January 18, 2022

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— A traffic stop for speeding leads to the arrest of a Freeport man for trafficking methamphetamine Monday night.

On January 17^th at 9 pm, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant stopped a car for excessive speed on County Road 1087.

The driver was identified as Michael Bratton, 41, of Freeport.

K9 Colt was deployed to the scene and alerted to a trained odor coming from the vehicle. After a search of the vehicle, a black nylon bag was located hidden under the driver’s seat.

The bag contained four plastic bags containing a combined weight of 56.8 grams of methamphetamine (ice). Three different types of pills were also located along with drug paraphernalia and more than 20 grams of marijuana. A total of $956.00 in U.S. currency was also found.

Bratton was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine over 14 grams, three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was transported and booked into the Walton County Jail without incident.

Bratton is currently out on bond awaiting trial on charges of aggravated battery on a pregnant victim and throwing a brick through a car window with a person inside.

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— Walton County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 81-year-old with dementia.

On January 21, 2022, Monroe Smith Jr. was reported missing by his family after leaving his residence in Defuniak Springs at 6:30 a.m.

He is described as a white male, 5’10” tall, 240 pounds with white hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a brown shirt, brown jacket, and blue jeans.

He left his home driving a maroon in color Buick Lacrosse bearing Florida tag Z745IU.

Anyone with information on Smith’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892-8111.

WALTON COUNTY, FL— Walton County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 65-year-old woman from Miramar Beach.

Melanie Kay Stallard is known to frequent the Grand Boulevard area. Family members have tried reaching out to her repeatedly over the last few months with no success.

She is described as a white female, 5’7” tall, 125 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Stallard drives a silver 2003 Volvo S40 four-door sedan bearing Kansas license plate 469LVW.

If you have any information on Stallard’s whereabouts, please contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892-8111.

GASKIN, FL—A multi-agency attack leads to the knock down of a large residential fire in Gaskin.

At 9:37 a.m. on Friday, January 21, 2022, Walton County Fire Rescue, Argyle Volunteer Fire Department, and Liberty Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to a home on Gill Road following a 911 call reporting a structure fire. The caller stated their neighbor ran to their house screaming that their house was on fire.

While en route, firefighters could see heavy smoke coming from the area where the call originated. Walton County Fire Rescue crews were the first to arrive on scene and found flames fully engulfing a single-story home. They quickly deployed attack lines and began to battle the blaze. Argyle and Liberty volunteer firefighters arrived shortly after and began assisting Walton County Fire Rescue in fighting the flames.

Ponce de Leon Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Pine Log Volunteer Fire Rescue were also called to the scene to assist in water supply.

First responders battled the massive fire for a little over two hours before the blaze was under control.

Fortunately, the residents made it out of the fire without injuries. The fire is believed to have originated in the home’s wood-burning stove.

The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the residents of the disintegrated home.

January 28, 2022

SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla — Two men responsible for more than a dozen burglaries in Santa Rosa Beach yesterday are facing multiple felony charges.

Joshua Boudreaux, 22, and Rakishi Mosley, 21, of Fort Walton Beach were arrested by Walton County Sheriff’s Office with the help of the Walton County Correctional K-9 Team.

A vehicle was also located by deputies on Ridge Drive and impounded.

Both men are charged with multiple counts of burglary, petit theft, and loitering and prowling and are still incarcerated at the time of this release. In addition, Mosley has two outstanding warrants out of Chipley and Marianna. 

Walton County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Walton and Okaloosa Correctional K9 Teams for their assistance during the search for Mosley and Boudreaux.

To our residents, we thank you for your support and patience as we investigated these cases. As always, please remember to hide your belongings, lock your doors, and take your keys.

January 31, 2022

ORANGE BEACH, AL— Walton County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the graduation of Captain Dustin Burlison from the National Command and Staff College Leadership Program.

The Class, sponsored by the Orange Beach Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, is comprised of a 240 hours online portion and an 80 hour residency component and focuses on effectively resolving the challenges of an accomplished career.

Graduates of the program leave with new colleagues, a diverse array of faculty from which the student can continue to consult, and ways to act ahead of change to create an optimistic future for law enforcement and the communities they serve.

