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Click here to read Sanford Herald Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More the city of Winter Springs will vote on a potential stormwater fee increase a Winter Springs resident is billed between $4.50 and $5.50 on their utility fee The city is looking to about double the rate to $10 is a regular at city commission meetings She says there have been few increases on her utility bills over the years when it comes to stormwater “Stormwater has not changed since 2005,” Weisman said they (city commissioners) are talking about moving it to $10.” Weisman says parts of her Winding Hollow subdivision were under water and believes proper maintenance of Gee Creek could have prevented these issues Some leaders believe it’s time the city commits to annual maintenance that would cost at least $1 million per year the city used grant money to clean up creeks “We should have done this ten years ago ...five years ago,” Winter Springs Deputy Mayor Cade Resnick said because we can’t defer maintenance any longer Commissioner Paul Diaz doesn’t agree with the plan to raise fees and instead feels the city can allocate money from its general fund It can only be used for stormwater,” he said saying his plan would create a deficit in the general fund she hopes her neighbors will see the value of a stormwater increase rather than a potential bill to fix a flooded home that didn’t need to be “The problem is that some people have been paying thousands and thousands every hurricane,” she said ORLANDO – Students at the Winter Springs High School prom being held at SeaWorld Orlando were taken to the hospital on Saturday evening after getting drunk according to Seminole County Public Schools A spokesperson for the school district said that “some students snuck in small containers of alcohol concealed in clothing and proceeded to get drunk.” the students in question then became sick and were taken to the hospital Four students were taken to the hospital and were doing well as of Sunday morning while four other students were sent home [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]  “Those involved in these actions have been identified and proper disciplinary actions will be taken SCPS will not tolerate this type of behavior at any of our school events,” the district’s response said in part Winter Springs High School Principal Peter Gaffney emailed students and parents highlighting safety Gaffney then sent another email to parents after the incident “I am writing to share a disappointing update with you.  As you may be aware Winter Springs High is having our prom at SeaWorld.  Unfortunately we had several students who were involved in sneaking in small containers of alcohol and others who showed up to this event inebriated.  This is not only illegal but incredibly dangerous.  A few students have been transported to the hospital due to alcohol consumption.  Those responsible for this behavior have been identified and proper disciplinary action will be taken The prom will continue as scheduled; however we will have increased police presence to discourage any further behaviors that are illegal or against our student code of conduct This is not how we envisioned this evening but the safety of all students is our highest priority and this kind of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated.  I would like to ask for your assistance in speaking with your student about the dangers of this kind of behavior and the possible outcomes beyond disciplinary actions taken at the school level.  Thank you for your support and understanding News 6 reached out to Orange County Fire Rescue for more information Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021 TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group the Winter Springs Bears announced the following slate of games for 2025 Winter Springs will play a preseason Kickoff Classic game and 10 regular season contests including games against Dakota Ridge (Littleton Dakota Ridge went 11-2 and advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals in Colorado; Edgewater went 10-2 and advanced to the Class 5A regional semifinals; and Melbourne went 5-6 and advanced to the Class 6A regional quarterfinals Among other teams on the schedule are Celebration Below is the Bears’ 2025 regular season schedule with official game times: 15: at Port Orange Atlantic (preseason Kickoff Classic) Follow High School on SI throughout the 2025 high school football season for Live Updates the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Downloac Android App © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER WINTER SPRINGS – With just two months left before the start of hurricane season projects are underway to alleviate flooding concerns in one of the major areas where residents in Winter Springs had issues in the past and part of that includes cleaning out and repairing the culvert above Gee Creek Photos shared with News 6 show how blocked the culverts had become There is evidence that some sections had accumulated up to 6 feet of sediment Commissioner Victoria Bruce shared images on Facebook along with information from the city manager that said the buildup had “significantly impaired water flow and posed flooding risks” and that the “sediment removal will undoubtedly improve water flow and reduce upstream flood staging at this crossing.” who lives near the creek in Winter Springs told News 6 about the devastation his neighborhood experienced during Hurricane Ian He recalled more than 3 feet of water at his home where he climbed out of the window and was rescued by boat Rebello said more work should be done beyond the culvert at SR 419 “The canal is designed to handle a certain amount it’s going to breach the top of the bank,” said Rebello but it’s only 10% of what they should be.” public information officer for the city of Winter Springs shared with News 6 that there are multiple other mitigation projects now in the works as they prepare for this year’s storm season “We’re trying to get ahead of a lot of the issues we’ve faced in the past so that we don’t have water backing up into people’s homes we don’t have water topping the road roadways,” said Reeser work will begin on a bank stabilization project along Gee Creek near Moss Park Reeser showed our crew the design that should prevent erosion as the weir on Lake Catherine is opened up and water rushes towards Gee Creek The idea is to slow that water down and reinforce the banks with sheet piling It should also stop sediment from washing away and clogging infrastructure nearby you’re just trying to keep things flowing,” explained Reeser “The better you can do that and make that happen the less sediment you’re going to have building up here and on the backside.” Reeser said the city also has plans to do their own debris and sediment clean up in Gee Creek The project is mostly funded through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grants post-Milton Reeser says the city should only have to pay about $190,000 Winter Springs has also approved several infrastructure projects that will repair stormwater pipes Reeser said it’s common for them to get cracks or have other damage due to the high volume of water that washes through during the rainy season Reeser said the city understands that these projects are a priority for residents and he hopes they see that leaders are taking proactive steps we had a rain event here the last couple of days and people get nervous,” said Reeser “I try to tell people all the time we’re hearing them and that we are working on all these projects I think now we’re in a position where we’ve gotten one year under our belt and now we’re really really being proactive and I think that’s going to pay off in the long run.” — Winter Springs leaders are working to replace wastewater facilities Residents received an update on how the projects are coming along Thursday Efforts first began on the east and west side of town in 2021 Mayor Kevin McCann acknowledges the city is behind where it should be when it comes to their wastewater plants Engineers of the current project say the city’s facilities have a life span of about 50 years The city bought their current plants used in the 70s so they are at least 10 years past their shelf life The city of Winter Springs is still at least a year away from breaking ground on its wastewater facility on the east side of town has been following the progress of this project for years She was at the Thursday meeting to take it all in “We’ve had issues with our water with the two treatment plants and really need to be fixed,” Evans said The total cost to replace both facilities is estimated currently to be about $100 million Which is why the project engineer would like to start ordering parts and materials soon “Pre-order those key components that have a long lead time and impact the construction time and that impacts our real path of the plan,” Scott Richards from Corollo Engineering said getting those pre-ordered is the goal of the city so we can keep things moving forward.” Winter Springs was able to secure loans to come up with the design for the plants but their next step will be to secure a construction loan Their application for the loan is now in progress The city’s Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit has also been filed “Reality is these plants should have been replaced over a decade ago,” McCann said “We all understand that it’s time we move forward expeditiously and quickly get it done.” Time is now of the essence to start procuring what’s needed to get things underway The east plant is anticipating to be done in 2028; the west would then break ground