Marathon
FWC opens 2-day window for public to collect cold-stunned green iguanas
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday issued an executive order allowing the public to collect and transport live, cold-stunned green iguanas without a permit during a brief cold-weather window.
Duo accused of burglarizing Marathon aquarium, killing tarpon
Deputies announced two arrests on Wednesday after they accused a pair of fishermen of burglarizing a Florida Keys aquarium and killing a tarpon last May.
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MCSO: Charter boat captain accused of selling $10K worth of cocaine to undercover detectives
A charter boat captain in the Florida Keys was arrested Monday by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office detectives on accusations that he was trafficking drugs, some of which were seized at sea.
Pickup truck driver hits, kills 7-year-old girl on bike outside gas station in Marathon
A pickup truck driver hit and killed a 7-year-old North Carolina girl riding a bicycle with her mother in Marathon on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Marathon man accused of choking victim with umbrella in Home Depot spat
Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Marathon man on Thursday after accusing him of using an umbrella as a weapon during a dispute that began in a Home Depot parking lot and ended inside the store.
Marathon woman threw knife at boyfriend over $5 mobile payment to other woman, deputies say
A Marathon woman is facing a felony charge after deputies said she threw a knife at her boyfriend late Thursday afternoon, cutting him in the face.
Early voting begins for part of South Florida ahead of Nov. 4 election
Election Day is a little more than two weeks away, but starting Monday, registered voters in some areas of South Florida are now able to head to the polls to begin early voting, including all registered voters in the cities of Miami Beach and Marathon.
Early voting locations in Miami-Dade, Monroe counties
Early voting begins Monday for part of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
Boat fire spreads to home in Marathon
Firefighters and deputies in Monroe County responded to a boat fire outside a residence on Camino Real Street in Marathon early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Monroe County School District hosts open houses ahead of students’ return to class
There was an open house on Tuesday at Key Largo, an A-rated public elementary and middle school in the Monroe County School District.
Marathon boat captain accused of threatening kayaking tourists for fishing: ‘The fish are his pets’
A Marathon boat captain is facing two felony and two misdemeanor charges after sheriff’s deputies said he threatened two out-of-state tourists, one of whom was a teenager, as they fished from kayaks near a resort where they were staying.
Eco-tourism helps endangered sea turtles in Florida Keys
The Turtle Hospital, which has been open for about four decades in Marathon, is suffering from budget cuts, but eco-tourism has been helping.
MCSO: Keys man tased, jailed after violent outburst at Marathon hospital
A 39-year-old man was arrested Thursday after deputies said he became violent and combative with law enforcement at Baptist Health Fishermen’s Community Hospital in Marathon.
Police: Wanted felon fails to get away after crashes, duo’s help in taxi in Florida Keys
Brittan Smith, a drug offender on probation, was back behind bars after she failed to get away from detectives in the Florida Keys, police reported Thursday.
MCSO: Man armed with AR-15 turns gun on himself after shooting at deputies’ vehicles
A man who was armed with an AR-15 took his own life Thursday night after shooting at Monroe County Sheriff’s Office vehicles in Marathon, authorities confirmed Friday morning.
Florida sea turtles continue being rescued from trap lines as conversations sound alarm
This week’s Don’t Trash Our Treasure has a concerning update on Florida sea turtles. Though nesting numbers are up, adult turtles continue to face threats due to human pressure.
Man accused of spitting in deputy’s face in Monroe County
A Marathon man was arrested Tuesday after he spat in the face of a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy, authorities announced Wednesday.
Body of 84-year-old Michigan man found floating off Marathon
Deputies in the Florida Keys are investigating after a senior’s body was found floating near a boat slip Friday.
Execution nears for man convicted in Miami Herald employee’s murder in Florida Keys
Nearly 25 years after Janet Acosta, a beloved Miami Herald employee, was kidnapped and killed, her convicted murderer, Michael Tanzi, is scheduled to be executed in less than a week.
Brush fire complicates South Florida manatee rescue
An ongoing brush fire in southern Miami-Dade County led to delays in an injured manatee getting treatment at a rehabilitation hospital, according to the group that rescued it Thursday in Marathon.
