shoving match at the La Raza Bar & Discotec early Sunday morning. Authorities said Herrera-Cruz pulled out a handgun and fired two shots at a 36-year-old victim before fleeing the scene.
The victim, who has not been identified, later died at the hospital.
Herrera-Cruz was charged with 2nd degree murder with a firearm.
3-year-old boy found wandering streets
HOLLYWOOD -- Police are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was found wandering the streets of South Florida.
A passerby spotted the boy in Hollywood on Sunday morning. He has black hair and eyes and was wearing a blue polo shirt with a yellow stripe and black jean shorts.
Child welfare officials are now caring for him.
Anyone who recognizes the child should call the Hollywood Police Department at (954) 967-4357
Central Florida man clocked driving at 108 mph
NAPLES -- Authorities have arrested a central Florida man whom they say zoomed by a trooper at a speed of 108 mph.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Jonathan Ouellette of Merritt Island pushed his BMW even faster when the trooper made a U-turn to pursue the car, which was traveling on Interstate 75 in Collier County. FHP says Ouellette passed vehicles on the outside lane three times before eventually being pulled over Friday night.
The 33-year-old was charged with reckless driving.
‘Transformers’ showing at KSC, site of some scenes
CAPE CANAVERAL -- Science fiction meets hard-core science when “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” starts its summer-long showing at Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex. And it’s a homecoming of sorts: Parts of the film were shot at KSC and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
A military fatigue costume worn by actor Josh Duhamel in the film will be on display at KSC’s Sci-Fi Summer exhibit. Other tie-ins to the robot movie are expected to be announced in coming weeks.
The 3D film will be shown at the space center’s Imax theater starting Wednesday through Sept. 5.
Brevard deputy proposes over radio to dispatcher
ORLANDO -- The Brevard County sheriff temporarily donned some cupid wings this week as he facilitated a marriage proposal to a dispatcher.
Sheriff Jack Parker got on the county-wide radio for what he called an important announcement. Deputy Joseph Bracey then came on air to announce his love for sheriff’s dispatcher Ashley West and declare that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He added: “Will you marry me?”
After a brief pause, West replied: “Yes, I will marry you.” She then promptly burst into tears, as dispatchers from around the county radioed in their congratulations.
Bracey took some ribbing from fellow deputies for the gesture but says it was worth it.
Jacksonville man to participate in Gaza flotilla
JACKSONVILLE -- A Jacksonville man is part of a group of Americans planning to participate in the Gaza flotilla.
The activists are hoping to challenge Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory with a flotilla of aid ships. They describe Israeli restrictions on Gaza’s 1.5 million residents as a human rights violation. But Israel says its blockade stops weapons from reaching the militant group Hamas, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization.
Samuel Hart says he doesn’t support Hamas and he’s not anti-Israeli, but he believes non-violent protest is the best path to change.
The 77-year-old retired U.S. ambassador expects to leave on Sunday.
The Obama administration has warned participants that they will face action from Israeli authorities and may also be violating U.S. law.
-- Herald wire services
