A 57-year-old Lake Butler man died Sunday night when his pickup truck drove off County Road 18 west of Worthington Springs and collided with a tree
According to a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) release
the man was driving westbound on CR 18 at County Road 241 at 8:02 p.m
when he exited the road onto the grassy shoulder
The pickup then crossed the eastbound travel lane and continued southwest
but pavement-pounding journalism is not free
Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible
Join your neighbors who make this work possible
was arrested yesterday on a warrant for allegedly killing a Gainesville woman in an October 2023 head-on crash on State Road 121
Nunu was reportedly driving a Toyota Corolla northbound on SR 121
and Sonya Rebecca Lindee of Gainesville was driving a Honda Civic southbound on SR 121
A Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined that in heavy fog
the Corolla crossed the centerline and southbound lane
with the driver’s side tires exiting the roadway on the west shoulder
Nunu reportedly overcorrected and entered the northbound lane before steering left again and entering the southbound lane
the Civic also left the roadway onto the west shoulder at the same time Nunu crossed into the southbound lane
and the left front of the Corolla collided with the left front of the Honda in the southbound lane
Lindee was pronounced deceased at the scene
Witnesses reported that Nunu was found in the driver’s seat of the Corolla immediately after the crash and said the fog was so dense that they didn’t even realize Lindee’s car was in the ditch a few feet away until Alachua County Fire Rescue arrived
Witnesses also reported smelling alcohol on Nunu’s breath after helping him out of his car and said his speech was slurred
A blood test reportedly showed that Nunu had a blood alcohol level of 0.106 g/dL
Nunu had a suspended license and was on pre-trial release with a prohibition against drinking alcohol
Nunu received a traffic citation in Georgia in 2021 and failed to appear at the mandatory hearing
Nunu was arrested on a drug charge and issued citations for driving without a valid license and having an open container in the vehicle
He was later released with the stipulation of no alcohol or drugs
Nunu has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving without a valid license after a previous conviction
He has juvenile convictions between 2017 and 2019 and one adult misdemeanor conviction (non-violent)
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies
The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Evidence shows both cars left roadway and overcorrected
The manslaughter Charge is not appropriate even with Blood Alcohol levels
if it was A Rock Solid Case it would be less then 2 weeks and not 2 years to bring Charges
He shouldn’t have been driving at all
Punish him good and make an example of him
This will get dealt down if he has a half decent attorney..manslaughter is out since both cars overcorrected at same place and alcohol was not a factor with the other driver
The difference is that she veered onto the shoulder on her side of the road
She would never have hit him if he had stayed on his side of the road
I’m just saying what will be argued in court by a decent attorney
For both to have it happen same place and time coincidence is highly unlikely
Weather was the common factor,will create doubt as where fault lies
Reasonable doubt will most likely play a role.
( most likely) he doesn’t convict on a manslaughter
were no eyewitnesses.The only thing for sure is poor weather
a drunk driver gets in a car and murders an innocent person
I cannot conceive of the selfishness it takes for these drunks to completely ignore the safety and rights of other people
I Had A Little Drink About An Hour Ago And It Went Straight To My Head
<#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('login_submit_comment') #>
<#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('commenting_as',ThriveComments.current_user.display_name || ( ThriveComments.social_user && ThriveComments.social_user.name ) ) #>
<#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('guest_comment') #>
JACKSONVILLE
will distribute food to Floridians in need on Saturday morning in Lake Butler
Recipients will receive fresh produce and non-perishable canned goods
Distributions are drive-thru only and attendees must arrive in a vehicle with a trunk or cargo bed
Click here to find you nearest food pantry
Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.
Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines
TV Listings
Email Newsletters
RSS Feeds
Contests and Rules
Contact Us
Careers at WJXT / WCWJ
Closed Captioning / Audio Description
WJXT Public File
WJXT EEO Report
WCWJ Public File
WCWJ EEO Report
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Info
FCC Applications
Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group
Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAKE BUTLER
(WCJB) -Residents in one Lake Butler neighborhood say they’re concerned about a crematorium being built on their quiet street
“Has nothing to do with building something there and everything to do with what they’re building,” shared resident Stephen Heslar
Residents like Heslar are concerned about a crematorium being built right next to their homes
These concerns come after Union County commissioners approved a zoning change for their neighborhood on Little Springs Road in Lake Butler on Monday night
The change is from single-family and mobile home residential to residential rural which was approved on a 4-1 vote
current owner of the Archer-Milton Funeral Home in Lake Butler to fill out a permit to build the crematorium on a piece of land which is surrounded by homes
3.17.25 Planning and Zoning Packet 1 by kayla.lewis on Scribd
“It’s definitely a health factor for the people around it
so if it seeps into the ground and they eat it and then we eat the animals
it’s just another way it gets into our systems,” Heslar said
people who live in this neighborhood say they don’t want their kids around it
and they don’t want their property values to decrease
“I’ve actually replaced a few machines because of degrading and not meeting EPA standards
so I mean it’s only a matter of time before some of those health concerns come up,” shared resident Michael Thornton
we reported on a Gainesville crematorium which was way above normal emission limits
RELATED: ‘I’m speechless’: Gainesville crematorium fails carbon monoxide emission tests
Milton says they’re doing what they feel is right for the county and families they serve and sent us this statement:
we’ve made decisions to do what we feel is right for the county
We never dreamed of ever owning a crematory
But now the county’s current cremation rate is over 50%
since over half the county chooses cremation
to provide the best possible service to families we serve
At the rezoning board meeting Monday night
we heard the concerns from the public and addressed them
We also showed a willingness to work with the neighbors and agreed to push the building even further back off the road
The county commission decided to vote in favor of the rezoning
We love this county deeply and are only doing what we feel is right to the county and most importantly
The next step is for Milton to fill out a permit which will have to be approved by commissioners
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter
3.17.25 Planning and Zoning Packet 1 by kayla.lewis on Scribd
A 42-year-old Jacksonville man died and his passenger was seriously injured when his motorcycle lost control on State Road 100 in Lake Butler on Wednesday
the man was driving his Yamaha westbound on SR 100 (E
Main Street) from State Road 121 (SE 6th Street) at 2:35 p.m
It traveled off the roadway and into the center median
The motorcycle spun clockwise and ejected both the driver and his passenger
The driver died and the woman is in serious condition
Travis Gibson
Aleesia Hatcher
UNION COUNTY, Fla. – Students in the Union County School District were sent home early Friday morning after a water main break cut off water service to the city’s schools, homes and businesses.
According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Lake Butler notified the Union County School District Friday morning that schools would not have water for an extended period of the day due to a water line repair. There are more than 2,300 students in the district.
The assistant city manager told News4JAX that a company that was digging to widen the lanes on County Road 231 hit the main water line and caused the outage. The issue has knocked out water to all businesses, homes, all three schools, the hospital, and all city buildings within the limits of Lake Butler.
There was no timeline for when the issue will be fixed. WW Gay has been called in for help and is sending multiple crews.
Students were held at the schools for pickup until noon, after which time students were taken to an off-campus location/reunification site by bus.
Students who aren’t picked up during the day who normally ride a bus will be taken home on their bus as normal. All others will remain at the off-site location for pick-up.
Those who walk home will be brought back to their school to return home in their normal fashion. All other students will need to be picked up from the off-site location no later than 3:30 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Teachers and Administrators will remain with students until all students have been picked up or taken home by bus. If you have any questions please contact your child’s school.
The break happened on SW Sixth Avenue. The city and WW Gay crews were at the site for hours, digging and draining the area to access the damaged pipe.
Jason Furman, the lead operator for Lake Butler’s water and wastewater services, explained the repair process.
“All we can do is put out a boil water notice for the meantime until we can get the water tower turned back on,” Furman said.
The water issue has also affected local events, such as a football fundraiser.