Divers rescue ‘ginormous,’ severely-injured loggerhead turtle off Florida Keys
An “ancient,” 322-pound loggerhead turtle is getting a new lease on life thanks to an alert scuba diver who found it severely injured off the Florida Keys, according to the Turtle Hospital.
Keys man accused of beating pregnant girlfriend after claiming she trashed his home
A Florida Keys man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend, prevented her from calling 911 and briefly barricaded himself inside his home before being taken into custody.
Behind-the-scenes exclusive: How targeted enforcement helps U.S. Border Patrol catch wanted migrants in Florida Keys
U.S. Border Patrol agents recently detained the driver of a blue Mitsubishi in the Florida Keys.
Experts on new reports of spinning sawfish in Florida Keys: ‘Cause for concern, but not alarm’
After a nine month lull, new accounts of spinning fish and dead sawfish are being documented in the Florida Keys.
It wasn’t extra toppings: South Florida Subway ordered shut after rodent droppings found
Several restaurants across Florida were ordered to shut down last week by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation due to serious health violations, including rodent and roach activity.
Fantasy 5 ticket worth over $100K sold at South Florida 7-Eleven
Two winning Fantasy 5 tickets worth over $50,000 and $100,000 were purchased in South Florida on Sunday.
Keys woman who drowned puppy back in jail for attempt to burglarize animal shelter, deputies say
Roughly 24 hours after she bonded out of the Monroe County jail after deputies accused her of drowning her Schnauzer puppy, Delaine Lowry was back behind bars after authorities said she tried to break into an animal shelter Wednesday to “steal dogs that previously belonged to her.”
Keys residents brace as Milton nears Florida: ‘We’re all ready for it down here’
A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Florida Keys Monday as Hurricane Milton roared off the Gulf of Mexico.
43 Cuban migrants detained after making landfall in Florida Keys
A group of 43 migrants from Cuba were detained early Tuesday morning after they came ashore in the Florida Keys, authorities confirmed.
Marathon man gets 3 years for attacking cops with ‘chemical irritant’ on Jan. 6
A Washington, D.C. federal judge handed down a prison sentence of more than three years to a South Florida man who pleaded guilty to attacking police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, officials announced Tuesday.
Sheriff: 5 jailed in Keys part of ‘very well organized’ human trafficking operation
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay says four men and one woman arrested on smuggling charges in the Florida Keys are part of a sophisticated human trafficking operation.
Florida Keys residents move to help widow with 2 kids
Morgan Coleman, of The Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, set up a GoFundMe page to benefit the grieving Dominguez Family.
Family IDs Marathon personal watercraft crash victims as father, 8-year-old son
Family members have identified the victims of a deadly personal watercraft crash in Marathon Tuesday evening as a man and his young son.
Adult, child killed in personal watercraft crash in Marathon
Two people died in a personal watercraft crash in the Florida Keys on Tuesday evening, officials told Local 10 News.
Marathon man jailed after dog locked in vehicle for ‘several hours’ dies, sheriff says
A 69-year-old Marathon man is facing an animal cruelty charge after authorities said a “dog had been locked in a vehicle for several hours with no food or water and later died.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis distributes $5 million for artificial coral reef projects in Florida Keys
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is holding a press news conference at a restaurant in Marathon Wednesday morning.
Marathon man hurled hatchet into boat, ‘narrowly missing’ victim’s head, deputies say
A man fresh off probation yelled racial slurs at another boater as he passed by in his dinghy off Marathon, then flung a hatchet through the victim’s cabin window, according to an arrest report obtained by Local 10 News on Thursday.
New details: Witness says fatal Keys beating began with stolen valor accusation, report states
A convicted felon admitted to detectives that he “may have gone ‘overboard’” in repeatedly punching a man at a Marathon park over the weekend, leading to his death, according to an arrest report obtained by Local 10 News on Tuesday.
