Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Bucs: Former star Lynch enters HOF this weekend /B1 TUESDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & next morning HIGH 85 Numerous LOW storms and rain. Floods possible. 74 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 3, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 300 NEWS BRIEFS Law seeks robbery suspect Gas prices Chronicle from a teller, showing a reason to believe the fire- most expensive silver revolver with a arm wasn’t real.” since 2014 The Citrus County black handle and left with The suspect was last Sheriff ’s Office is seeking an undisclosed amount of seen getting in a dark col- Gas prices in July were a suspect sought for ques- money, the release stated. ored sedan eastbound on the highest in seven tioning in a late-morning There were a number East Thomas Street, In- years. bank robbery, according of employees inside the verness. Law enforce- “Florida gas prices re- to a sheriff ’s office news bank when the incident ment authorities notified main elevated due to release. occurred, Brittney Car- nearby businesses and tightening global supplies, On Monday, Aug. 2, at man, CCSO spokes- See SUSPECT/Page A5 as demand recovers from around 10 a.m. a white or woman told the the pandemic,” said Mark light skinned black male Chronicle, noting detec- Citrus County Sheriff’s Jenkins, spokesman for approximately 5 feet, 5 tives were still on scene Office detectives are AAA - The Auto Club inches to 5 feet, 10 inches in the early afternoon seeking the person in this Group. tall wearing a brown wig hours conducting inter- photo for questioning in a and gray sweater entered bank robbery Monday, Last month, prices av- views with them. the BBVA bank at 2875 E. “No one was injured, no Aug. 2, at BBVA bank at eraged $2.99 per gallon, Gulf-to-Lake Highway, In- shootings were involved,” 2875 E. Gulf-to-Lake Hwy., in July 2021 — 89 cents verness. The subject ver- said Carman, adding at Inverness. more than what drivers bally demanded money this time, “there’s no Special to the Chronicle paid in July 2020 and 35 cents more than July 2019. “For the next week or two, we may continue to see gas prices inch higher, but once schools Man on trial for neighbor’s death begin reopening and va- cation season ends, we’ll likely see demand trail off, Ball faces allowing for gas prices to decline gently heading into Labor Day,” said Gas second-degree Buddy spokesman Pat- rick De Haan. murder To see current Citrus County gas prices, visit www.gasbuddy.com charge Chronicle seeks BUSTER people who THOMPSON joined military Staff writer in wake of 9/11 Prosecutors began pre- senting their case against The 20th anniversary Michael Kenneth Ball for of the Sept. 11, 2001, ter- the fatal shooting of his rorist attacks is approach- Beverly Hills neighbor, ing. The Chronicle is Tyler Dorbert. seeking those individuals Attorneys on Monday, who were spurred to join Aug. 2, also picked eight the U.S. armed forces in jurors — four men and the wake of the attacks. four women — to preside To share your story, email over Ball’s trial, which is Jeff Bryan at jeff.bryan@ expected to finish by chronicleonline.com or Friday. If convicted of Dorbert’s Brian LaPeter at second-degree murder, blapeter@chronicle 64-year-old Ball could be online.com. sentenced to up to life in Where were prison. Ball also faces a charge you when it of concealing a firearm happened? without a permit for the Colt .45-caliber pistol he’s Where were you on the accused of shooting morning of Sept. 11, 32-year-old Dorbert with 2001, when terrorist at- during an argument the tacks in New York City, pair had the morning of Washington, D.C., and March 25, 2020, near the elsewhere brought our intersection of South nation to a standstill. The Monroe Street and Plaza Chronicle is asking read- Street. ers to share your stories, Assistant State Attor- in 200 words or less, ney Kevin Davis told the about where you were jury Dorbert and his fian- cée, Katelyn Howard, that fateful September were about to take their morning. Email your children to day care when thoughts to community@ Ball, who was getting his chronicleonline.com. mail, confronted Dorbert Commissioner over a dispute the men had back in April 2018. Schlabach to MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Assistant Public De- host town hall Michael Ball, 64, listens to proceedings Monday afternoon, Aug. 2, as his second-degree murder trial fender Ed Spaight didn’t begins in Circuit Court. He is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor, Tyler Dorbert, during an argument in Citrus County Board of March of 2020. See TRIAL/Page A2 County Commissioner second vice chair, Ruthie Davis Schlabach, will be holding a