Johnte Nicholas with the Paced Labor 7v7 Youth Football Organization said they couldn’t have certain items like ice and bottled water.
“This ain’t the first time it happened, but it really got to do a lot to do with hygiene,” Nicholas said. “Like, you know, say we need water to wash water. Brush your teeth, wash your hands.”
Porscha Odom added the money they are raising is to help with transportation during the football season.
“We didn’t really raise what we needed and the line being down could have played a part in it,” Odom said.
Furman mentioned that the boil water advisory could remain in effect for about a week.
He expressed his apologies to the residents of Lake Butler, stating, “We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience. We’re working diligently to get this fixed as fast as possible. We will let them know that week when the boil water notice is lifted.”
Currently, WW Gay has ordered the necessary part for the repair, but it is unclear when the break will be fully fixed.
Jennifer, who anchors The Morning Shows and is part of the I-TEAM, loves working in her hometown of Jacksonville.
Digital Executive Producer who has lived in Jacksonville for over 30 years and helps lead the News4JAX.com digital team.
will distribute food to Floridians in need in Palatka and Lake Butler
Distributions are drive-thru only to minimize contact and to help ensure the safety of all parties
Attendees must arrive in a car with a trunk or cargo bed
To find a food pantry near you, please visit www.farmshare.org/food-pantries.
Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.
Marcela joined News4JAX in 2023. She grew up in Mexico and eventually moved to California to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Now, she is a proud San Diego State University alumna who has many years of experience in TV and digital journalism.
was arrested yesterday and charged with burglary
and dealing in stolen property after a Newberry woman reported several items missing and said Parrish had been working at her home
The property owner told an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that she hired Parrish to renovate her kitchen and told him he could not work unless she or one of her representatives was present
She said she did not give Parrish a key to the house
Parrish reportedly worked with the property owner’s permission
a relative of the property owner stopped by the house and reportedly found Parrish inside the house while the property owner was gone
The property owner showed the deputy some text messages in which Parrish reportedly said on May 14 that he was waiting outside to be let in
but when she had not arrived after some time
it was discovered that about $10,000 of Gucci and Louis Vuitton accessories were stolen and the screws to the rear door lock had been removed to gain access to the house
The victim of the theft told the deputy that she had checked on the items the previous day and had verified that they were in a bedroom at the house
who reportedly denied any involvement in the theft
and said Patricia Lynn Brandt of Lake Butler might have taken the items; he said Brandt
The owner of the accessories reportedly found Brandt on Facebook Marketplace
where the stolen items were listed for sale less than 30 minutes after the property owner received the text that said Parrish was leaving
The victim also learned that some of the items had been sold to Lake City Cellular
and the deputy reported that Lake City Cellular “operates as an unauthorized pawn broker.” The victim recovered one of her stolen Louis Vuitton purses from Lake City Cellular
The deputy interviewed Brandt on July 23 in the Sumter County Jail
where she was being held on unrelated narcotics charges
Brandt reportedly said she had gone with Parrish to help with the renovation and that she does not have a vehicle; she said she had posted the items on Facebook Marketplace while sitting in Parrish’s truck and that he had driven her to Lake City to sell the purses
She said Parrish told her the property owner owed him money for his labor and implied that the purses were payment
She claimed that she didn’t know the items were stolen and denied stealing them
A warrant for Parrish’s arrest was issued on July 31
and he was arrested in Lake Butler on August 28
A sworn complaint has been filed against Brandt in the case
He has one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent)
Judge Aymer “Buck” Curtin set bail at $75,000
If his contracting skills are anything like his dull criminal skills it would explain why he has to steal
You know the first three letters of CONtractor
but you sit on the internet commenting when you know nothing about this person
This is his first rodeo of a similar behavior