Police: Convicted felon kills homeless man at public park in Florida Keys
A 37-year-old homeless construction worker was at the Monroe County Jail’s Key West facility on Sunday accused of killing a 54-year-old man at a public park.
Iconic South Florida bridge may be on verge of replacement
State transportation officials hosted a meeting Thursday night about potentially replacing a South Florida icon: the Seven Mile Bridge.
‘Scooby’ the sea turtle is on the mend, ready to be released back into the ocean
A beloved sea turtle named "Scooby" is finally on the mend, after marine scientists at The Turtle Hospital in Marathon help save her.
‘About time he got caught’: Relative of Keys pastor accused of sex crime fears more victims out there
Pastor and accused child sex criminal Monte Chitty faced a Monroe County judge again Monday, a little more than two weeks after the 62-year-old returned to the Keys following his capture in Texas.
Marathon man accused of spraying ‘chemical irritant’ on cop during Jan. 6 riot pleads guilty
A South Florida man arrested last August — along with his wife — on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol entered a guilty plea in Washington federal court Tuesday.
Knife-wielding Keys man tells victim he’ll ‘stick him like a pig’ after he ‘giggled,’ cops say
Robert Allen Biser smirked in his Monroe County mugshot after being arrested on a felony charge, but, according to the sheriff’s office, another man told deputies that the 43-year-old got violent over something he didn’t think was a laughing matter at all.
Judge sets $1.4M bond for pastor accused of fleeing to Texas after sexually abusing girl in Florida Keys
A 62-year-old man who served as a First Baptist Church pastor when a teenage girl accused him of giving her a spiked alcoholic drink and sexually abusing her appeared in court on Saturday in the Florida Keys.
Teen accused of making fake bomb, gun threat at Keys high school
A 16-year-old girl was arrested Friday after deputies say she made a fake bomb and gun threat at a high school in the Florida Keys.
Pastor accused of sexually battering teen back in Keys jail after capture in Texas
Marathon pastor Monte Chitty appeared sullen, with his head down, as two uniformed sheriff’s deputies led him from a van into the Key West jail Friday following his capture in Texas earlier in the month.
Fugitive Florida Keys pastor wanted for sexually battering teen girl captured in Texas
Authorities have captured a South Florida pastor who was wanted for sexual battery on a minor.
Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering teen in church is now a fugitive
A South Florida pastor accused of sexually battering a 15-year-old girl in his church became a wanted man Monday after skipping out on scheduled court hearings. He’s believed to be on the run.
Deputies: Student arrested for threatening teacher in Florida Keys
An 18-year-old high school student was arrested Friday in the Florida Keys after he threatened a teacher, authorities confirmed Saturday.
Report reveals graphic texts cops say Marathon pastor sent teen after sexual battery
A newly-released arrest report details explicit text messages that deputies say a Marathon pastor sent a 15-year-old girl after plying her with alcohol and sexually battering her while she was passed out on a couch in his church’s library.
Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering 15-year-old girl at church
Deputies arrested a South Florida pastor Monday morning after they accused him of sexually battering an intoxicated 15-year-old girl at his church.
Marathon man accused of taking upskirt video at Publix
Deputies in the Florida Keys say a Marathon man used his cellphone camera to record under a woman’s dress at Publix — but he was on camera too, leading to his arrest on a video voyeurism charge.
MCSO: Guns, jewelry stolen during home burglary in Florida Keys
Two men from Miami-Dade County were arrested Sunday following a home burglary in the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.
Man ‘threw’ woman in argument over marijuana smoke in Marathon, sheriff says
An argument over weed ended in a 37-year-old man facing multiple felonies in the Florida Keys Tuesday afternoon, according to deputies.
Trio of Outlaws motorcycle gang members from South Florida arrested, sheriff says
Three men affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club biker gang were arrested after a traffic stop in the Florida Keys turned up guns and drugs on Monday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Woman was hiding fentanyl and cocaine in her body, Keys deputies say
A scan revealed a 41-year-old woman was hiding fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine in her body, deputies in the Florida Keys reported on Monday.