immediately after and is expecting to be done by 2030 The city has already invested more than three years and $10 million in the project so far District Five Commissioner Mark Caruso was asking questions about an alternative to building new plants He would like the city to consider building a pipeline and connecting to the Iron Bridge Waste Water Treatment facility in Orlando — which would require around 15 miles of pipeline “Other cities are doing it and the cost is less than building plants,” Caruso said following Thursday’s meeting there is pushback from my colleagues who are all for building plants without even doing a cost analysis.” if the city chose to pursue a connection to Iron Bridge it would not only start the entire project over but the cost would be twice as much as building two new treatment plants in the city ORLANDO, Fla. – The man whose wife was killed last year after a brazen carjacking, caught on camera near Winter Springs pleaded guilty Friday as part of the larger investigation into a massive drug ring and money laundering scheme pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering before a federal magistrate at the courthouse in Orlando Once a district judge formally accepts his plea Aguasvivas will be sentenced some 90 to 120 days after He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 Court records obtained by News 6 this week show investigators believe Aguasvivas was a money courier for a wide-ranging drug scheme “(Miguel) Aguasvivas was a money courier who would pick up drug proceeds in Central Florida and then drop off money to an individual he believed to be a money launderer (but who was actually a DEA undercover agent) for purposes of converting it to cryptocurrency,” the report reads The cryptocurrency was then sent to a drug cartel in Colombia Investigators believe Aguasvivas had been involved in the money laundering operations between 2021 and 2024 [TIMELINE: The brazen Winter Springs carjacking case] Investigators believe Aguasvivas sent his wife to Seminole County in April 2024 to pick up $170,000 in drug money from another suspect Hernandez conspired with two others — Jordanish Torres Garcia and Kevin Ocasio Justiniano — to rob and kill her Video shows Aguasvivas being carjacked and kidnapped at an intersection in Winter Springs Aguasvivas’ body was discovered in her burnt-out Durango at a construction site in Boggy Creek Several people have been indicted in connection with her death and the wider drug operation Investigators say Miguel Aguasvivas had been separated from her wife but used her as a courier to help her pay bills They believe Katherine Aguasvivas made over 10 trips to the Orlando area to pick up drug money Aguasvivas was arrested in November. Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 – Just a few months after the election of three new commissioners who said they would work to fix Winter Springs’ wastewater issues the city held a workshop on the possible ways to tackle the problem but they’ve reached their end of useful life They need to be replaced,” Public Information Officer for Winter Springs Matt Reeser said The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has set a three-year deadline for Winter Springs to rebuild its two wastewater plants. This decision follows audits by Seminole County and the state of Florida which raised concerns about questionable spending The state auditor general identified several issues including ongoing problems with the wastewater plant that led to sewage spills and significant fines [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] A wastewater spill onto a former golf course in 2021 caused a massive fish kill. Last fall, voters made their voices heard by voting in three new commissioners, who told News 6 this was a very important issue for them the city hosted a wastewater workshop for consultants and staff to provide a clearer understanding of the city’s long-term plans We truly don’t know how old they are,” Winter Springs Utilities Director Clete Saunier explained as he started his presentation Saunier outlined the possible plans: rebuilding the plants or transporting sewage to the Iron Bridge Regional Facility He explained both options to the commissioners “What can you tell us about the financial responsibility for each of them?” one commissioner asked I don’t like putting numbers out there because it hasn’t been looked at a detailed level,” Saunier explained While the commission didn’t need to have a public comment section because it was a workshop they did allow residents to share their thoughts after Saunier’s presentation Jessie Phillips asked what is being done right now to help treat the issues with the facilities “There is a public health concern to improperly treated wastewater,” he said “We’re under a current health crisis to our residents and the environment with all of these DEP failures.” City staff said they have begun applying for State Revolving Funds to help cover the costs Saunier said it depends on which plan the commission ultimately picks and how quickly they are approved for funding Stephanie joined News 6 as a reporter in October 2024 WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – As egg prices continue to rise more cities are revisiting the idea of allowing backyard chickens for residents An exchange over backyard chicken regulations at Monday’s Winter Springs City Commission meeting saw Commissioner Paul Diaz deliver a sharp rebuke to proposed oversight measures we can’t develop an apartment complex or we can’t develop a shopping plaza let’s go nuts if we hear a rooster!” Diaz declared criticizing what he called inconsistent priorities in city governance “How about instead of trying to overregulate our citizens The comments came during deliberations on amending the city’s 1968 livestock ban Commissioner Sarah Baker proposed limiting chickens to single-family homes—excluding apartments and multi-family units—while mandating educational courses and banning roosters “If people have chickens they will be expected to take classes either through UF or other online institutions ”It would be regulated to no roosters and only hens to avoid the noise and a limited number of those hens to avoid bad smells.” The small debate reflects broader tensions in Winter Springs where rapid development clashes with preservation efforts Baker’s proposal mirrors Seminole County’s existing backyard chicken program while Diaz’s push for “self-policing” echoes his recent criticism of delayed stormwater system upgrades the board will work to observe what other municipalities are implementing They will vote next month on whether to revise the ordinance Jayna Manohalal joined WKMG in December 2024 News 6 uncovered more details about the investigation including the woman’s apparent role in a wide-ranging drug scheme when the woman — identified as Katherine Aguasvivas 41 — was caught on camera being carjacked and kidnapped at an intersection in Winter Springs [WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE CARJACKING BY CLICKING IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW] Since then, several people have been indicted in connection to her death and investigators revealed earlier this year that Aguasvivas had been specifically targeted Aguasvivas had driven up from her home in Homestead to Seminole County to collect $170,000 in drug money from a man named Giovany Crespo Hernandez [WHO’S WHO? Everyone in the brazen Winter Springs carjacking, murder case, from victim to suspects] Court records show that Aguasvivas was supposed to deliver the cash to her husband investigators accused Miguel Aguasvivas of being involved in money laundering operations between 2021 and April 2024 DEA agents said they were expecting Miguel Aguasvivas or a co-conspirator to drop off drug money collected in Orlando on the day of his wife’s trip to Seminole County but it was ultimately canceled due to her death The DEA had been looking into Miguel Aguasvivas amid a larger investigation into a money laundering ring that would send cryptocurrency to a drug cartel in Colombia Katherine Aguasvivas and her husband had been separated but Miguel Aguasvivas reportedly used the April 2024 trip to help her with costs [TIMELINE: Here’s what to know about the brazen Winter Springs carjacking case so far] “(Miguel) and (Katherine) were separated at the time of her death and (Miguel) was helping (Katherine) pay rent by giving her the chance to act as a courier and make $1,000 per trip,” the report continues Detectives added that Katherine Aguasvivas had previously made over 10 trips to the Orlando area to pick up drug money Miguel Aguasvivas was ultimately indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering Under the terms of a plea deal filed on Monday investigators said that Miguel Aguasvivas faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence He is set to appear in federal court on Friday morning in Orlando to determine whether a judge will accept the deal You can read more about the details of the case in the plea agreement attached below Plea Information by Anthony Talcott on Scribd Plea Information by Anthony Talcott on Scribd – Two people were found shot to death Monday evening at an apartment complex in Winter Springs according to the Winter Springs Police Department where they found a man and woman who had been shot [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] officials said 43-year-old Frederico Rosario 44-year-old Crystal Louise Rosario were the names of the two who were hot and killed “They were married for about a year and just divorced in December of 2024,” police said in an update Investigators said this is an isolated incident and appears “domestic in nature.” Police said they are not looking for a shooter No further information was released about the incident – If your kids play sports in Central Florida there’s a good chance they’ve played at one of the largest and most-used parks in Seminole County: Central Winds Park there’s a good chance it’s because only half of the park’s fields are lighted at night father of three young athletes and president of Save Rural Seminole said the lack of lighted fields has directly affected his family “So this past year we signed our kids up for Winter Springs baseball and soccer and come about December all of a sudden we’re kicked out of Central Winds Park,” Bear said “Because the fields we were playing on aren’t lit And so it became very apparent there’s a problem which is the City of Winter Springs doesn’t have enough practice fields for all its sports teams.” Bear is one of the parents behind the petition “The fields here are generally divided into upper fields and lower fields,” Bear said “The upper fields are lit and great for games that are going on right now behind us But the lower fields where a lot of the practices are So about half the fields are candidly unavailable during the weekdays at least for almost half the year.” Winter Springs spokesperson Matt Reeser confirmed the lighting situation lighting is concentrated in the Upper Fields with some additional lighting provided in parking lots and at the Pickleball Complex,” Reeser said “While these concerns from Facebook weren’t mentioned in recent discussions the city has been taking a comprehensive approach with public feedback playing a significant consideration in future planning.” there has been no discussion on adding lights to the lower fields “the commission decided to table a proposed $1.2 million lighting project that would replace the old lights currently at the upper ball fields with LED lighting feeling that the priority should be addressing the city’s critical infrastructure needs first,” Reeser said Winter Springs Mayor Kevin McCann said the city does plan to replace the upper field lights and install new lighting on the lower fields at some point in the future “Actually we have budgeted to replace [upper field lights] we’re going to switch from conventional [lighting] to LED [lighting] “I think with the election that just took place take a breath and study the issues before we spend $1.3 million just in upgrading some lights.” McCann said currently the money is not there to add new lights to the lower fields “The money is not there to build new lighting none of those things are there,” McCann said We have to deal with the flooding issues first before we double or triple the usage of them because they are unusable.” But Bear said funding for field lighting and critical infrastructure comes from two different city budgets “I think that’s actually a false dichotomy because just like in federal and state and local government you have different budget line items with different things,” Bear said “And so in this case you have Enterprise funds which are used for infrastructure such as a water treatment facility and roads then you have parks budget line items such as impact fee revenues and things like that You have grants that are available which are park grants So these are two different pockets of funds that are used for different things I think it’s short-sighted for any government just like for any business to only look at the cost.” Bear said he and other parents plan to speak to commissioners at Monday night’s commission meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Winter Springs City Hall. The agenda can be found HERE. “Part of the reason to add lights to the lower field is to increase the revenue to the city and increase the revenue to the city by driving additional traffic here to Central Winds Park in the evening,” Bear said “The city of course should be aware of its budget but also how do we make this city vibrant and healthy And so our ask of the city is to add lights the lower field because it’s good for the budget of the city looking forward it increases the quality of life for all the families who live here.” McCann said the petitioners' “voices are being heard” and “their advocacy will help move up the timelines.” “But it is important to note that the city only recoups about 7% of the usage,” McCann said and a very large percentage of them are coming from outside of Winter Springs want us to put in that massive infrastructure We can’t ask Winter Springs residents to pay for something solely on their own where a very large percentage of the people using it are from outside the city.” Reeser said at Monday night’s commission meeting GAI Consultants will present a finalized report of recommendations for various Central Winds Park area improvements and potential upgrades to the fields and passive park areas.” Video of the most recent GAI presentation can be found below Erik von Ancken anchors and reports for News 6 and is a two-time Emmy award-winning journalist in the prestigious and coveted "On-Camera Talent" categories for both anchoring and reporting — A 28-year-old agreement between Seminole County and Winter Springs will be updated on Tuesday during the county’s board of commissioners meeting The update will change the verbiage of impact fees in the city of Winter Springs as they change to mobility fees The ever-changing landscape that is transportation can make it hard to stay up to date with the times Winter Springs is hoping to become current when it comes to impact fees “An impact fee is a onetime fee imposed by a local government on new development to pay for the costs of providing public services and infrastructure to the new development,” Seminole County stated on its website A mobility fee is just another name for a road impact fee now multi-model impact fees as they’re called and they all help offset the cost of new residents and the impact on fire departments police departments and those things,” Winter Springs Mayor Kevin McCann explained McCann said these fees are important for growing cities the current verbiage is based on an agreement with Seminole County from 1996.  The agreement restricted the use of money to just automobiles these fees will be called mobility fees as opposed to impact fees “Though it’s just maybe technical and verbiage “It’s a 28-year-old agreement between Winter Springs and Seminole County and it was time to be updated and reflect the multiple uses of transportation.” Seminole County officials told Spectrum News 13 that the county first made this change in 2021 and their interlocal agreements were supposed to be updated in their cities These update memos never made it to cities like Winter Springs It’s something McCann believes is important “I think it’s important just that we stay current and we don’t want to be left behind,” McCann explained “And I think it’s important to reflect the safety of our residents and make sure that we’re doing right by them and protecting them McCann feels they can do wonders in their community “The impact will be seen by our residents with improved safety features that will improve sidewalks improve cross-Seminole Trails and public transportation,” McCann expressed The Seminole County Board of Commissioners meeting is on Tuesday Catherine Silver Christie Zizo investigators have discovered that several other criminal cases are somehow tied to this carjacking raising even more questions about why it happened Due to the growing number of people who have become embroiled in the investigation News 6 has created the following list to keep them in order Below is a rundown of these figures and their relation to the carjacking based on information from law enforcement Katherine Aguasvivas is the victim in this case On April 11 she left her home in Homestead and drove to Seminole County A green Acura began ramming her vehicle about a half-mile before she reached the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road near Winter Springs a masked gunman approached her white Dodge Durango while pointing a gun at her He then got into the back seat before both vehicles pulled away Court records show that Aguasvivas was ordered at gunpoint to turn around again and head to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee where she was ultimately set on fire in the Durango and fatally shot The Durango was found badly damaged by the fire later that evening in Osceola County Lemma told News 6 that Aguasvivas spent less than an hour in Seminole County and his deputies had no knowledge of her living or being in the county before this incident Her husband told deputies she was there to visit family deputies were unable to find any relatives in the area at this point investigators later discovered that Aguasvivas had been in Casselberry to meet another man — Giovany Crespo Hernandez 27 — to retrieve $170,000 in proceeds from illicit drug trafficking After driving from his home with the money Crespo Hernandez and three other men conspired to rob her of the money Miguel Aguasvivas Lizardo is Katherine Aguasvivas’ husband The pair owned two businesses in South Florida: a barber shop and a beauty salon After Katherine Aguasvivas was rammed by the green Acura After investigators found the body believed to be Katherine Aguasvivas they called her brother and Miguel Aguasvivas to be interviewed The two agreed to travel from Homestead to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office the next day Miguel Aguasvivas provided his cell phone and allowed detectives to search the device investigators discovered that Miguel Aguasvivas had been in contact with an Orange County deputy regarding the investigation Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced