WWII ‘Rosie’ Calls LC Home Machinist Edna Crostic Biker Helped to Keep the Clings Home Fires Burning
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A3 + PLUS >> Blueberry Festival is Saturday, Story below FOOTBALL NBA FINALS Preseason honors Steph, Lebron for Crumitie face off again See Page 2B See Page 1B THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Murder suspect nabbed Wellborn woman was buried in shallow grave, reports say Gutierrez 2A SUV VS. MOTORCYCLE WWII ‘Rosie’ calls LC home Machinist Edna Crostic Biker helped to keep the clings home fires burning. By COREY ARWOOD [email protected] to life ith crystal clarity, a local WWII Navy vet- Weran recounted the after orange groves of her childhood, a pre boot-camp trip to the Statue of Liberty and watching war planes do the Banana River crash Bounce in 1944. A week from Saturday, Edna Irma Crostic will be 99 years Cops: Still critical, old. but some better. Crostic said she’s looking forward to another day of doing whatever she wants to do, By COREY ARWOOD whether that’s a car ride around [email protected] Alligator Lake, watching the world from her front porch or A motorcyclist remains in watching the news on televi- critical but stable condition COREY ARWOOD/Lake City Reporter sion. after a Monday night collision Crostic was born in 1919, while the status of the police when WWI had just ended and the face of the modern world investigation remains to be was being forged. determined as investigators Little did Crostic know her continue looking into in the own future was being shaped by crash, LCPD said. events across the Atlantic while Lake City Police Public she was at home in the orange Information Officer Mike Lee groves of St. Lucie County. said there is no final determi- Two decades later, World War nation of fault as an investiga- II exploded and Edna joined the tion continues into the motor- Navy to work on aircraft at a cycle and SUV crash at the base on the Banana River. intersection of U.S. Highway “I was in the Navy and I was an aviation machinist second 441 and State Road 100. class,” she said. “We worked on “The status of the motorcy- airplanes. We repaired airplanes cle driver has improved but that had been in the ocean. It we’re not quite to the point yet was World War Two and they where we’re ready to declare were falling in the ocean and there’s no longer a traffic everywhere.” homicide investigation,” said She called the rough landing Lee. “Hopefully over the next that amphibious aircraft made couple of days if he continues on the river where her base to improve we can downgrade was located the Banana River the case status.” Bounce. “They bounced when they However, he said if the landed on that river,” she said. Crostic was stationed at the CRASH continued on 2A Banana River Naval Air Station, TOP: Edna Irma now known as Patrick AFB, Crostic, 98, poses assisting with work on patrol with a souvenier bomber flying boat engines or Blueberry T-shirt bearing PBMs. the name of the She said when they were in fest is Sat. air base at which the water they dropped their she was stationed landing gear and rolled up a From staff reports during World War II. ramp where they would soon be repaired and readied once more ABOVE: A PBM, or for flight. Wellborn is getting ready patrol bomber fly- “It was interesting to watch,” to celebrate the blues — blue- ing boat, is moored she said. berries, that is. for maintenance at She said she enjoyed learning The 25th annual Wellborn the base during the about the aircraft and she talk- Blueberry Festival is right war. LEFT: Crostic ed about them in encyclopedic around the corner. was an aviation detail. The event will be held from machinist at what “My shop worked on the 7 a..m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday is now known as engines of the plane and we just at Andrew’s Square, 1340 Patrick Air Force went to work like everybody Eighth Ave. Base in Brevard else does,” she said. “But we had County. continued on 2A FESTIVAL COURTESY PHOTOS WWII continued on 2A Vol. 143, No. 304 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 3A (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A High Impact SUBSCRIBE TO Puzzles . 2B THE REPORTER: 85 70 Advice & Comics . 3B Teachers honored, 5A. Voice: 755-5445 Chance of storms Fax: 752-9400 2A THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018 DAILY BRIEFING LAKE CITY REPORTER Murder suspect caught QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day together near 41st Road. Tuesday, investigators had been trying to hide in Captured in Alachua “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my County after call to Deputies questioned found a suspicious spot on abandoned houses. Gutierrez and Cruz’s sister the ground near a stand of “So they started just trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” cops from his sister. at the house on Monday pines about a quarter of a going door to door,” St. — Psalm 56:4 (KJV) and brought in a K9 unit to mile from Cruz’s home. John said. “Went to one By CARL MCKINNEY investigate, St. John said. “The dirt was disturbed,” abandoned house, found [email protected] On Tuesday, investiga- St. John said. “Looked like him hiding inside.” Thought for Today tors were getting ready to he put some leaves on it for St. John theorized that Art is anything you can get away with. The manhunt started visit the house again and camouflage.” Gutierrez and Cruz were in — Marshall McLuhan, 1911-1980, Canadian with a panicked call from a conduct another search After obtaining a search the process of splitting up. sociologist woman who locked herself when Gutierrez’s sister warrant, investigators start- “I think she may have in a gas station bathroom called ed digging and found a been wanting to see some- for fear of her own broth- SCSO from body around 7 p.m. one else,” he said. er, then led authorities to a a Chevron The body matched Gutierrez faced a simi- Winning Lottery Numbers shallow grave in Suwannee station near Cruz’s description and was lar situation with a previous Pick 3: (Tuesday p.m.) 0-8-1 County and ended with an Micanopy taken to the medical exam- girlfriend, whom he sexu- Pick 4: (Tuesday p.m.) 5-1-4-8 arrest in a small town south in Alachua iner in Tallahassee for a ally assaulted, stabbed and Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 6-25-32-34-35 of Gainesville. County. positive identification and left for dead, St. John said. Authorities on Wednesday Gutierrez She to determine the cause of The woman in that case sur- morning arrested 35-year- locked death. vived. See an error? old Rueben Portillo herself in a bathroom after Multiple agencies In 2007, Gutierrez The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Gutierrez on suspicion of Gutierrez reportedly con- assisted in the search for received a 10-year prison items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, murdering 32-year-old Delia fessed to her that he killed Gutierrez, but it was a sentence Marion County for please call the editor. Corrections and clarications will Cruz near Wellborn. Cruz, St. John said. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sexual battery and a 15-year run in this space. Thanks for reading. Cruz’s family reported “She was scared of him,” K9 team that ultimate- sentence for attempted her missing around 11 a.m. St. John said. ly found him Wednesday murder, according to the Monday, said Suwannee By the time authorities morning. Florida Department of Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption County Sheriff Sam St. got there, Gutierrez had Gutierrez was booked Corrections. information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would John. fled on foot. into the Alachua County jail. He was released in like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Cruz and Gutierrez lived Around 1:30 p.m. St. John said Gutierrez December 2017. and information to Associate Editor Steve Wilson at [email protected]. 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