Pilot OK after small plane crashes off Marathon
A small plane crashed off the coast of Marathon Tuesday afternoon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Sea turtle dies after being shot with spear in Keys; reward offered for arrest
The Turtle Hospital in Marathon is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect who its staff members believe shot a loggerhead turtle in the head with a spear, the organization’s manager said Tuesday.
Marathon couple accused in Jan. 6 attack faces judge, tells Local 10 about ‘dramatic’ arrests
A Marathon couple arrested by federal agents Monday on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol faced a federal judge in Key West Tuesday.
Marathon couple accused of participating in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A federal judge has issued arrest warrants for a couple from the Florida Keys in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Sheriff spots boat sinking off Florida Keys, 5 rescued
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay spotted a sinking boat as he drove along U.S. 1 Thursday, leading a deputy to rescue five men from the waterlogged vessel, according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson.
Florida men face grand theft charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of gallons of used cooking oil
Why would anyone want to steal about 300 gallons of used cooking oil from a holding tank at a restaurant in the Florida Keys? It happened on Tuesday in Marathon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Waterspout spotted near Seven Mile Bridge in Florida Keys
Local 10 News viewer Jack Callion sent an image of a waterspout he spotted on Saturday afternoon near the Seven Mile Bridge in Florida.
Man accused of shooting into Marathon mobile home during crowded party
Deputies in the Florida Keys arrested an 18-year-old man after they said he shot into a mobile home in Marathon during a crowded party late Sunday night.
Deputies: Keys man arrested after woman woke up to suspect holding her down in bed
Authorities in the Florida Keys arrested a man they said broke into a woman’s home while she slept.
2 rehabilitated Sea turtles released on Earth Day in Florida Keys
Two rehabilitated green sea turtles were released back to their ocean home off the Florida Keys Saturday to mark Earth Day, according to the Florida Keys News Bureau.
Boat strikes continue to rise for marine life in South Florida, wildlife experts say
Wildlife experts are urging boaters to be aware of their surroundings and obey posted speed limits as boat strikes continue to rise in South Florida.
MCSO pursuing murder charges after fatal drug overdoses
The Monroe County Sheriff says his department is working to pursue murder charges against drug dealers connected with overdose deaths.
Boil water notice lifted following 3rd Florida Keys water line break in just a few days
The Sandbar Sports Grill in Key West was having to use bagged ice and bottled water on Tuesday morning after the third water line break in just a few days.
Fighting words? These insults turned Keys threesome violent, according to police report
According to a newly-obtained Monroe County Sheriff’s Office report, two genital-centric insults turned a Marathon threesome into a tussle that ended with hurt feelings and a cinder block thrown through a car window.
Sen. Scott, Monroe sheriff speak on migrant crisis in Florida Keys
Florida Sen. Rick Scott is set to join local officials Thursday in Marathon to discuss the ongoing migrant crisis in the Florida Keys.
Florida Keys officials plead for more federal help to deal with migrant crisis
Monroe County commissioners asked for more federal resources to deal with the ongoing migrant crisis in the Florida Keys, passing a resolution as they met Wednesday morning in Marathon.
State resources deployed in Florida Keys in response to migrant surge
As migrants, primarily from Cuba and Haiti, continue to arrive in the Florida Keys, more state law enforcement officials are now joining the efforts to tackle the unprecedented crisis.
DeSantis activates National Guard amid migrant surge in Florida Keys
Homemade boats became part of the landscape in the mangroves and on the beaches of the Florida Keys, as the onslaught of migrant landings continued overnight into Friday.
Sheriff: Couple arrested in Keys after toddler found covered in roaches
Deputies in the Florida Keys arrested a Fort Myers couple on child abuse and drug charges after they found a 2-year-old child in “squalid” conditions, authorities said Wednesday.
Sheriff: Man, tired of living in U.S., steals boat to go back to Cuba, gets arrested on way
A Miami man was jailed in the Florida Keys after authorities say his plan to steal a commercial fishing boat in order to head back to Cuba hit a serious snag Monday.