that Miguel Aguasvivas was no longer cooperating with the investigation On Nov. 22, Aguasvivas was arrested on charges of conspiracy to engage in money laundering Prosecutors said he acted as a courier for drug money for years including the trip his wife took in April that ended in her death Francisco Estrella Chicon is an Orange County deputy who became involved in this case thanks to Miguel Aguasvivas After the discovery of Katherine Aguasvivas’ body Estrella Chicon called one of the detectives in the case while using the pseudonym “Francisco Archuela,” according to investigators He claimed to be Katherine Aguasvivas’ cousin and repeatedly tried to get more details about the case from the detective He was told it was an active investigation and that such information couldn’t be released investigators discovered that Estrella Chicon and Miguel Aguasvivas had been sharing information about that detective and Estrella Chicon had shared a video recording of their conversation with Miguel Aguasvivas they said they found evidence that Estrella Chicon had used a law enforcement database to pull up personal information about the detective Estrella Chicon was granted a $15,000 bond and released from jail Lemma later discussed Estrella Chicon’s arrest revealing that Katherine Aguasvivas’ brother and Miguel Aguasvivas had called a mutual childhood friend — who just so happened to be Estrella Chicon’s wife Estrella took a plea deal to avoid jail time and is serving 12 months of supervised probation related to a misdemeanor charge While not directly related to the carjacking Monicsabel Romero-Soto was arrested in a separate case involving a possible drug ring Investigators said they intercepted a package of cocaine via USPS that had been addressed to a St Homeland Security personnel arrested Romero-Soto after she picked up the parcel at the home where it was delivered It was later found that Romero-Soto lived in Casselberry and her boyfriend — Giovany Crespo Hernandez — was involved in a Central Florida drug ring Seminole County deputies executed a search warrant at Romero Soto’s home where they said they found several thousands of dollars Alongside those items were several narcotics a grand jury indicted Soto on drug trafficking conspiracy possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking charges Romero-Soto’s boyfriend, Giovany Crespo Hernandez, was arrested on fentanyl possession charges days after Lemma announced in a news conference that authorities were searching for him Crespo Hernandez is believed to be the last person whom Katherine Aguasvivas spoke to Lemma said those details were courtesy of the victim’s brother who had apparently been investigating on his own Lemma said the brother didn’t recognize Crespo Hernandez Detectives discovered Katherine Aguasvivas drove to Casselberry to meet with Crespo Hernandez which prompted the search of his and Romero-Soto’s home investigators said that Crespo Hernandez was responsible for arranging the robbery and carjacking to retrieve the $170,000 from Katherine Aguasvivas Crespo Hernandez is charged with carjacking kidnapping and the use of a firearm — all of which resulted in Katherine Aguasvivas’ death Crespo Hernandez was indicted by a grand jury on several charges Jordanish Torres-Garcia is the man whom investigators said held Katherine Aguasvivas at gunpoint during the carjacking Investigators said he conspired with Crespo Hernandez to rob Katherine Aguasvivas of the $170,000 she received and he was spotted at a gas station with another suspect buying lighter fluid shortly before the carjacking took place Marshals at a business in Orange County over a week after Katherine Aguasvivas’ body was found Lemma said his detectives had evidence Torres-Garcia bought the green Acura used in the carjacking on April 11 They believe the same car was also seen at another homicide the day before, which involved a tow truck driver being gunned down in Orange County Torres-Garcia’s Facebook profile picture shows him wearing the same sweatshirt as the masked gunman during the carjacking he was held in custody because he was wanted on gun charges out of Puerto Rico Court documents obtained by News 6 show Torres-Garcia was charged in federal court in 2015 after police searched an apartment where he was living and seized multiple guns and ammunition he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years of supervised release Records show Torres-Garcia was released from Coleman Federal Prison in Sumter County in October 2023 He was instructed to report to the Casa Alborada Residential Reentry Center in Puerto Rico A federal judge issued a warrant for his arrest in March but he was not caught until law enforcement took him into custody on April 19 When Torres-Garcia was arrested by Homeland Security in 2015 a records check revealed he had been convicted of a crime before Court records show Torres-Garcia also has a criminal history in Orange County In September a grand jury indicted him on several charges carjacking resulting in death and drug trafficking conspiracy Kevin Ocasio Justiniano — also known as “Kevo” — is another suspect in the armed carjacking case Investigators said Ocasio Justiniano was the driver in the green Acura and he drove to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee alongside Katherine Aguasvivas in her Durango as she was held at gunpoint by Torres-Garcia Ocasio Justiniano then met with a fourth suspect to receive a firearm which was used to shoot Katherine Aguasvivas after she was doused in lighter fluid According to Lemma a red Toyota Corolla was seen at the apartment complex where the green Acura was dropped off and it picked up the occupants of the Acura after they finished cleaning off the Acura Lemma added that Ocasio Justiniano is believed to be the driver of the Corolla at that time Ocasio Justiniano is charged with carjacking Ocasio Justiniano agreed to a plea deal where he would plead guilty to several charges including aiding and abetting a carjacking resulting in death and aiding and abetting a kidnapping resulting in death Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla is the fourth man arrested in this case and his arrest was revealed in court documents released on June 6 Investigators said Rodriguez Bonilla — along with Ocasio Justiniano — was recruited by Torres-Garcia to help with the robbery and carjacking After Katherine Aguasvivas was forced to drive to a deserted construction site in Kissimmee at gunpoint Ocasio Justiniano met with Rodriguez Bonilla to receive a firearm That firearm was ultimately used to kill Katherine Aguasvivas before her body was burned in the Durango Rodriguez Bonilla later “falsely denied” providing the weapon he claimed that he went to Kissimmee that day to loan $80 to Torres-Garcia Rodriguez Bonilla is charged with carjacking a grand jury indicted Rodriguez Bonilla on several charges including carjacking resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death Sonic Torres (also known as Bebo) is currently being held at the Osceola County Jail and has an initial appearance set for Jan including interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during or in relation to a violent crime Details on his connection to the investigation have not been released Anneliz Colon de Jesus (also known as La Madre or Rubia) is being held in the Orange County Jail and has an initial appearance set for Jan and brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence Details on her connection to the investigation have not been released Cesar Augusto Silva Fernandez was arrested on Jan He faces charges that include interference with commerce by robbery Anyone with more information about the case is urged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office or the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office tips can be made anonymously through Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477 For a day-to-day timeline of events as this story unfolds, click here Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved — Residents of Winter Springs came together Saturday morning to clean up Tuskawilla Road participating in a community initiative spearheaded by District 2 commissioner Victoria Bruce The cleanup, which began at 11:30 a.m., was part of a partnership with the Seminole Education, Restoration & Volunteer Program (SERV) organizes environmental efforts such as litter removal “Anybody from the county or even outside can volunteer for environmental restoration work,” said Elizabeth Stephens “It not only protects roadways and keeps the community clean but also protects wildlife and waterways.” Bruce emphasized the importance of the community taking ownership of their environment “I think it’s unnecessary and rude to litter but it’s our responsibility to keep our neighborhood clean,” Bruce said “I’m excited to promote this program and make a visible difference right here on our main road.” Bruce noted that another road cleanup is planned for February — The city of Winter Springs opened a self-serve sandbag station Wednesday to help residents protect their homes as a precaution after several days of rain Empty bags and sand will be available to all Seminole County residents until 5 p.m Residents should bring their own shovels and gloves and be prepared to lift the bags themselves Sandbags can weigh up to 35 pounds so residents might want to bring someone to help them load them SEMINOLE COUNTY – Federal investigators believe four years of dealing drugs and an armed robbery spree ended in a double homicide in April News 6 has extensively covered both the carjacking and killing of a South Florida woman