lol if you knew him you’d know he isn’t a thief
I have been hiring illegal immigrants that stand out in front of home Depot and I’ve been getting stuff done and at the end of the day I tell them I’m going to call immigration and they all run off and I don’t have to pay them so I get all the work for free
If the man wants expensive designer handbags
He might kill himself if we don’t affirm his gender choices
Does this qualify him to be a Gainesville ambassador
Only do business with an insured and licensed contractor
Must be a Karen who sympathizes with illegal contractors
Just because a contractor is licensed and insured doesn’t mean he or she is any good
Instead of them stealing or whatnot you could be tied up in court for years if they screw up the job
hire someone based on word of mouth recommendation from family or friends
he has children maybe yall should be worried about the rapists out here not someone who’s being framed
this happened in Union County and no politics especially Alachua
But I knew I was taken and he is a drug addict
I’m suffer mental so no I didn’t see the con coming
Now only angi list I save and pay professional
no Facebook helping no one any more it’s a scam
(WCJB) - Union County school board members approved different ways to cut costs and save the school district money
They unanimously agreed to cut cell-phone stipends and remove a Contraction Completion Supplement
which rewards select employees $100 a year for completing their contract
School board members also voted to close Tiger’s Den Daycare
they lose about $10,000 a month and hope to repurpose the building or lease it to someone else
“We’ve talked about closing it many times before and we’ve never really wanted to close that because it does provide a service for our teachers and for other members of the community as well,” said chairman Curtis Clyatt
Clyatt says the district is trying to remove one million dollars a year from their budget
He cites students not choosing to enroll in public schools
along with minimum wage and teacher salaries increasing
“But we really needed to cut some money to stay in good shape because a lot of these costs
is recurring costs year after year after year.”
School board members agree the cuts were not easy to make
“I did the best job I could to represent my constituency and at the same time have to remember that my job is to protect our student body and the integrity of our district
including the financial integrity,” said Becky Raulerson
The district is also instituting a hiring freeze
A 32-year-old Keystone Heights man died early Friday morning when his pickup left State Road 121 and collided with a culvert and tree south of Lake Butler
the man was driving his pickup south on SR 121 near SW 79th Way at 2 a.m
when it exited the roadway to the left and entered the east shoulder
where the pickup collided with a culvert and a tree
Emergency responders pronounced the man dead on scene
who starred as the towheaded mischief maker on TV's "Dennis the Menace" for four seasons starting in 1959
North died Sunday at his home in Lake Butler
He called us frequently and ended every conversation with 'I love you with all my heart,'" Jacobson wrote in a tribute on Facebook
North was 6 when he was cast as the smiling troublemaker in the CBS sitcom adaptation of Hank Ketcham's popular comic strip that took place in an idyllic American suburb
Often wearing a striped shirt and overalls
Dennis' mischievous antics frequently frustrated his retired next-door neighbor George Wilson
Dennis' patient parents were played by Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry
The show ran on Sunday nights until it was canceled in 1963
After that it was a fixture for decades in syndication
North appeared on TV in shows including "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "The Lucy Show," "My Three Sons," "Lassie" and "The Simpsons," and in movies like "Maya" (1966)
"The Teacher" (1974) and "Dickie Robert: Former Child Star" (2003)
- Geralyn Knoll-Lamb was born in Ft Huachuca
the oldest of six children has gone to her heavenly home at the age of 66 after a 15-month battle with cancer
unforgettable laugh will be missed by many
She was known by many of her friends as Speed
a nickname given to her by her former Kearney State College softball coaches
This came from her 48 year Hershey High School record of 11.1 sec in the 100 yard dash that still remains unbeaten to this day
Geralyn had a zeal for life and took on many adventures
She had a passion for all things outdoors such as camping hiking
spear fishing and searching below the surface of the gulf waters for ancient shark teeth
She received her undergraduate from Kearney State and then went on to Virginia Tech to get her Masters in Psychology
