Judge Acquits Teens in Killing
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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Volleyball: County teams ready to meet new challenges /B1 THURSDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & next morning HIGH 84 Cloudy with LOW showers and storms. Breezy. 74 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 334 NEWS BRIEFS Judge acquits teens in killing Elections office to host outreach Trio still found guilty of weapons charges; will be sentenced at a later date event today BUSTER reached the conclusion at misdemeanor — for the teens to remain in the his verdict, Ryder’s hus- The Supervisor of THOMPSON around noon on Wednes- 12-gauge shotgun and custody of their guardians band of 39 years, John Elections Office invites Staff writer day, Sept. 1, acquitting .30-caliber rifle they were until he orders their pun- Ryder, sat in silence along- the public to an outreach Zoey Ellan Andersen, shooting Nov. 21, 2018, ishments. They’re also not side his handful of sup- event from 10 a.m. to A trio of Citrus County Jason Byron Simms Jr. around the same time a allowed to be near fire- porters in the courtroom noon Sept. 2 at the Citrus teenagers did not fire the and Joseph Shane Finn of bullet struck 58-year-old arms, the judge ordered. gallery before leaving. Springs Library, 1826 W. stray bullet that killed manslaughter at the end Ryder in her head almost Florida law requires Andersen and Finn’s Country Club Blvd. Sandra Ryder while she of their joint, three-day 400 yards away across a the teens to serve at least family members in the au- This is a convenient was outside her bench trial in juvenile field. 15 days in a youth deten- dience let out sighs of re- way to register to vote, Homosassa home along- court. A sentencing hearing tion facility because their lief. Simms appeared in make changes to your side her husband. Howard did find the will be scheduled 45 days offenses involved a court via Zoom. voter record or request a Circuit Court Judge teens guilty of possessing out. firearm. vote-by-mail ballot. Infor- Richard “Ric” Howard firearms as minors — a Howard allowed the While Howard delivered See TRIAL/Page A2 mation to apply for elec- tion worker positions will also be available. For more information, visit votecitrus.gov, email [email protected] or call 352-564-7120. EMS staffing ‘beyond critical’ Vaccination site to close for Labor Day In observance of Labor Day, the Florida Depart- ment of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus) and its COVID-19 vaccination site will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6. The health department will re- open at its regularly scheduled time on Tues- day, Sept. 7. As a reminder, Mod- erna (18+) and Pfizer (12+ with parental con- sent) vaccines are offered by appointment or walk- ins from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednes- days and some select Saturdays at the UF/IFAS Extension Citrus County, 3650 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto. To make an appointment, visit bitly. com/citruscovidvax. Visit CitrusCounty Health.org or follow @FLHealthCitrus on Twitter. First responders MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Nature Coast EMS Chief Scott Baxter warns county commissioners that his ambulance service is suffering from a mass exodus of employees dinner at due to low pay. He is asking for help from the county. the VFW The VFW Post 10087 Firm reportedly losing employees at swift pace because of pay disparities will host a Thanksgiving dinner for all first re- FRED HIERS leaving the nonprofit for has 75 EMT/paramedics Baxter said starting not hire EMTs. sponders, family and Staff writer higher pay elsewhere. left still on the job, he salaries for emergency “It’s not sustainable,” members from noon to “Since July 1, 2021, we told the Chronicle. medical technicians Baxter told the Chroni- 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Nature Coast EMS is have had a net loss of The county commis- (EMTs) in Citrus County cle about the loss of em- post, 2170 W. Vet Lane in bleeding emergency full-time field staff of sion met with Baxter in was $9.21 per hour. ployees and pay Beverly Hills. Call the workers as the organiza- 25%, most citing wages,” August and requested Paramedics start at discrepancies. “They’re tion that provides ambu- he wrote commission- the chief return Sept. 14 $12.72 per hour. In com- leaving because of post at 352-746-0440. lance service to county ers. “Since the Board of with more information parison, Sumter Coun- wages. There are higher Additional residents prepares to County Commissioners and an explanation of ty’s EMTs begin at wage opportunities