public town hall meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Central Ridge Community County sees spike ‘Shantytown’ owner Center, 77 Civic Circle in Beverly Hills. Schlabach will ask at- seeks OK from county tendees to present their in COVID-19 cases opinions on four options for MIKE WRIGHT seeking a zoning change from redevelopment of the Bev- Staff writer low density residential to allow erly Hills Pool property: Citrus Memorial Hospital changes an RV park with five spaces and I Addition of a A Crystal River property two park models on his 10 acres. fountain. owner is hoping to convince The Citrus County Planning I Addition of a visiting hours in response to surge county officials to approve a and Development Commission gazebo. zoning change to allow a small will hear the case at 9 a.m. I Addition of pickle ball FRED HIERS Citrus Memorial Hospital is RV park where officials say one Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Lecanto courts. Staff writer narrowing its patient visiting pol- is now operating illegally. Government Building. I Restoration of the icies amid a local surge of new Three illegal trailers at 10157 Neighbors in the Crystal pool with the condition Citrus County continues to see COVID cases that is being mir- N. Daylily Terrace in northwest Manor area east of U.S. 19 and a staggering spike in COVID-19 rored nationally. Citrus County were the subject south of the Cross Florida that the civic association cases as infected local residents “In order to protect our pa- of a code compliance case from Barge Canal are outraged that take ownership of the head to testing sites to learn their tients, visitors, physicians and February 2020 and, in January unpermitted RVs were allowed property after the updates condition and to hospitals for caregivers from the spread of the 2021, a hearing officer ordered to exist at all, with one neighbor have been completed. care. coronavirus, we are enacting the them removed, though they re- referring to it as a For more information, While both local hospitals re- following modified hospital visi- mained on the property until “shantytown.” call public information offi- ported they have the capacity to tor policy,” the Inverness hospital late last week, according to “Over the last few years, the cer Veronica Kamp- take in patients in case the surge said. county records. people who live there have schroer at 352-527-5484. continues, they are preparing for Meanwhile, property owner — From staff reports the worst if it happens. See SPIKE/Page A7 Ebrahim Mehranipornejad is See COUNTY/Page A5 Classifieds . .B9 Crossword . .B12 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .B3 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .B8 Editorial. A9 Lottery Payouts . .B3 TV Listings. .B7 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Movies . .B8 A2 TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE TRIAL Continued from Page A1 dispute his client shot Dorbert, but argued in opening statements Ball’s actions were warranted be- cause Dorbert threatened Ball by lunging at him. Spaight said Ball was afraid Dorbert would at- tack him like he did in 2018, when Dorbert pur- portedly struck Ball in his head for going onto his property to get a cat. “Under those circum- stances, Michael Ball be- lieved his use of force was necessary because he had suffered bodily harm from Tyler Dorbert,” Spaight said. “Michael Ball bore both physical and mental scars from that incident.” Davis said neighbors will testify Dorbert never posed a threat to Ball. After a two-day hearing in June, Citrus County Cir- cuit Court Judge Richard “Ric” Howard ruled Ball MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle was unjustified in fatally ABOVE: Michael Ball walks into circuit court Monday shooting Dorbert. Howard afternoon, Aug. 2, as his trial begins. The 64-year-old is is also presiding over accused of fatally shooting his neighbor, Tyler Dorbert, Ball’s trial. during an argument in March 2020. LEFT: Circuit Court Had Howard found Ball Judge Richard “Ric” Howard looks at Assistant Public was within his right to shoot Defender Ed Spaight Monday afternoon, Aug. 2, as the trial Dorbert under Florida’s laws on justifiable use of of Michael Ball begins. Ball is accused of shooting and force, the judge would have killing Tyler Dorbert during an argument in a Beverly Hills granted Ball immunity neighborhood in March 2020. from further prosecution. didn’t want to leave the carrying a concealed fire- Ball, who was dressed in area.” arm. Ball posted bail, but a suit, sat by his lawyers Hartmann said Ball then was arrested roughly a Monday while prosecutors walked back to his house month later for Dorbert’s Blake Shore and Davis with the gun in hand.