Crime Archive

The founder of a horse farm in Milton found himself behind bars Monday, May 5 for pointing a rifle at an Uber driver. Sean Hollonbeck, 54, faces kidnapping – false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill charges stemming from a May 4 incident involving his daughter and an Uber driver.

A man recently released from prison has been charged with kidnapping the same victim again. A neighbor who called 911 may have saved the victim’s life.

A 37-year-old Santa Rosa County man was charged with DUI after causing an accident that resulted in property damage to two residences near Blake Lane, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

A Jay man was arrested Wednesday evening, March 27, after he led law enforcement on a chase which ended on Highway 87 N. The incident stemmed from a search warrant being served on the man’s property in connection with a case out of Escambia County.

Travis Paul Sterback, 27, is charged with trafficking in synthetic cannabinoids, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, fleeing and eluding at high speed and firing a weapon in public.

The owner of a popular Milton restaurant found himself behind bars after being arrested for allegedly selling stolen John Deere equipment in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Matas “Mike” Bernard Cosse, 52, who owns Cosse’s Place (5365 Stewart St.), is charged with six counts of public order crimes, six counts of forgery, five counts of dealing in stolen property, one count of fraud or swindle and one count of larceny.

The family of a hit and run victim is finally close to getting closure nearly two years after the incident. Jack Crawford died Sept. 27, 2022, following a crash he was involved in the previous day.

A traffic crash at County Road 191 (Munson Highway) and Lawler Lane in Milton led to the death of a 22-year-old Milton man Saturday, Oct. 28. Christopher Ammons, 49, the driver of a pickup truck, which collided with the 22-year old’s vehicle, has since been arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter.

A federal fugitive is behind bars in Santa Rosa County after an Aug. 24 traffic stop uncovered cocaine and other drugs in the vehicle near Garcon Point Road and Interstate 10.

The Aug. 22 serving of a search warrant in Milton uncovered approximately 3,500 pills of fentanyl. According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, 3,500 pills of fentanyl with a street value upwards of $40,000.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday, June 20, they would not seek charges in the case involving Nikko’s Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar in Pace.

The case stems from a June 9 incident when seven people fell ill after eating at Nikko’s. Sheriff’s Office deputies first became aware of the situation June 10, when they responded to a police assist call at Santa Rosa Hospital.