in Winter Springs and the shooting of a tow truck driver in Taft [RELATED: Everyone in the brazen Winter Springs carjacking, murder case, from victim to suspects] Handberg spoke publicly about the murders and an investigation that has now expanded to include the arrest of eight people some of whom were not directly linked to the murders but a larger network of criminal activity “I stated that we would not be limiting our investigation to the carjacking and murder,” Handberg said “Our investigation has been and will continue to be thorough When we find a violation of federal law that we can prove in federal court we will charge it regardless of whether it ties directly to the carjacking and murder.” and Kevin Ocasio Justiniano had been connected to the carjacking case in some way Federal agencies first started looking into several of the suspects in 2020 “These defendants then proceeded to reveal their drug distribution network throughout the state of Florida and Puerto Rico,” said Deanne Reuter Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Ocasio Justiniano plead guilty in federal court and News 6 learned three other people had been indicted by a grand jury “The federal violations that have been charged in that indictment include conspiracy money laundering and the violence that those activities bring about,” Handberg said It is a story that began in 2020 and that played out four years later with her brutal murder.” “Eight defendants are alleged to have committed nine different crimes that are charged in 20 different counts and three different federal indictments,” said Handberg “The indictments include two drug trafficking conspiracies a firearms possession offense involving a murder Handberg said Katherine Aguasvivas drove from Homestead to Seminole County on April 11 to pick up $170,000 in drug proceeds to be laundered as part of an ongoing drug money laundering operation Investigators say she was in communication with Giovany Crespo Hernandez and on the way to meet him Court documents state while Crespo Herandez met with Aguasvivas Jordanish Torres Garcia and Kevin Ocasio Justiniano were waiting for her in the neighborhood Authorities say Crespo Hernandez and Torres Garcia exchanged a series of phone calls shortly before witnesses spotted the green Acura bumping into her white Dodge Durango in Winter Springs The video captured in broad daylight shows the gunman who investigators believe to be Torres Garcia exit the Acura in a ski mask and walk up to Aguasvivas with an AR-15 rifle Investigators said Aguasvivas was then ordered at gunpoint to drive to Osceola County where the victim’s burned-out vehicle was later found at a construction site on Boggy Creek Road Her body was so badly burned that she could only later be identified by DNA evidence left in the burned-out vehicle,” said Handberg The suspects' Acura was later recovered at an apartment complex Detectives determined the same car and firearm used in the kidnapping and killing were also connected to the murder of a tow truck driver in Orange County the day before the carjacking Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla delivered the firearm the same used to kill the tow truck driver the night before to Ocasio Justiniano in the Boggy Creek area of Kissimmee Handberg went into detail about the slew of crimes the seven individuals in the latest indictment were allegedly involved in authorities believe these seven conspirators were involved in four robberies or attempted robberies : It began on February 9 when prosecutors say Torres-Garcia partnered with Colon De Jesus and others to commit an armed robbery of a victim Handberg said Torres-Garcia partnered with his brother and Ocasio Justiniano to commit a home invasion robbery in Poinciana The trio allegedly forced their way inside and stole valuables and they broke into the home with a mask and armed with firearms,” said Handberg “They combined the six victims into a room and began searching their home for valuables which Torres Garcia and Ocasio Justiniano were recorded on video selling at a pawnshop.” [TIMELINE: Here’s what to know about the brazen Winter Springs carjacking case so far] Then there was the owner of a tow truck company who was killed in his driveway on April 10 Handberg said Torres Garica drove the green Acura there and he and Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla got out of the car and started firing at the victim one of the assailants was observed retrieving something from the victim’s truck before fleeing in the green Acura,” said Handberg when Katherine Aguasvivas was kidnapped and killed Investigators have also tied Ocasio Justiniano and Torres Garcia to the robbery of a known drug dealer in Orlando in 2022 Court documents show pictures of Ocasio Justiniano buying law enforcement tactical gear in Orlando for the “purpose of conducting home invasion robberies.” “The drug dealer thought that he was selling them a kilogram of cocaine “They armed themselves with firearms and showed up at the location where the deal was going to take place After the drug dealer put the kilogram of cocaine into their car They then sold the cocaine and distributed the proceeds amongst themselves and their other conspirator.” News 6 previously reported that he was indicted in October by a federal grand jury in Orlando Handberg said its alleged that he was involved in the money-laundering conspiracy that started in March and that he and his conspirators traveled to and from Orlando for the purpose of obtaining bulk cash “Miguel Aguasvivas arranged for money drops to provide the bulk currency to others who would convert the cash into cryptocurrency that was delivered to drug traffickers,” Handberg said Thursday Handberg said he was paid a monetary commission for laundering funds Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021 She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The husband of a woman killed during a carjacking in April near Winter Springs has been arrested and indicted on a federal charge Miguel Angel Aguasvivas Lizardo was charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering prosecutors said Lizardo has acted as a courier for drug money for years 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas [RELATED: Previous coverage of brazen carjacking near Winter Springs] Aguasvivas was stopped on April 11 at a traffic light at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road in her Dodge Durango when a masked gunman carrying a 10mm automatic handgun got out of a green Acura and entered her SUV apparently forcing her to drive off at gunpoint The incident was captured on video by another driver Before the carjacking was captured on video, the driver of the green car started ramming into the back bumper of Aguasvivas’ vehicle who added that she then called her husband to say she was being followed [TIMELINE: Here’s what we know about the brazen carjacking near Winter Springs] [RELATED: WHO’S WHO? Here are the figures involved in mysterious Winter Springs carjacking case] The sheriff said Lizardo initially told authorities his wife was traveling to Central Florida to visit family but authorities were not aware of any relatives living in the area nor were there any records of Aguasvivas or her husband having any connections to the area Investigators later discovered that Aguasvivas had been in Casselberry to meet another man — Giovany Crespo Hernandez [RELATED: Suspect in Winter Springs carjacking claims he was paid to deliver the victim, federal affidavit shows] Some features on this page require the use of a different browser Seminole and Volusia Conditions of Certification * Please note that this link goes to the OCULUS logon page - click on PUBLIC OCULUS LOGIN to view the application sections There are currently no Events/Public Notices that match the selected criteria SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Over nine months later, four men arrested in the fatal carjacking of a Florida woman in Seminole County have now been indicted Video of a gunman approaching her vehicle in April was taken less than two hours before deputies found her body in a burning car in Osceola County Below is the timeline of events in this case with up-to-date information as told by detectives and investigative documents returned to his home in the Taft neighborhood of Orange County While the driver was parking in his driveway and getting out of his truck a green Acura stopped in the street nearby and two armed men began firing on the driver Over 100 rounds were fired at the driver and his home According to Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma “a good percentage” of those rounds were 10mm bullets one of the gunmen was seen taking something from the driver’s truck before fleeing in the green Acura Katherine Aguasvivas left her home in Homestead and began driving to Casselberry heading to the home of 27-year-old Giovany Crespo Hernandez Investigators believe she was making the trip to retrieve $170,000 from Crespo Hernandez with those funds stemming from illegal drug trafficking investigators say Crespo Hernandez called another man — Jordanish Torres-Garcia 28 — and allegedly conspired to have Torres-Garcia rob Aguasvivas of the $170,000 Torres-Garcia reportedly recruited two other men — Kevin Ocasio Justiniano Torres-Garcia and Ocasio Justiniano prepared for the robbery by buying lighter fluid from a gas station which was captured on surveillance footage Investigators say Aguasvivas arrived at Crespo Hernandez’s home in Casselberry Cell phone location data shows that Torres-Garcia and Ocasio Justiniano were parked nearby in a green Acura In the 15 minutes Aguasvivas was at the house Crespo Hernandez