A3 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM SUNDAY + PLUS >> Pitched battle Why not make ‘em Governor for Tigers should act yourself? 1C on LSHA TASTE Breaking down Opinion SPORTS BUDDIES the GOP tax bill 4A 1B 1D RIAN TROPICAL STORM DEBBY RODRIGUEZ Sex charge County blew FEMA is filed in teen funds, feds claim case Additional charges aren’t Audit says $1.8 million should be returned, 5A likely, state attorney says. By TAYLOR GAINES [email protected] Rian Rodriguez was charged with sexual activity with a minor and interfer- ence with a child’s custody Showing in his first court appearance Friday morn- some love ing, and State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister for LEOs said those will likely be Florida Highway Patrol the only two Captain Mike Burroughs Rodriguez charges he accepts a basket of will face. personalized ornaments “We are from Matthew Crews MORE most likely during the Ornaments for INSIDE n Docs show gonna file Officers event at Covenant new details, 2A two charges,” Community School. Siegmeister Burroughs’ grandson, said. Joshua Eadie, also spoke There is always the possi- during the event about bility of more state charges his desire to work in law or federal charges, but formal enforcement. “It was charges will be filed soon, very emotional for me,” according to Siegmeister. Burroughs said. Court proceedings will follow, Photos by TAYLOR GAINES/Lake City Reporter barring a plea deal. Judge Tom Coleman set Home for Christmas — in their hearts CHARGES continued on 2A Middle schoolers let local law enforcement officers know they aren’t forgotten on the holidays. Motive for By TAYLOR GAINES vandalism [email protected] not clear, s law enforcement officers and first responders walked into Covenant cops say A Community School Thursday, they were met with a wave of sound. By CARL MCKINNEY Students were standing around the room, [email protected] applauding and cheering, just for them. Some lowered their heads, deflecting A grocery store employee the attention. Some smiled. was arrested Thursday night Some played to the crowd. for using an automated pal- Most seemed moved. “We weren’t expecting let jack to push out a store this big,” said Billy White, door, according to a Lake City a correctional officer with Police Department report. the Florida Department of Surveillance footage shows Corrections. “It was awe- Harley Ray Matthew some. This really makes Shappard, 18, your day.” of Southeast “A lot of us do our jobs not expecting Dan Court, appreciation,” said Reggie Lewis, another ABOVE: Florida Department of Corrections damaging the CO with FDOC, “but it feels good.” metal roll-up Students at Covenant had a whole Sgt. Kevin Crews, left, applauds with fellow door at Save- show prepared for those in attendance at FDOC officers during the Ornaments Ornaments for Officers, which included rep- for Officers event on Thursday. His son Shappard A-Lot on East resentatives from FDOC, Columbia County organized the event, and he said it meant Duval Street, Fire Rescue, Columbia County Sheriff’s a lot to him. “It’s rather overwhelming,” according to the report. Office, Lake City Police Department and Crews said. LEFT: Columbia County Sheriff’s Shappard could be seen Florida Highway Patrol. Office Major Joe Lucas shows off a “CCSO” looking around several times The middle-schoolers had prepared more ornament that one of the kids at Covenant as he continued to use the than 600 ornaments with motivational and Community School designed. More than jack to bend the door, the personalized messages on them for each 600 ornaments were created for all the report states. agency to give to its officers. The event local officers and first responders who have A store manager reported OFFICERS continued on 5A to work during the holidays. DAMAGE continued on 5A Vol. 143, No. 186 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Obituaries . 7A Puzzles . 2-3B ON TARGET SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: 74 56 Business . 1C See Page 5C Voice: 755-5445 Life . 1D Fax: 752-9400 Partly cloudy, 2A A3 2A SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 DAILY BRIEFING LAKE CITY REPORTER Documents give glimpse into QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day coach and teen’s relationship “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Rodriguez continued to pur- — 2 Timothy 2:1 (KJV) Exes also speak sue her for several weeks, on Rodriguez. “telling her he would be better,” Welch said. Thought for Today By CARL MCKINNEY Welch said she threat- When things go wrong, don’t go with them. [email protected] ened him with a restrain- ing order before he finally — Elvis Presley Caitlyn Frisina, the stopped contacting her. 17-year-old Fort White High Another ex-girlfriend, School student who ran Brittany Womble of away with 27-year-old Rian Gainesville, who told Rodriguez for five days in authorities she dated Winning Lottery Numbers late November, told author- Rodriguez after she gradu- Pick 3: (Saturday midday) 4-0-7 ities her traveling compan- ated high school, said she Pick 4: (Saturday midday) 3-6-5-0 ion had anger issues and agreed to go out with him Pick 5: (Saturday midday) 6-6-1-2-6 lacked maturity, according after he started messaging to a newly released report her on Facebook, describ- detailing her frustrations ing him as a “very emo- See an error? with the trip. tional” person who “didn’t The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Rodriguez’s ex-girl- handle confrontation well,” items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, friends described him in a FILE according to the report. please call the editor. Corrections and clarications will similar manner when inves- Surveillance footage shows Rian Rodriguez and Caitlyn Rodriguez, who repeated run in this space. Thanks for reading. tigators reached out to Frisina during their five-day trip that ended with them his claim of being a med- them, adding that he also being found in New York. ical school student from had a habit of crafting elab- a wealthy family, also told Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption orate lies. drained,” the report states. in July. Womble he had cancer, information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would After authorities found Caitlyn said she and During the pair’s five- according to the report. like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture the pair near Syracuse, New Rodriguez agreed to cut day disappearance, inves- Womble said she suspect- and information to associate editor Justin Caudell at York, both Rodriguez and ties with their families, add- tigators spoke to one of ed he was faking it, adding [email protected]. Caitlyn admitted to having a ing that she didn’t contact Rodriguez’s previous girl- that he “would lie to her sexual relationship, accord- relatives during the trip friends, Jessica Welch of about being in the hospital ing to the Columbia County because she feared it would Gainesville, who said she and once lied about being Lake City Reporter Sheriff’s Office report, “make matters worse.” dated him for six months in an accident.” HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS..............754-0419 which offers new details She said Rodriguez is after graduating high She arranged to meet Main number ........(386) 752-1293 CIRCULATION about the investigation into “a good person,” but has school and ultimately had him at a Starbucks to end Fax number ..............752-9400 Circulation ...............755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter the pair’s disappearance. anger issues and hated that to threaten legal action to the relationship because Online ... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. Rodriguez said the rela- “she would argue to win” get him to leave her alone, she was “afraid of what he The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 tionship began in August, when they got in a disagree- according to the report. might do,” according to the of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and Please call 386-755-5445 to report any the report states. ment. Rodriguez claimed he report. Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. Rodriguez also admitted Caitlyn originally told was a medical student from Rodriguez handled the FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should he did some research and investigators that she did a wealthy family and that his news poorly, Womble told Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a service error for same day re-delivery. knew he would be breaking a lot of the driving and uncle owned a plantation authorities. All material herein is property of the After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery the law by leaving Florida planning for the trip, which in the Dominican Republic, He “got on his knees and Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the or service related credits will be issued. with Caitlyn, according to crossed at least eight states. Welch said. was screaming at her to permission of the publisher. U.S. Postal In all other counties where home delivery the report. The teen later told author- When Welch met give him another chance,” Service No. 310-880. is available, next day re-delivery or Caitlyn also indicated she ities she had not been truth- Rodriguez’s family, his she said.