make its case for finan- meeting on August 24, how much more money $14.50 per hour and elsewhere.” landfill drop-off cial help to county com- 2021, Nature Coast EMS Nature Coast would paramedics start at To ensure county resi- day in October missioners later this staffing is now beyond need to keep it in the $19.50 per hour. dents get the emergency month. critical.” black. Nature Coast’s In Marion County, help they need, Baxter Citrus County Landfill’s In a Tuesday letter to Of the 22 EMT/ annual budget is about EMTs begin at $10 per said he is utilizing ad- Household Hazardous commissioners, Nature paramedics who have $10 million and it hour and paramedics at ministrative staff to try Waste (HHW) disposal Coast chief and CEO left Nature Coast, 10 quit receives nearly $18.03 per hour. Para- and shore up the loss of program offers an addi- Scott Baxter painted a during the past seven $850,000 annually from medics in Hernando employees. tional drop-off day each dire picture of trained days, Baxter wrote. the county commission County start at $19.96 per quarter for no additional emergency workers Nature Coast now in subsidies. hour. That county does See EMS/Page A5 charge. The next quar- terly HHW drop-off day will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Citrus County Landfill, 230 W. Gulf-to-Lake Highway in Lecanto. ‘Jeremy’s Journey’ Jenkins Auto As a reminder, resi- dents who can use the regular HHW program on Tuesday, Thursday and hits bump in the road Group expands Friday of each week are encouraged to do so. This Saturday collection Teen’s COVID diagnosis delays consultation is no different from their county footprint weekly program, but is NANCY KENNEDY Shands in Gainesville to Facebook message to her meant to facilitate resi- Staff writer determine when they friends saying, “Well MICHAEL D. Ford-Lincoln to the list. dents who work or are could do the Deep Brain Facebook friends and BATES That sale is pending, otherwise unable to par- Aug. 30 and 31 were Stimulation (DBS) family, the time is here. Staff writer said Maria Patino, cus- ticipate during the week. supposed to be big days surgery. Jeremy’s DBS consulta- tomer and community Wait times will be lon- in 18-year-old However, this tion is Monday, and Tues- The Jenkins Automo- relations director for ger on a Saturday. Jeremy Schreif- past weekend Jer- day is doctors tive Group has ex- Jenkins. Assessed households els’ journey to- emy tested posi- appointments back to panded its empire in This comes five ward finding tive for COVID-19, back. may bring up to 10 gallons Citrus County once months after Jenkins an- relief from a se- and the meeting “I will keep everybody again. nounced it had acquired (or 60 pounds) of house- vere case of To- and appointments informed of the next step The Ocala-based deal- the Citrus Kia dealer- hold hazardous waste for urette syndrome he and his par- on what’s going to hap- ership has acquired ship in Crystal River. proper disposal from that he has suf- ents had been ea- pen. Our family has been Crystal Chevrolet Patino said Citrus 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, fered with for gerly waiting for insanely busy with issues Jeremy and Crystal County is growing and Thursdays and Fridays. nearly 16 years. had to be that have been going on. Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep- Schreifels Jenkins wants to get a For more information, For months, he canceled. I’m requesting prayer for Ram. footprint in the call 352-527-7670 or visit had been scheduled to Just days prior to that, Monday and Tuesday.” And, in a couple community. tinyurl.com/jstmykh8. meet with a team of neu- Jeremy’s mother, Jennifer weeks, Jenkins hopes to — From staff reports rologists at UF Health Schreifels, had sent out a See JEREMY/Page A5 add the Crystal See JENKINS/Page A5 Classifieds . .B6 Crossword . .B10 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .B3 Obituaries . A6, A7 Comics . .B5 Editorial. A9 Lottery Payouts . .B3 TV Listings. .B4 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Movies . .B5 A2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE conduct that led to her testified during their death.” shared trial. For the RECORD TRIAL Shore said Ryder and At the time of the shoot- Continued from Page A1 other witnesses who ing, Andersen, now 16, Citrus County I Haley Suzanne Miller, 25, Dunnellon, arrested Aug. 31 for heard gunfire led author- was 13 years old; Finn Sheriff’s Office Crystal River, arrested Aug. 31 domestic battery. No bond. Howard, who presided ities in the direction of and Simms, both now 17, for grand theft ($750 or more but Arrests Burglaries, thefts over the teens’ trial as where the teens were were 14.