The long-term goal of the program is to add to the leadership skill sets of each participant; it is also to contribute to the body of knowledge of law enforcement through the completion of significant foresight-based research.

On Friday, course graduates of Session #014 received a National Command & Staff College diploma and a MAGNUS CENTURION Medallion at the ceremony held in Orange Beach, Alabama.

In addition to his diploma, Captain Burlison received two distinguished awards.

The first was the Capstone Research Award, which is determined by a combination of written and oral communications skills and a project that exhibits a highly-defined team effort.

Additionally, Captain Burlison received the President’s Award, which is given to someone who demonstrates leader and learner responsibility and accountability early in the program and throughout. This person connects leadership theory with real-life leadership practice.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office would like to congratulate Captain Dustin Burlison and all graduates of Session #014.

February 1, 2022

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— An elaborate multi-agency investigation dubbed Operation Wolves Blanket has resulted in the arrest of 12 men on charges of child solicitation.

Over a five-day period, Walton County Sheriff’s Office conducted the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation to target those seeking out children for sexual activity.

In conjunction with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the State Attorney’s Office, Panama City Beach Police, Panama City Police Department, and deputies from Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Offices, investigators ran the operation starting Wednesday, January 26^th through Sunday, January 30^th.

“Our goal was to identify child predators and get them out of our communities,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “There is no shortage of these individuals preying on our youth; we must all be vigilant.”

During the effort, investigators act undercover as minors to identify people who used the internet to solicit minors under the age of 14. They began communicating with the suspects, men ages 18 to 48 traveling from as far as Mississippi, ultimately setting up a location to carry out an arrest.

• Hazzie Carter, 39, of Gulfport, Mississippi (traveled from Fort Walton Beach)
• David Chocojay, 34, of Mobile, Alabama
• Tananan Wanna, 41, of Santa Rosa Beach
• Eric Dotlich, 42, of Pensacola
• Dakota Davis, 22, of Fort Walton Beach
• Cody Hamm, 27, of Cottondale
• Carter Gile, 25, of Navarre
• Joshua Ward, 18, of Gulf Breeze
• Christian Coon, 22, of DeFuniak Springs
• Warwick Marsh, 26, of Destin
• Hassani Brown, 19, of Fort Walton Beach
• Allen Morrow, 48, of Niceville

The listed individuals have been charged with second-and third-degree felonies. Potential prison sentences range from five to 15 years behind bars per charge if found guilty and up to 25 years based on some sentencing guidelines.

February 4, 2022

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— A Santa Rosa Beach man is arrested after he went door-to-door in the middle of the night dressed as a law enforcement officer.

In the early morning hours Thursday, Ulises Chaves Turrubiates, 27, can be seen on multiple Ring doorbell cameras pulling on the door handles of residences located on Corte Pino in Santa Rosa Beach.

The video is alarming, as Turrubiates, wearing a tactical vest and what appeared to be a black firearm tucked into the front, tells the camera he is looking for someone and that they are under arrest.

Mug shot of Ulises Turrubiates

The following day, deputies were able to identify and locate Turrubiates near the intersection of East Julie Street and 1^st Street who said he was looking for someone after a domestic dispute but was not trying to alarm anyone. When deputies asked about the weapon, they discovered it was a mace shooting device shaped like a gun.

Turrubiates was arrested and charged with loitering and prowling and impersonating a law enforcement officer.

A pursuit in DeFuniak Springs ends in a K-9 apprehension and a suspect in custody late Thursday night.

At 10:04 p.m. Walton County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a stolen vehicle on Nelson Road in DeFuniak Springs. Deputies were already patrolling the area nearby and were able to quickly locate the vehicle on Pleasant Ridge Road.

When deputies attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled. Spike strips were successfully deployed on Range Road just north of Site C-6. Once the vehicle came to a stop, the suspect fled into the woods.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Jester was deployed and quickly apprehended the suspect who was later identified as Clifton Ray Galloway, 33, of DeFuniak Springs.

