CRIME & SAFETY

Two incidents occurred in Port Richey, Florida this week. The first incident involved a missing and endangered 10-year-old named Izik Bittle, who has since been located and is safe. The second incident was the discovery of a large diesel fuel spill in the waters near Port Richey, with the origin of the leak unknown.

Weeks after a Land O' Lakes dry cleaning business closed its doors without explanation, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office launched a criminal investigation. 

• The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is investigating the closure of the $1.99 Cleaners on Land O’ Lakes Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes, Pasco County, Florida. • Officials have not provided any details about the investigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg and the Port Richey Fire Department investigated a pollution report in the Pithlachascotee River on Monday. They found an unidentified grey sheen on the water, which they could not trace back to its source.

PASCO COUNTY, FLa.- Pasco Sheriff’s office is reporting that Sunray Elementary School was briefly on controlled campus status as a precaution after it was reported that two individuals were seen in the vicinity of the Sunray campus carrying what appeared to be firearms. The individuals were not on the...

NEW PORT RICHEY, FLa.- A New Port Richey man was arrested Monday after he reportedly caused $5,000 in damage to equipment at a Dollar General store. According to deputies, 44-year-old Jason Dunbar of New Port Richey was arrested after he walked into the Dollar General store located on Decubellis Road and began yelling at store employees.

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – A Deltona man is dead, and a Tampa woman is in...

Pasco Sheriff’s deputies are currently searching for Miles McDaniel a missing/runaway 13-year-old. McDaniel is 5’06”, around 170 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. McDaniel was last seen on Dec. 6 around 8:15 a.m. in the Town Center Rd. area in New Port Richey. McDaniel was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, black shorts and black slides. If you have any information on McDaniel’s whereabouts, please call the Pasco Sheriff’s Non-Emergency Line at 727-847-8102, option 7, or report tips online at PascoSheriff.com/tips.Visit here for more details.

This week in Spring Hill, Florida, there were three notable incidents. Firstly, deputies located a stolen vehicle and discovered illegal narcotics on the suspects. Secondly, the Pasco Sheriff's Office is seeking information in the cold case homicide of James William Earl. Lastly, a fugitive wanted for attempted murder in Spring Hill in 2021 was arrested in Miami upon attempting to return.

The case of Melissa Ann Lemoine's disappearance presents a perplexing mystery that has yet to be solved. Aged 39, Melissa was last seen in Tampa, Florida, on July 14, 2023. Her sudden vanishing has left her loved ones and investigators searching for answers.

PORT RICHEY — The city is seeking a full-time code enforcement officer after terminating the employment of Jeffrey T. Singleton, who is charged with felony counts related to the alleged possession of child sexual assault material. Singleton, arrested Nov. 14, has been accused of secretly installing a camera in...

We hope you enjoyed your free article. Get unlimited digital access for $11.75 99¢. Enjoy the many benefits of a Tampa Bay Times digital subscription. Support local journalism and pursue the truth. Access Now!. A Tampa man is facing a DUI-manslaughter charge after a fatal crash in Pasco County...

Two incidents occurred in Tarpon Springs, Florida this week. In the first incident, a bicyclist was struck by a car at Martin Luther King Dr. and North Avenue and unfortunately died from their injuries. The second incident involved a 18-year-old man who was arrested for multiple vehicle burglaries and criminal mischief, causing approximately $53,000 in damages at a nursery on East Lake Road.

Two people aboard a single-engine Cessna C172 were injured this week when their plane crashed near Zephyrhills Municipal Airport in Zephyrhills, Florida.

• A large diesel fuel spill was discovered in the waters near Port Richey, Florida. • The spill was reported by a citizen who noticed an overpowering smell in the air. • The origin of the leak is currently unknown.

Citizens west of US 19 were asked to remove their vessels from the water on Monday morning and avoid using the waterways after a fuel leak was reported in Port Richey near Nicks Park boat ramp.

Two armed robbery suspects led police on a high speed chase beginning in New Port Richey and ending in Clearwater.

LAND O' LAKES, FL - Pasco County Sheriff's deputies are actively searching for 23-year-old Justin Albritton, who has been reported missing since the early morning hours of December 7.

HELP SOLVE A CRIME: On Nov. 18 around 8 p.m., a suspect stole items from a business in the 10000 block of US Hwy. 19 in Port Richey. The suspect left in a white SUV. If you have any information on this case, submit a tip to the Pasco Sheriff’s Crime Tips Line at 1-800-706-2488 and reference case number 23040964. You can also submit a tip online at pascosheriff.com/tips.

LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. – Pasco Sheriff’s Office is actively conducting an investigation regarding $1.99...