Skip to main content

Tag: arrested

Island resident arrested for allegedly damaging trolley bus

Island resident arrested for allegedly damaging trolley bus

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Holmes Beach resident Cash John Nichols, 27, has been arrested and charged with criminal mischief after being denied a ride on one of the free trolleys that serve Anna Maria Island.

Island resident arrested for allegedly damaging trolley bus
Cash Nichols was arrested on Tuesday, March 8. – MCSO | Submitted

“The trolley made its last stop at the Anna Maria City Pier at 10:15-10:20 (p.m.) that night and the driver refused to take a patron because he had no shoes on,” Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Dep. Patrick Manning of the Anna Maria Unit told The Sun regarding the Feb. 11 incident. “The patron became upset and in a fit of rage caused over $200 in estimated damage to the trolley’s door windows.”

Nichols was arrested on March 8 and charged with one first-degree misdemeanor count of criminal mischief for damages between $200 and $1,000.

According to the arrest complaint, “The driver of Manatee County Transit trolley 63861 stopped at the bus stop of 100 S. Bay Blvd. Trolley camera footage showed a white male with a beard and no shoes approach the doors in order to ride the trolley home. The driver denied the male access due to him not having any shoes on. The male then became argumentative towards the driver, at which point the driver closed the doors. The male then began hitting the glass on the doors with his fists, causing it to crack. After causing the damage, the male walked away. The damage was estimated at $500.”

According to the arrest complaint, “The male was identified by Deputy Manning as Cash Nichols. Additionally, on the same date (approximately one hour later), Deputy Penberthy made contact with Cash Nichols at the post office across the street from the incident location. Prior to making contact, a passerby informed Deputy Penberthy that they had spoken to the defendant (Nichols) and the defendant stated he was denied bus access due to not having any shoes on. The defendant requested a ride and was ultimately transported by Deputy Penberthy. Based on the circumstances, probable cause exists to charge the defendant with criminal mischief greater than $200 and less than $1,000.”

When speaking to The Sun, Manning said, “Through a couple weeks of investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, a suspect was developed and confirmed through the trolley driver and the trolley’s on-board cameras. Our trolley buses have cameras that face the doors and also inside the trolleys. Through interviews and the video obtained from the Manatee County Transit Authority, the suspect was identified and arrested on a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief to public property. It was a joint investigation between Det. Hartsell, who serves as our criminal investigator, along with the Anna Maria deputies. He wrote the warrant based on our identification of the suspect who was known to us. Up until recently, he had been a resident of Anna Maria. By the address he provided, he’s now a resident of Holmes Beach.”

The probable cause affidavit lists Nichols’ current address on Marina Drive in Holmes Beach.

According to court records, Nichols was released on bond and a misdemeanor arraignment hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 11 at the Manatee County Judicial Center before Judge Renee Inman.

Speaking on behalf of Sgt. Brett Getman, Manning said, “The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office works very hard to protect the ever-increasing amount of visitors and the residents on our Island. Sgt. Getman feels that whether you live here or vacation here, we can’t tolerate you intentionally damaging public property. That will not be tolerated and you’ll be identified and arrested.”

Previous arrest

According to court records, Nichols was previously arrested in Anna Maria in 2018 and charged with assault on a Manatee County Sheriff’s Deputy, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer without violence.

On Feb. 28, 2022, after multiple delays and court appearances, Nichols entered no contest pleas on all three charges stemming from his 2018 arrest. As a result of those pleas, he was placed on probation and assessed $796 in fines, fees and court costs.

Mugshot

Island Grill employee faces child pornography charges

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

HOLMES BEACH – A Manatee county resident and employee of the Island Grill has been arrested by Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies and charged with 26 counts of possession of child pornography, a felony, based on two cyber-tips from Dropbox Inc.

Owen Hagan, 27, also was in violation of his probation from a 2020 DUI involving property damage after missing a recent court date in May, according to a police report.