Cocaine trafficker operated near Florida Keys airport and government building, deputies say
Deputies reported arresting a cocaine trafficker who was operating in a home right outside of the Florida Keys/Marathon International Airport on Monday in Marathon.
Officials report more than 12 migrant landings in 24-hour period; numbers up 450%
The unprecedented surge of migrant landings in South Florida continued Tuesday, as federal officials reported more than a dozen landings in the Florida Keys in a 24-hour period.
Cuban migrant reaches Florida Keys in inflatable kayak
U.S. Border Patrol agents took a Cuban migrant into custody on Sunday.
2 pulled from water after Florida Keys plane crash
A small plane crashed into the water on the Gulf side of Marathon Friday afternoon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Florida reports 1st monkeypox pediatric case amid vaccine rations on limited supply
Florida reported its first case of monkeypox in a child younger than four years old, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Registered sex offender reminds agents of dangers of migrant crisis in Florida Keys
A wooden sailfreighter ran aground with more than 100 migrants on Monday near the Florida Keys. The U.S. Border Patrol announced on Friday that one of the 109 detained was a registered sex offender.
19 Cuban migrants come ashore in Marathon, official says
Officials took 19 Cuban migrants into custody Thursday morning after their homemade boat came ashore in Marathon, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.
Gang warfare causes Haitians to fear ‘danger at sea’ less than ‘danger at home,’ activist says
Every time desperate Haitian migrants in crowded wooden boats arrive in South Florida, Leonie M. Hermantin said she thinks about what they are trying to get away from.
109 Haitian migrants taken into custody after boat runs aground off Marathon
A very large scene in Marathon off 79th Street where U.S. Border Patrol said a boat containing migrants made landfall on Monday.
Florida Keys couple attacks tourist for snorkeling too close to their dock, deputies say
A Florida Keys couple left a man bleeding after they attacked him for snorkeling close to their waterfront property on Sunday near Marathon, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies said.
Sheriff: Keys woman, 42, lit sheets on fire while boyfriend, 24, slept
A 42-year-old Marathon woman faces two felony charges after deputies accused her of lighting bedsheets on fire while her 24-year-old boyfriend slept, burning his foot in the process.
5 Cuban migrants, on the water for 7 days, arrive in Florida Keys
Five Cuban migrants, all men, landed ashore in the Florida Keys Friday, arriving in Boot Key, which is part of the city of Marathon and only accessible by boat.
Listen: 911 callers report seeing ‘rope snap’ in fatal parasailing accident
911 callers report a parasailing accident that turned fatal in the Florida Keys.
Woman killed, child injured after parasail struck old Seven Mile Bridge
Authorities are investigating after a person died when a parasail struck the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florid Keys.
2 Marathon men arrested for stabbing another during fight, police say
Edgar Flores Barrera and Cesar Barrera were arrested after stabbing an 18-year-old victim during a fight at the Crystal Cove apartments in Marathon.
Woman accused of selling fentanyl-laced drugs at Florida Keys bar
Deputies accused Gennia Siegrist of selling fentanyl-laced heroin and cocaine at a bar in the Florida Keys.
Good Samaritan rescues 3 after small plane crashes into ocean near Florida Keys
A small plane crashed into the ocean on Wednesday about 10 miles north of the Florida Keys.
Marathon settles citation with private island owners who bulldozed nature without permit
Officials in the Florida Keys settled with the owners of West Fanny, an island on the bayside of Marathon, after bulldozing native trees and vegetation that were home to birds and other wildlife without permits.
Saving sea turtles is a mission for a South Florida hospital — and you can help
Sea turtles have been living on the planet since the time of the dinosaurs around 110 million years. But sadly, six of the seven species of sea turtles are either threatened, endangered or critically endangered.
Officials hope to crack down on illegal lobster poaching, protect local commercial lobstermen
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission frequently arrests people for crimes including commercial trap thefts and poaching undersized or out-of-season marine life.
Man denies eating marijuana after fleeing cops, but deputies see green
Monroe County Sheriff's Deputies said after they stopped a driver, they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming out of the man's car and noticed his mouth was green.