Galloway was subsequently arrested and charged with obstruction without violence, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and grand theft of a vehicle. He is currently being held on a $15,000 bond at the Walton County Jail.

A Mossy Head man has been arrested following a road rage incident that lead to shots fired on Sunday, February 13^th.

At 5:35 p.m., Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the intersection of US Highway 90 and Shoemaker Drive following a 911 call regarding a shooting. Upon arriving on scene, deputies found three bullet holes in the victim’s truck, two in the rear passenger door and a third that entered the back glass on the passenger side of the vehicle before exiting through the windshield near the rear-view mirror.

The victim stated he was traveling west on US Highway 90 near the intersection of US Highway 331 N when a dark colored sedan collided with his vehicle. Shortly after the collision, the suspect fired shots at the victim’s truck. The victim also stated when he attempted to flee, the suspect pursued him at a high rate of speed.

After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the shooter, Taylor Banjo Bradford, 24, of Mossy Head, knowingly used a firearm during a road rage incident then pursued the victim’s vehicle at a high rate of speed for several minutes. His actions unjustifiably threatened the lives of not only the victim, but others traveling in the area.

Bradford was arrested Tuesday, February 15^th and charged with firing a weapon from a vehicle, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He was given a $50,000 bond and bonded out on Wednesday, February 16^th.

February 17, 2022

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— A Crestview woman is charged with firing a gun inside a Walton County hotel after business hours.

Wednesday morning, February 16^th the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Hilton located at 4000 Sandestin Boulevard South in reference to a shooting that already occurred.

An investigation by deputies revealed the incident was captured on surveillance video inside the hotel. The video shows, Brittany Johnson Rowe, 25, of Crestview, walking into the Human Resources hallway on the first floor at 10:30 pm Tuesday night and firing a single round at the door. Rowe attempts to fire a second round, but the gun does not fire.

Another employee is seen in the video, later identified as Rowe’s husband, who quickly locates and disarmed her. The two left the hotel and did not report the incident to authorities. Rowe was pending termination from the hotel for a previous incident.

There were no employees in the HR offices at the time of the shooting, however, guests staying on the same floor reported to deputies during the investigation they heard a shot fired and voices but did not leave their rooms.

Rowe was located, arrested, and charged with firing a weapon into a dwelling and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, both felonies. She is also charged with criminal mischief. She was given a $10,000 bond and is still incarcerated at the time of this release.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the State Fire Marshal’s Office in the investigation of a suspicious residential fire that took place late Thursday night.

At 9:24 p.m., Walton County Fire Rescue and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on Willow Avenue in Choctaw Beach in reference to a structure fire. First responders arrived on scene to find smoke and flames coming from the rear of a single-wide mobile home.

Firefighters were able to quickly contain the blaze. Fortunately, no one was inside the residence at the time of the fire.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies spoke with neighbors who reported seeing someone flee from the back of the mobile home moments before the house went up in flames.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office was notified and responded to the scene.

The investigation is ongoing at this time.

February 22, 2022

Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, announces that on February 18, 2022, Storm Royal Thayer was indicted by the Walton County Grand Jury on the charge of First Degree Premeditated Murder.

The charge arose from an incident that occurred on July 12, 2021, at 1161 Troon Drive in Walton County, Florida, after the victim was repeatedly stabbed to death.

The defendant is being held without bond at the Walton County Jail and will be scheduled for a pretrial conference in the future.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office was responsible for the investigation and arrest. Any questions may be directed to Assistant State Attorney Michelle Sandler at (850) 651-7260.

See the original press release here.

A neighbor spots flames coming from underneath the porch of a nearby home and quickly jumps into action.

At 10:35 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Walton County Fire Rescue responded to a home on Hansen Road in Freeport following a 911 call from a neighbor who could see flames coming from underneath the front porch. While on the phone with a Walton County Sheriff’s Office communications officer, the neighbor tried banging on the door, because she believed the family of five were asleep inside. The neighbor’s son began trying to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher while the woman continued to try to wake the family.

Walton County Fire Rescue arrived on scene within a few short minutes to find a small fire coming from the front porch of the home. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire before it spread to the rest of the mobile home, saving the family’s home from internal damage. Fortunately, all residents made it out of the home safely.