and worked for Sun Coast Hospice for 30 years as a Psych/Social Leader and Supervisor
2014 she was united in marriage to the long-time love of her life
They then moved to Madeira Beach for five years and recently bought a home in Lake Butler
Geralyn was preceded in death by her parents
Bill and Dee Lamb of Beaver City; brother-in-law
Fla.; daughter Chelby Lamb and friend Tristen Johnson of Great Bend
William Fricke; sister Kendra (Tim) Betts of California; brothers
Minn.; sisters-in-law Cheryl Bland of Albuquerque
NM and Terri Jean (Ron) Rosenkoetter of Boise
15 nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends
There will not be a funeral service per Geralyn�s request
a full body donation and cremation was elected for study and medical research
West Fraser Timber Co
will indefinitely curtail its sawmill in Lake Butler
The decision follows challenges posed by high fiber costs and weak lumber markets
The curtailment will affect approximately 130 employees and reduce West Fraser's U.S
lumber production by an estimated 110 million board feet
The company plans to offer impacted workers opportunities at other locations
High fiber costs and a low-price commodity environment have made profitable operation difficult
West Fraser sees this move as a step toward aligning its U.S
lumber capacity with current market demand
The company also expects to record an impairment charge for the third quarter of 2024 related to the curtailment
Republication of Lesprom Network content is prohibited without the prior written consent of Lesprom Network
General Terms and Conditions and Privacy policy
will distribute food to Floridians in need on Saturday morning in Macclenny and Lake Butler
What: Cornerstone Church free food distribution
BUTLER – Jason Luciani clutched a small plaque and hoisted it in the air as his entire team looked on
The veteran coach proudly announced that Butler just added its ninth sectional title in program history and reminded everyone that the job is not yet done
Nine state sectional championships in our history,” quipped an emotional Luciani
“But there’s something missing here – a Group 1 state title.”
Butler snapped a long-standing skid on Friday and recaptured its glory days in the process
More: Small-town football powerhouses excited to rekindle old rivalry
The Bulldogs claimed their first sectional title in six years
with a 42-7 win over two-time defending champion Mountain Lakes in the North 1
Senior PJ Coffey scored three times for the Bulldogs and quarterback David Smith accounted for two touchdowns as the Morris County school ended a nine-game losing streak against Mountain Lakes dating back to 2009
Butler (11-0) advances to a Group 1 state semifinal next Friday when it will face undefeated Cedar Grove in Essex County
I’ve been at Butler since 1998 and we haven’t beaten Mountain Lakes in that time
It’s nice to get over that hump and have the better players this time around
It was nice to go out and get this victory against a program like Mountain Lakes.”
Coffey opened the scoring just five minutes into the game when he barreled in from the 2-yard line to cap a 10 play
The senior then put the Bulldogs ahead by two scores when he took a handoff 31 yards down the left sideline with 2:30 left in the opening quarter
We didn’t even let him throw it today,” Luciani said
I’m super happy for him and super proud of him.”
Coffey put the game out of reach early in the second quarter when he snagged a 12-yard pass from quarterback David Smith to put the home team ahead
Butler scored on its first four of five possessions in the first half
we lost to Mountain Lakes in the first round of the state tournament by almost the same score,” Coffey said
“It was nice to get them back and get the job done today
“I believe we’re probably one of the best teams
It’s fitting we’re able to continue the tradition and keep the Butler legacy going.”
Butler is a sectional champion for the first time since 2018
The Bulldogs advance to their first Group 1 state semifinal
Friday’s game was the third time Butler and Mountain Lakes faced each other in a sectional final and fourth time in the postseason
Butler last beat Mountain Lakes in the 1997 sectional final
The Bulldogs are 11-0 at this point of a season for the first time since 1994
∎ Smith had 10 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown and was 5-of-6 passing for 46 yards and a touchdown
∎ Coffey had eight carries for 78 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 35 yards and a touchdown
∎ AJ Kilmat had two carries for 74 yards and a touchdown
We’ve been talking about this year since the youth level
We knew this was our best opportunity to bring that ring home
We don’t take any team lightly.” – David Smith
BACK TO TOPTV Listings