Deputies learned that Hagan had recently moved to Florida from Ohio to live with his mother in a Palmetto mobile home park, where they executed a search warrant on March 17. The warrant included an IP address provided by the cyber-tip from Dropbox Inc. advising that a user named Owen Hagan had uploaded at least 11 video files, 10 of which depicted child pornography. When police arrived, Hagan’s mother advised deputies that Hagan was at the residence in his bedroom. 

During the search, Hagan’s iPhone 6 was confiscated by police after he declined to allow officers to look through it, although he had previously provided the password upon request. A further search of Hagan’s bedroom resulted in no more electronic devices being found. A later forensic search of Hagan’s phone found multiple visits to dropbox.com with emails being used that matched email addresses found on the phone. It was also found that the user of the phone visited multiple known child pornography sites. In total, 26 files involving sexually explicit images and videos of children as young as 3 years old were discovered on the iPhone, according to the report.

Hagan is currently in the Manatee County jail on a $650,000 bond and arraignment is set for Friday, July 23 at the Manatee County Judicial Center. 

AM Pier Vandalism

Pier banner vandalism suspect arrested

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Holmes Beach resident Michael Lee Brown was arrested on Thursday, July 19, on a third-degree felony charge of criminal mischief ($1,000 or more) in connection with two Anna Maria City Pier restoration project banners that were vandalized on Sunday, July 15.

Anna Maria Public Works Manager Dean Jones and Mayor Dan Murphy learned of the vandalism that morning and surveillance camera photographs of the suspect were then circulated to local media outlets.

Located near the foot of the Anna Maria City Pier that is currently being demolished, the damaged banners contained renderings of the new pier and pier buildings slated for completion in late 2019.

AM Pier Banner Slashed
This Anna Maria City Pier restoration project banner was slashed in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 15. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted

According to the arrest affidavit, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Amy Leach arrested Brown at his Holmes Beach residence at 10:45 a.m. Thursday morning. According to an affidavit, Brown lives at 6401 Marina Drive, Apt. B, in Holmes Beach.

AM Pier Vandal Arrest
Holmes Beach Resident Michael Lee Brown was arrested Thursday morning in connection with the recent pier banner vandalism. – Manatee County Sheriff’s Office | Submitted

As of Friday afternoon, Brown was still in custody at the Manatee County Central Jail in Palmetto.

“On 7/15, at approximately 0303 hours (3:03 a.m.), according to sworn statements and video evidence, the defendant did violate Florida State Statute by arming himself with a bladed weapon and slashed the city of Anna Maria’s new pier banners. The defendant was located at his residence after being identified by several citizens of the Island of Anna Maria. The defendant post-miranda stated that’s been his picture in the paper all week according to the affidavit.

“According to video evidence, the defendant rode his bicycle to the entrance of the City Pier at approximately 0303 hours on 07/15, which is under construction and is posted in several places. The defendant then walked up to the banner, stepped up on the bench, and with a bladed weapon he pulled from his pocket he slashed the banner in a crisscross direction. After he slashes both banners, he gets back on his bike and rides away. The value of the banners is $3,682.08,” the affidavit says.

“I am happy that a suspect is in custody and hope we can discover who or what might have influenced him to commit to such an act,” Murphy said on Friday.

Manatee County court records indicate Brown has been arrested, cited, fined and/or convicted on several previous occasions.

On July 7, 2014, Brown was arrested by the Holmes Beach Police Department and later convicted on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of trespassing after notice on property other than a structure or conveyance.

On March 11, 2014, Holmes Beach Code Enforcement issued Brown a citation and fined him for drinking in a prohibited area.

On Jan. 1, 2014, Brown was issued a Moving Marine Resource Boating Violation citation and later fined for speeding in a restricted area.

On Oct. 18, 2009, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested Brown on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, which later resulted in a conviction.

On Oct. 1, 2009, Brown was arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and later convicted on a drug paraphernalia charge. The arrest affidavit mentioned Brown “having a crack pipe in his left front pocket,” and “he appeared to be high on some type of drug,” while sitting in his disabled vehicle near the intersection of Cortez Road and 75th Street West.

On June 15, 2008, the Holmes Beach Police Department arrested Brown in connection with a burglary in Holmes Beach that later resulted in a conviction.