Florida
Shoreview woman accused of drunk driving in Florida and seriously injuring deputy
A Minnesota woman was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in the Florida Keys after hitting a deputy’s cruiser while he was at a traffic stop Tuesday night, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says.
The crash happened around 11 p.m. near Mile Marker 87 on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys. The 26-year-old deputy was walking between his car and another vehicle he had stopped when 26-year-old Alexandra Marlene Baraga of Shoreview hit the deputy’s cruiser, pinning him between the vehicles, a news release says.
The deputy was airlifted to a hospital in Miami with serious injuries after responding deputies helped free him.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says that Baraga had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.310 — nearly four times the legal limit. She was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol and taken to the Monroe County jail.
“This a difficult day for everyone at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. One of our brave Deputies has been seriously injured in the line of duty because of the thoughtless actions of a drunk driver,” Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement. “For the cost of a taxi or rideshare, she jeopardized the lives of everyone on the road.”
Baraga has not been formally charged yet, but her arraignment is set for April 23 at 9 a.m. Her bond is set at $95,000.
ABC affiliate WPLG-TV obtained exclusive dash camera video of the incident from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office that you can view here.
Florida
Florida TODAY: Homes get expensive, license to blush, fuzzy invader
Sign up to get the Florida TODAY statewide newsletter in your inbox weekdays. It’s free.
Here’s a quick glimpse of Florida TODAY, our statewide newsletter:
How long does it take to save for a first home, Florida?
In Jacksonville, the answer could be less than a year.
In Miami, it could be more than 40.
A new report suggests homeownership is slipping further out of reach for many Florida workers — especially those in retail and restaurant jobs.
There’s a lot more going on across the Sunshine State:
License to blush: A South Florida retiree was taken aback by her new license plate. Her family thinks she should keep it. Would you?
Tiny terror: Florida is racing to stop a fuzzy new invasive pest that can wipe out a field in weeks. It has a taste for everything from grass to corn to sugarcane.
Small miracle: Black skimmer chicks are back on the Sanibel Causeway for the first time in 30 years. Photojournalist Andrew West got a close look at the comeback.
That’s not all. Want the full statewide newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to Florida TODAY
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Florida
‘Experimental explosion’ reported off Central Florida coast, experts say
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – If you felt shaking along Florida’s east coast on Thursday, you’re not alone. But it wasn’t an earthquake.
A strong “experimental explosion” was reported in the waters off Central Florida on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The USGS website indicates that the explosion happened around 3:04 p.m., roughly 91 miles east-northeast of Ponce Inlet.
Per the agency, the event registered a preliminary magnitude of 3.9. However, few other details about what may have caused the explosion have been provided at this time.
“The recorded ground motions from this event are more typical of an explosion than a naturally occurring earthquake,” the USGS website reads. “The Navy has conducted Full Ship Shock Trials in this region in the past.”
[A LOOK BACK: U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford performs shock trials on an aircraft carrier in 2021]
News 6 has reached out to Navy officials for more information and is awaiting additional details.
Anyone who felt the impact of the explosion is urged to report their experience here.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
Florida
Florida preacher buys VT campus to build Christian college | Fox News Video
Florida preacher Tommie Zito discusses his acquisition of the former Green Mountain College in Vermont to establish “Z University,” a Christian college.
Florida preacher Tommie Zito discusses his mission to transform the abandoned Green Mountain College in Vermont into “Z University,” a Christian college. Zito’s goal is to train future leaders in evangelism, business, government, and music. He plans for the college to be fully operational by August 2027, emphasizing the need for godly institutions to counter current educational trends.
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