Upon investigation, Walton County Fire Rescue crews found that an overloaded extension cord was the cause of the fire.

March 8, 2022

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— Healthmark Regional Medical Center has recently expressed to our agency they will be temporarily closing their emergency room at the facility for an unknown length of time in the near future.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office is preparing for the closure and discussed the matter with the Walton County Board of County Commissioners.

“This is a very serious concern for us,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson addressing the Board at their meeting Tuesday. “This will greatly affect transport times and the availability of ambulance services in the county.”

To plan for this closure, Walton County Fire Rescue added a seventh ambulance to our service area Sunday. The apparatus is staffed with one EMT and one Paramedic with advanced life support capability.

“We’re looking to get an eighth ambulance that will run as staffing allows,” added Adkinson.

Our agency has reached out to area hospitals to make them aware and help them in the transition and prepare them for the increased volume that will be redirected from Healthmark.

“We want to ensure residents the excellent quality of care they receive through Walton County Fire Rescue emergency medical services will continue as we adjust to these changes,” said Adkinson. “As we anticipate the increase in call volume and transport times, our staff is committed to doing everything in our power to make sure residents and visitors are informed of this change and those in our community receive the emergency care they need.”

Sheriff Adkinson, the Board of County Commissioners, and representatives from Healthmark plan to meet before the week’s end to discuss how to decrease the length of time ER services will be suspended.

Walton County Fire Rescue is a CAAS Accredited EMS Service providing pre-hospital care to residents and visitors of Walton County north of the Choctawhatchee Bay. WCFR has been under the Sheriff’s Office tutelage since April of 2017.

A Freeport man has been arrested for possession and transmission of child pornography and sexual battery of a minor.

On March 10, 2022, The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received a tip from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding over 200 files of potential child pornography being uploaded to an online storage platform. The suspect was identified as Stephen Walter Gay, 42, of Freeport, Florida.

An online investigation was conducted in which video footage was found of Gay performing sexual acts with multiple minors to include a toddler.

Stephen Gay was arrested by Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigators on March 18, 2022 and admitted to sexually battering multiple children and recording the incidents. He was subsequently charged with sexual battery of a person less than 12 years of age by a person 18 years or older, promoting the sexual performance by a child, possession of child pornography and transmission of child pornography.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding possible additional victims is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892-8111.

Walton County Fire Rescue firefighters rushed to a home early this morning after a neighbor reported seeing heavy flames coming from the house across the street.

At 4:47 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Walton County Fire Rescue and Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a home on Club House Drive in the Windswept Estates community in Freeport following a 911 call reporting a house fire. The caller stated they heard “an explosion,” and when they looked outside, they saw flames coming from the residence across the street.

Firefighters arrived on scene to find flames engulfing a large, single-story home. Walton County Fire Rescue battled the fire for nearly an hour before containing the massive blaze.
The homeowners were not injured in the fire, but, unfortunately, the family’s dog was later found deceased in the residence.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and confirmed the fire was caused by a lightning strike. American Red Cross was contacted to assist the owners of the damaged home.

A Lake County man has been extradited to Walton County following an undercover online investigation conducted by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit.

On October 14, 2022, Timothy Ray Holmes, 37, of Clermont, Florida began chatting with an undercover investigator who he believed was a 13-year-old in an online chat forum. During the investigation, Holmes transmitted harmful material and solicited sexual pictures from who he believed was a juvenile female.

Holmes communicated his desire for sexual acts and said he wanted to travel to Walton County to meet to have sex. Over the next few months, Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigators were able to positively identify Holmes as the suspect who participated in the chat with the undercover investigator.

A search warrant was executed at Holmes’ residence in Clermont, Florida on February 16. Holmes was subsequently arrested for possession of child pornography and admitted to using online messaging applications to send sexually explicit messages to minors.

On March 17, Holmes was extradited to Walton County and is currently facing six counts of transmission of material harmful to minors, the use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, and the use of a computer to seduce/solicit/lure children. He was issued a $50,000 bond.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Cyber Crime Squad in Lake County for their assistance with this investigation.