Tag: tradewind

BREAKING: Shooting in West Boca – Boca Trails

Reader photo this morning of crime scene at 22793 Tradewind Road at Winding Creek Lane, just south of Judge Winikoff.

A man was shot in the torso early this morning. The incident took place in the Boca Trails subdivision, apparently at 22793 Tradewind Road just south of Judge Winikoff.

Update: PBSO tells us the victim is an adult black male.

Map showing location of 22793 Tradewind. Image and map data by Google.

We received notice of the incident almost immediately from a reader:

Someone was shot at that house (Tradewind Road). Don’t know all the details. 4-6 shots fired shortly after 2am. Ambulance removed 1 person about 10 minutes after the shots were fired.

The Sheriff’s office sent an e-mail this morning confirming it:

Time: 1:54 am
Detectives are investigating a shooting in the 22700 block of Tradewinds Road, unincorporated Boca Raton. A male was shot in the torso area by unknown shooter. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. His condition is unknown.
No suspect information of known motive at this time. Detectives from the Violent Crimes Division are investigating further.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

The location is just north of the west end of the Watergate Estates trailer park. We have noticed a lot of arrests and reports of criminal activity in that section, but we see nothing indicating this incident is related to that.
The property where it happened was purchased in August of 2015 by a woman named Amanda Francois. This may be the same Amanda Francois whose father was murdered in 2014 in Miami, but we have not been able to confirm the connection.

Sandalfoot Arrest: Laser Pointed at PBSO Copter

mcdonald-laser
Apparently it’s not a good idea to shine a laser pointer into the cockpit of a helicopter. Especially if it’s a Sheriff’s copter.
James McDonald (52) was arrested early this morning accused of doing just that shortly before midnight.

On July 9, 2014, at 11:50 pm, a white male subject was seen shining a green class II laser pointer in the cockpit of PBSO Eagle. James McDonald was identified as the suspect and arrested on the following charges: Public Order Crimes – Point a Laser Light at Pilot and Misuse of a Laser Lighting Device (Aircraft). He was booked into the PBC Jail. His current bail is $3000.

green-laser
McDonald’s reported address is on Tradewind Road, on the west end of Watergate Estates (aka West Sandalfoot or the Sandalfoot trailers).
We should note that from the limited facts we’ve seen so far this may be a difficult case for the prosecution to prove.
PBSO is particularly tweaked by this one:

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office REMINDS the Public that Misuse of Laser Lighting Device is a FELONY. There has been an ongoing problem with the misuse of a green laser that has been pointed into the cockpits of aircrafts landing at PBIA.

They added that if any injury results the charge is upgraded to a 2nd degree felony, and if it causes an aircraft to crash that puts it in 1st degree territory – and you don’t want to be there.
PBSO requests:

Should anyone witness the misuse of a Laser Lighting Device please report it immediately to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the nearest law enforcement agency, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS or text to [email protected].

We see no previous criminal history for Mr. McDonald in the county, though he has had several traffic cases. And we did find a couple felony cocaine cases and a DUI misdemeanor for him (or someone with the same name and date of birth) in Broward from back in the late 1980s.