and Torres-Garcia made four separate phone calls About a half-mile before the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road Aguasvivas noticed the green Acura was behind her before it rammed into her vehicle She reportedly called her husband and told him what happened Law enforcement is not aware of any reports that Aguasvivas or her husband called 911 for help A witness driving behind Aguasvivas’ white Dodge Durango saw the carjacking and recorded cell phone video of the incident The footage shows a masked man — later revealed to be Torres-Garcia — approaching the driver’s window and pointing a gun at Aguasvivas He then gets into the back seat while the vehicle is still stopped at a red light Aguasvivas then made a U-turn and drove away from the scene at gunpoint with the green Acura — driven by Ocasio Justiniano — following behind Aguasvivas was directed to follow the Acura instead allowing Ocasio Justiniano to take the lead A passenger in the witness’ car called 911 to notify law enforcement Aguasvivas’ car and the Acura arrived in the Boggy Creek area of Kissimmee and both vehicles drove to a deserted construction area nearby Ocasio Justiniano drove the Acura to the main road in Boggy Creek to meet up with Rodriguez Bonilla who was reportedly driving his mother’s Toyota Venza Investigators say Ocasio Justiniano then received a 10 mm firearm from Rodriguez Bonilla — the same one used to kill the tow truck driver the night before Ocasio Justiniano returned to the construction area where Aguasvivas was still being held at gunpoint by Torres-Garcia Investigators believe lighter fluid was poured on Aguasvivas and both she and her vehicle were shot several times before she was lit on fire in the vehicle’s passenger seat Witnesses nearby heard the gunshots and saw smoke from the vehicle fire the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene Deputies also found shell casings on the ground which matched those found at the site of the Taft shooting surveillance footage caught the Acura and Venza meeting at an apartment complex in Orlando Lemma said he believed the suspects knew exactly whom they were following though why they targeted Aguasvivas was still unclear a lot of things that will leave people scratching their head and I think the biggest is: Why?” Lemma said They were ramming the car half a mile before that intersection.” deputies were unable to find any relatives in the area “There’s no criminal history here for either Katherine or her husband in the United States There is no clear indicator why somebody would do this,” Lemma said Aguasvivas and her husband have two businesses: a barber shop and a beauty salon in South Florida a detective working on the case contacted Aguasvivas’ husband — Miguel Aguasvivas — and her brother to be interviewed in the case The two agreed to travel from Homestead to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office The same detective received a phone call from an Orange County deputy who identified himself as “Francisco Archuela,” claiming to be Katherine Aguasvivas’ cousin “Archuela” said he was concerned about his cousin’s safety and asked the detective for more details about the investigation though she told him that the case was still active and that she couldn’t divulge any information about it When asked whether he knew why Katherine Aguasvivas was in the area “Archuela” told the detective that they don’t speak with each other often The detective received another phone call from “Archuela,” who again asked how the investigation was going The detective told “Archuela” that she couldn’t speak with him at that time and would call him back later Miguel Aguasvivas arrived at the sheriff’s office providing his cell phone and allowing investigators to search the device The green Acura was found abandoned at an Orange County apartment complex and it was taken to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office to be evaluated During the search of the cell phone, investigators discovered that “Archuela” was actually Deputy Francisco Alberto Estrella Chicon, 33 and he had been in contact with Miguel Aguasvivas via WhatsApp the two had been sharing details about the detective whom Estrella Chicon had called and Estrella Chicon had used a law enforcement database to contact her Estrella Chicon had shared a video recording of their conversation with Miguel Aguasvivas just minutes after Estrella Chicon contacted the detective on April 11 Estrella Chicon was arrested on charges of interception of wire oral or electronic communication; disclosure of wire oral or electronic communication; disclosure or use of confidential criminal justice information; unlawful use of a two-way communication device; accessing computer or electronic devices without authorization or exceeding authorization “The act of sending these items to someone actively being sought for an interview and believed to be involved in the original crime clearly shows that Estrella Chicon had intent to obstruct this investigation as there is no reasonable explanation for his actions,” the affidavit reads Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma discussed Estrella Chicon’s arrest “The wife of the Orange County deputy reached out and said ‘I’ve been contacted by this person who is identified by name as a detective with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Can you find out whatever information you can about this particular person?’” Lemma said Lemma explained that the green Acura — one of only three in Florida — had been sold to a dealership in December before being sold again to an auto auction “And the people who purchased the car never came back to finish the additional paperwork They still owed the person money so the car has been out on the streets probably since February,” Lemma said Lemma announced that the green Acura had been spotted near the scene where the tow truck driver was shot on April 10 What’s more: the slain truck driver had been responsible for towing the Acura from an apartment complex back in March those involved in the shootings and the individuals in the green Acura had still not been identified at this time Estrella Chicon also entered a written plea of not guilty Homeland Security investigators in Orlando were alerted to a “suspicious parcel” that was addressed to a home at 1855 Overcup Ave the return label was listed as an address in Puerto Rico Estrella Chicon’s attorney filed a motion to request bond the “suspicious parcel” from the previous day was intercepted and an apparent lamp fixture was found inside Detectives say they soon discovered three “bricks” of cocaine that were hidden in the fixture using caulk and nails Court records show that police delivered the parcel to try to nab whoever was responsible a white Acura was spotted driving around for around an hour near 1855 Overcup Ave The driver — Monicsabel Romero-Soto — got out of the car while carrying a baby and picked up the parcel Detectives said she didn’t live at the address and mentioned she was just trying to pick up her lamp though she had no explanation for the cocaine stashed inside It was later discovered that Romero-Soto lived in Casselberry and her boyfriend — Crespo Hernandez — was involved in a Central Florida drug ring Crespo Hernandez was previously the target of a 2020 drug investigation in Miami which ended with over $330,000 being seized Crespo Hernandez was also a person of interest in several home invasions and homicide cases Seminole County deputies executed a search warrant at Romero-Soto’s home Estrella Chicon was granted a $15,000 bond and released from jail Sheriff Lemma held another news conference announcing Romero-Soto’s arrest and explaining that deputies were searching for Crespo Hernandez over fentanyl possession charges Crespo Hernandez was also believed to be the last person whom Katherine Aguasvivas spoke to Those details were courtesy of Katherine Aguasvivas’ brother The brother also told detectives that Crespo Hernandez said Katherine Aguasvivas had been in town to deliver “money and other things to a friend.” a “person of interest” in the case — Torres-Garcia — was arrested as he was walking into an Orange County business Lemma explained that investigators had evidence of Torres-Garcia buying the green Acura used in the carjacking Investigators also found a Facebook profile picture that showed Torres-Garcia wearing the same sweatshirt the gunman was wearing He was taken into custody in Seminole County on federal gun-related charges Online records show Crespo Hernandez was arrested on drug charges and held at that Seminole County jail He faces charges of drug trafficking and possession of marijuana with intent to sell Another person of interest — Ocasio Justiniano — was arrested by U.S Marshals in Puerto Rico on weapons and drug trafficking charges Lemma provided updates in the carjacking investigation pointing out that a red Toyota Corolla had been spotted at the apartment complex where the green Acura had been dropped off — the same apartment where the Acura had been towed back in March “The red Toyota Corolla was seen picking up the occupants of the green Acura after what appeared to be the occupants cleaning that Acura up,” Lemma said Ocasio Justiniano was believed to be the Corolla’s driver at the time as it was registered to one of his relatives Lemma announced he believed that Ocasio Justiniano could have been the driver in the carjacking and Torres-Garcia could have been the gunman “Everyone who’s watched this has known it’s about drugs and money,” Lemma said Lemma explained that the victim’s husband — Miguel Aguasvivas — was no longer cooperating with the investigation and her brother “has been