City of St. Augustine Gears Up for Annual Independence Day Celebration: Fireworks Display Expected Over Matanzas

The City of St. Augustine will be hosting Fireworks Over the Matanzas in celebration of Independence Day. This event will be held on July 4th and will begin at 6:00 PM with a concert by The All-Star Orchestra which will be held in The Plaza de la ConstituciĆ³n. The concert will feature Big Band and popular tunes with a patriotic flair. The fireworks display will start at 9:30 PM and will last for 20 minutes, choreographed to popular and patriotic music. For those who need transportation, the city will offer satellite parking and shuttle services from different sites on Anastasia…

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Stabbing Suspect Who Inflicted Self-Harm Incarcerated in St. Johns Jail

Spencer Ross Pearson, 18, who allegedly stabbed three people in a parking lot near Mr. Cubby’s Wings in Ponte Vedra, was recently booked into the St. Johns County Jail. According to the police incident report, Pearson was admitted to the hospital after reportedly attempting to kill himself by cutting his own throat. Pearson was then booked into jail last week after being discharged. Police records show that Pearson had been following one of the victims, Madison Schemitz, since March of 2023 and that the attack was premeditated. Schemitz is now paralyzed due to spinal injuries sustained during the attack, while…

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St. Augustine resident faces child pornography charges after Google cyber tip

A 34-year-old man from St. Augustine, Kyle Nathan Hurta, has been arrested on 15 counts of possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material. As per the investigation, St. Johns County detectives discovered that Hurta was allegedly downloading CSAM videos on his cell phone. Upon the issuance of a search warrant, detectives found 15 videos showing children being sexually abused and exploited by adult men. Hurta claimed his ex-girlfriend had previously placed CSAM on his phone, which he said he deleted. He is being held on a $300,000 bond and has been ordered to wear an ankle tracking monitor if he is released.…

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St. Johns County Man Found Guilty of Human Trafficking and Other Charges, Faces Life Sentence

A sixty-year-old man in St. Johns County, Florida has been found guilty of five felonies, including human trafficking and traveling to meet a minor. The defendant, Janos Maier, was communicating with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as a 14-year-old girl on an internet site. During their conversation, Maier repeatedly expressed his desire to pick her up and engage in sexual activity. Law enforcement officials from St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrested Maier when he arrived at the meet-up location. Maier has received a life sentence for the human trafficking charge, along with attempted lewd and lascivious battery, unlawful…

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