crossed up in multiple lies” with detectives Torres-Garcia made his first appearance in federal court in Orlando with the judge advising he faced a charge of carjacking resulting in death prosecutors argued that Torres-Garcia was a danger to the community and a flight risk Torres-Garcia said someone met him 30 minutes before the carjacking near Lake Drive in Casselberry giving him an unloaded AR-15 to use in the carjacking Torres-Garcia told investigators he received a call just minutes before the incident to let him know that Aguasvivas was on the way Torres-Garcia explained that he and another person followed her in the green Acura until they reached the stop light where the carjacking took place Investigators said Torres-Garcia also told them he was paid $1,500 to deliver Aguasvivas to another person who is not identified in the affidavit Orange County deputies said they found Rodriguez Bonilla and three other people — Anneliz Colon De Jesus Silva Fernandez and one other person — in a vehicle parked along Curry Ford Road An investigation revealed that Silva Fernandez had cocaine on his person he faced charges of cocaine possession with a weapon Sheriff Lemma held another news conference to discuss updates in the investigation Lemma announced that investigators were looking into more than just the carjacking and Aguasvivas’ murder and the case was now being investigated on a federal level “One reason why we are taking this approach is because of what we have seen in so many other federal prosecutions which is that violence and drug trafficking go hand in hand,” U.S Attorney Roger Handberg said during the conference “The three drug cases that have been charged as part of this investigation in federal and state court Simply put: drug trafficking is dangerous.” and Rodriguez Bonilla were indicted on the following charges: Court documents were filed that show what happened during the case and exactly what role each of the four men was accused of playing Rodriguez Bonilla — whom investigators said provided the firearm used to kill Katherine Aguasvivas — “falsely denied” providing the weapon all four men face a sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty Estrella took a plea deal to avoid jail time though he was ordered to serve 12 months of supervised probation related to a misdemeanor charge Miguel Aguasvivas — the victim’s husband — was indicted on a federal charge of conspiracy to engage in money laundering Prosecutors said he had acted as a drug money courier for years including the trip taken by Katherine Aguasvivas that ended in her death Released court records reveal that several of the people involved in this case were indicted on the following charges: The names of the three new suspects — Sonic Torres Colon De Jesus and Silva Fernandez — appear in the indictment though details on their possible connection to the investigation have not yet been released Prosecutors announced that they elected not to seek the death penalty against Ocasio Justiniano Court records show that Ocasio Justiniano signed an agreement pleading guilty to aiding in the carjacking that ended with Katherine Aguasvivas’ death The agreement states that Ocasio Justiniano forfeited the $60,000 he received as a result of his role in Aguasvivas’ death (his cut of the $170,000 total obtained) investigative documents revealed more about his criminal background showing that Ocasio Justiniano — along with Torres-Garcia and two others — had planned out a robbery of a known drug dealer back in 2022 Those same documents state that Ocasio Justiniano and Torres-Garcia had shown up to a barbershop with a weapon in December 2023 over a “personal dispute.” Even in February 2024 — less than two months before the fatal carjacking — Ocasio Justiniano Torres-Garcia and Sonic Torres had conducted an armed home invasion near Poinciana Detectives said that the trio “temporarily confined three males and three females into a room” before searching the home for valuables other released court documents say that Colon De Jesus and Sonic Torres have initial appearances scheduled for Jan Jorge Melendez believes there’s no such thing as too much His passion for creating a Christmas masterpiece began at a young age [it] started probably when I was about 10 or 11 years old when I lived in New York My dad started with a wall display,” Melendez explained “Me and my family moved here in about 2004 and it’s developed into what you see behind us now.” What’s behind him is a dazzling yard in Winter Springs a sparkling red ribbon arching over the driveway [COUNTY-BY-COUNTY GUIDE: Central Florida holiday events to get in the spirit this 2024 season] I went out for hurricane supplies and came home with more pieces this season,” he laughed As part of News 6’s spotlight on holiday homes we asked Melendez about the inspiration behind his display which can take up to two weeks to complete with four people helping out Melendez’s hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by his neighbors shared his appreciation for the festive display “We have probably one of the best views of the display in the neighborhood throughout the day and throughout the night You see families with kids getting out of their cars It’s bringing smiles to the faces of these kids It’s showing people that the season still is alive and well.” [RELATED: Where to find Christmas lights twinkling around Central Florida] While Melendez’s home is in a gated community there are plenty of other holiday displays to admire Have your own impressive lighting display All featured homes will also appear on ClickOrlando.com for the whole community to enjoy — Conversations go a long way in Marci Gould’s class at Highlands Elementary School in Winter Springs The A+ Teacher encourages her students to talk it out during lessons “Discussion is amazing because it allows us to relate to one another and to connect to one another and so I need to hear what they’re thinking So discussion is a huge part of what I do in my classroom,” she said she was on the move encouraging students as they learned about idioms She said there is something special about 5th-grade level “I think I Iove 5th grade because they have sass They’re walking a fine line between being a child and being a teenager They are experiencing things with each other like trying to figure out what their voice is,” she said She said classroom collaboration is key for her students and she wants them to make connections while learning together “And we have these heartfelt discussions over literature almost all the time because we find ourselves in these books and we find ourselves experiencing the same things that the characters are experiencing,” Gould said She said her students are not the only ones learning either which is the reason why I love this age group," Gould said is that they teach me maybe sometimes more about myself and the way I conduct myself as a human being The winter season officially ends in March but there are some areas in Florida with Winter — year round — figuratively speaking Winter Haven and Winter Beach are all located in the Sunshine State “I’m from Florida and I always thought ‘Why is this called Winter-whatever,’ we don’t have winter it makes sense,” said Historian Rachel Williams Williams works at the Orange County Regional History Center and said the names aren’t so surprising Florida has been a hot spot for snowbirds in the wintertime for hundreds of years Winter Park was originally named Lakeview in 1858 decided they wanted the name to do with something about winter in the park and named it Winter Park.” According to the City of Winter Park’s website “the city was originally developed as a winter resort for wealthy Northerners seeking refuge from the harsh winters and a tranquil place to rest and relax.” The meaning behind Winter Garden is simple “It was the idea that you can garden in the winter,” said Williams Winter Springs was originally incorporated as North Orlando in 1959 “It wasn’t part of Orlando and there were cities in between Orlando and what became Winer Springs because of Seminole County and Orange County It wasn’t near the county line and would be confused with Semoran Boulevard they decided to rename it Winter Springs because there was the Winter Springs Development Company and they named it after that,” said Williams “I’m not entirely sure why the Florida company was named Winter Springs Development Company.” Another unique Florida city is named Frostproof in Polk County It was originally named Keystone City known for its vast citrus farms. According to Florida Memory the Great Freeze brought plummeting temperatures down to the teens in some areas in Florida in 1894-1895 Many citrus growers saw their farms crumble and never recovered Groves that survived the Great Freeze gained a lot of attention for example the town of Keytstone City was renamed Frostproof after its trees sustained fruit during that time The town was renamed to encourage potential landowners that the town was frost-free and would remain that way So the next time you’re bothered by a city name like Winter Beach just think at least you’re not shoveling snow on the beach Crystal Moyer is a morning news anchor who joined the News 6 team in 2020 – A 74-year-old Winter Springs man was killed Wednesday after running a red light and crashing into another car a 2015 Acura MDX was on the SR-417 exit ramp and attempting a left turn onto Red Bug Lake Road when a Chevy Equinox slammed into the side of the vehicle A witness told troopers the Chevy had run a red light heading west on Red Bug Lake Road was taken to the hospital with minor injuries Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – People who live near Gee Creek are once again worried about flooding as Tropical Storm Helene makes its way to Florida people who live along Gee Creek in Winter Springs were worried about water levels rising after heavy rain in the area “That’s our biggest fear is the flooding,” Scaglione said “Winds and other stuff is not that high on our list – it’s the creek right behind us.” We caught up with Scaglione right before he was heading out to get sandbags “We’re allowed 15 sandbags,” Scaglione said “It’s not going to do much if we have the flooding that we had with Ian but at least we’ll be able to protect something.” said he thinks most of the neighbors are still in shock from the flooding they experienced during Hurricane Ian “It’s intense not knowing what is going to happen you know we have to worry about the rain,” Tucker said We start prepping and looking for higher ground I guess I guess we kind of wait it out and see what happens.” Public Communications Officer for the City of Winter Springs Matthew Reeser said they’ve been focusing on areas of concern like Gee Creek “It’s just a matter of keep watching that and making sure that everything is flowing the way it should.” Reeser said the stormwater crew started work early Tuesday morning to make sure the city is prepared for Helene checking on the creeks and stream crossings just to make sure that there’s nothing that would impede the flow of water,” Reeser said The city of Winter Springs also opened up a sandbag site at Central Winds Park in Winter Springs Winter Springs officials said the self-serve sandbag operation will be open on Sept at Central Winds Park located at 1000 Central Winds Drive Residents are limited to 15 sandbags and you must bring your own shovel and gloves was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he accepted a plea offer at an April 2 hearing in Seminole County and was adjudicated guilty of: who taught social studies at Winter Springs High in 2023 has been designated a sexual predator and had his Florida teacher certificate permanently revoked In a news release at the time of the Cridlebaugh’s arrest deputies said that the teen’s mother had learned that the teacher was exchanging “sexually explicit messages” with her daughter throughout the spring and early summer of 2023 According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office the teen told investigators that Cridlebaugh had molested her on several occasions Seminole County Public Schools administrators cooperated with the sheriff’s investigation and suspended Cridlebaugh immediately upon learning of the allegations WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — Suspects face new charges linked to the carjacking and murder of a mother in Winter Springs last April A federal grand jury has returned a 16-count federal indictment that charges several suspects with crimes like murder home invasions and cocaine trafficking between Florida and Puerto Rico from 2020-24 Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas was killed and the video eventually led police to the suspects in that murder. Jordanish Torres Garcia Giovany Crespo Hernandez and Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla were charged in connection with Guerrero De Aguasvivas' murder she had picked up $170,000 from the home of Crespo Hernandez The carjacking occurred after she drove away from the home On April 10, tow truck driver Juan Luis Cintron Garcia was killed as part of a robbery in Taft. He had towed the 2002 green Acura used in the carjacking of Guerrero De Aguasvivas from an Orange County apartment complex where it was found parked illegally on March 19 The green Acura later was connected to the killing of Cintron Garcia Justiniano is suspected of being the driver of that same green Acura that followed Guerrero De Aguasvivas' SUV after the carjacking the husband of Guerrero De Aguasvivas also is among those who face federal charges in connection with a larger case. Anneliz Colon de Jesus Sonic Torres and Cesar Silva Fernandez also were indicted last week The federal violations in the indictment tell a story of a violent drug trafficking organization linked to Puerto Rico and Central Florida Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida money laundering and the violence that those activities bring about," Handberg said It is a story that began in 2020 and that played out four years later with her brutal murder The perpetrators of her murder have a long history of violence.”  Guerrero De Aguasvivas often picked up and delivered drug sales cash between South Florida and Central Florida “They valued personal profit over human life,” said Deanne L the Drug Enforcement Agency special agent in charge at the Miami field division Law enforcement first became aware of this drug trafficking organization “These organizations are like spiderwebs,” Handberg said Officials say the answer will be played out in federal court “We do the very best we can to bring charges that will be sustained in court,” Handberg said “This level of brutality and violence is something that’s going to get the full response of the United States government.” Justiniano on Wednesday pleaded guilty to multiple weapons and gun charges and is scheduled to be sentenced April 15 The feds are still following up on leads as the investigation continues SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A man facing federal charges in connection to a deadly April 2024 carjacking case has signed a plea agreement A hearing for Kevin Ocasio Justiniano is scheduled for Wednesday Federal investigators believe he was driving a green Acura that was seen following Katherine Aguasvivas in Winter Springs in April She was later found dead in a burning car in Osceola County [RELATED: Here are the people involved in the brazen Winter Springs carjacking, murder case] as they were stopped at East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road an armed man can be seen approaching Aguasvivas’s vehicle and then getting into the backseat before both drive off Aguasvivas drove four hours from Homestead to pick up $170,000 in drug proceeds to be “laundered as part of an ongoing drug money laundering operation.” The documents state while Crespo Herandez met with Aguasvivas Authorities say Crespo Hernandez and Torres Garcia exchanged a series of phone calls shortly before witnesses spotted the green Acura bumping her car in Winter Springs He gets into her backseat and both cars make a u-tun and drive away Investigators believe Aguasvivas was ordered at gunpoint to drive to Osceola County where the victim’s burned-out vehicle was later found at a construction site on Boggy Creek Road Twelve spent cartridges were found on the ground Derreck Rodriguez Bonilla delivered a firearm to the site of the murder “Everyone who’s watched this has known it’s about drugs and money,” Sheriff Dennia Lemma told reporters in April Law enforcement tied Jordanish Torres to the green Acura spotted in the video saying he was wearing the same hoodie in his Facebook profile picture as the man captured on camera The Acura was later recovered in an apartment complex Detectives determined the same car and firearm used in the kidnapping and killing was also connected to the murder of a tow truck driver in Orange County the day before the carjacking federal investigators say Ocasio Justiniano and Torres Garcia split up and counted the $170,000 from Aguasvivas and Ocasio Justiniano received $60,000 from the robbery Authorities have made several other arrests as they’ve worked to link the suspects and discover their motives in what has become an extensive investigation was arrested after she picked up a package of cocaine that had been mailed to St News 6 learned through court documents that three more suspects Details about their connection to the crime have not been publicly released but an arrest affidavit obtained by News 6 unrelated to the carjacking shows Silva Fernandez and Colon De Jesus were in a car with Rodriguez Bonilla two weeks after the kidnapping and killing An affidavit for Silva Fernandez says they were approached by Orlando police while parked in a handicap space without a placard Officers searched the vehicle and found a semi-automatic pistol and a plastic bag with a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time – A 20-year-old Winter Springs man died early Friday after crashing an SUV through a Seminole County subdivision’s gate in the area of Clayton Crossing Way and Hidden Cypress Lane the man was driving north on Clayton Crossing Way approaching the gated entrance of the Clayton Crossing subdivision when he failed to slow the vehicle and struck the gate causing the SUV to travel off the roadway and collide with a house No residents were in the home at the time of the wreck Troopers believe the driver was not wearing a seat belt joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 Orlando-News.com Local firefighters rescued two cats from a Seminole County home on Thursday after a fire ignited in the kitchen According to the Seminole County Fire Department firefighters from SCFD and the Longwood Fire Department responded to a home in Winter Springs on Thursday they observed heavy smoke pouring from the front door They quickly entered the residence and observed that an appliance in the kitchen had caught on fire SCFD stated that crews acted quickly and extinguished the flames Firefighters found two cats inside the home and safely brought them outside One of the cats initially required oxygen support though SCFD said in an update that both cats are “now doing fine.” There were no injuries reported to civilians or firefighters SCFD officials determined that the fire was caused by an air fryer in the kitchen