Arrest Of Convicted Felon Turns Up Gun, Knife

A man who is a convicted felon faces felony weapons charges after deputies say they found him with a gun and a knife during a traffic stop in East Naples on Thursday night.

Eric James Edwards, 25, 5741 Painted Leaf Lane, Golden Gate, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

Arrest reports say Edwards was a passenger in a white Buick that was traveling west on U.S. 41 East near Commercial Drive when deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle shortly before midnight.

Further investigation by deputies found that Edwards is on inmate release status for a previous burglary charge and is a convicted felon, reports said.

Deputies asked Edwards if they could search him and he consented. Deputies found a 4-inch knife under his shirt and a .25 caliber pistol in a leather holster concealed in the small of his back, reports said. Edwards is not allowed to possess a firearm due to his convicted felon status, reports said.

A search of the vehicle revealed a black magazine with eight .25-caliber rounds inside the glove compartment, reports said.

Deputies arrested Edwards and booked him into the Collier County jail, reports said.

CCSO Traffic Enforcement Spots

Monday, March 1:

Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads – Red-light running
Immokalee Road and Everglades Boulevard - Speeding
Lely Cultural Parkway at Lely Elementary - Speeding

Tuesday, March 2:

8th Street North - Speeding
U.S. 41 North and Imperial Golf Course Boulevard – Red-light running
Golden Gate and Collier boulevards – Red-light running

Wednesday, March 3:

U.S. 41 East and Palm Drive – Red-light running
Lake Trafford Road - Speeding
Main and South 1st streets – Speeding

Thursday, March 4:

St. Andrews Boulevard - Speeding
Logan Boulevard and Saturnia Grande Drive - Speeding
Radio Road and Davis Boulevard – Aggressive driving

Friday, March 5:

Immokalee Road at Gulf Coast High School – Aggressive driving
Enterprise Avenue and Livingston Road - Speeding
Airport-Pulling Road and Galleria Drive - Speeding

Roads Blocked Off Due To Brush Fire

CCSO deputies advise that 36th Avenue S.E., 38th Avenue S.E. and 40th Avenue S.E. have been blocked off due to a brush fire at Everglades Boulevard in Golden Gate Estates.

Deputies To Launch Safety Belt Campaign

Deputies will be looking for drivers and passengers who don’t buckle up during a safety belt enforcement campaign starting Monday.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office will participate in a “Click It or Ticket” safety belt campaign March 1-15.

The purpose of the special enforcement effort is to increase safety belt use and to reduce fatalities on the roads in Collier County.

The fine for not wearing a seat belt is $113 in Collier County. The fine for a child restraint violation is $163.

Collier County continues to have the highest safety belt compliance rate – 92 percent – in Florida, according to the state Department of Transportation.

“The goal is 100 percent voluntary compliance,” said Sgt. Chris Gonzalez of CCSO’s Safety Traffic Enforcement Bureau.

Deputies will conduct various countywide heightened enforcement details and efforts to draw attention to the importance of safety belt use.

In 2009, 22 people killed in traffic crashes in Collier County weren’t wearing their seat belts.

CCSO reminds motorists that drivers in Collier County can be pulled over by deputies for not buckling up. In May 2009 Florida became the 28th state to have primary offense safety belt laws. Previously, drivers could only be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt if they were pulled over for another offense, such as speeding. The recent law allows deputies to stop drivers who aren’t wearing their seat belt

Neighbor Helps Deputies Make Burglary Arrest

Deputies, helped by an observant neighbor, arrested a 56-year-old man Wednesday and charged him with breaking into a Naples Park residence and stealing drums and a bicycle.

Roberto Rodriguez, 694 97th Ave. N., Unit B, was charged with burglary and grand theft.

Arrest reports say the victim told deputies that someone broke into her house in the 700 block of 96th Avenue North on Wednesday and stole her new drum set and her roommate’s purple bike.

The victim told deputies that earlier in the day she had placed several unwanted items outside by the curb. A man who she did not know approached her and asked if he could take the items by the curb and she said yes, reports said.

The victim told deputies that the man was bald and wearing a white T-shirt, reports said.

Information provided by an alert neighbor helped deputies link the burglary to Rodriguez, investigators said.

The neighbor told deputies that she saw a bald man wearing a white T-shirt and jeans stop by the victim’s house and take items off the curb. The man returned later and knocked on several doors of the victim’s house, leaving a short time later with a drum set, reports said.

The neighbor observed the man walk between several houses on 97th Avenue North, carrying the drum set. He returned to the victim’s house a short time later and left with a purple bike, heading in the same direction, reports said.

Deputies located Rodriguez at his residence on 97th Avenue North. Rodriguez invited deputies inside, where they immediately noticed a drum set near the door. Further investigation led deputies to a purple bike in a storage shed, reports said.

Both victims identified the drum set and bike as the items that were stolen from them, reports said.

Workshop Showcases Safety Information

An aware community is a safe community.

That’s the philosophy behind a special half-day crime prevention awareness workshop that was offered Wednesday by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the Naples Police and Fire Department and The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.

The workshop, which took place at North Naples Regional Park, featured sessions on identity theft, retail crime trends, lottery scams, South American theft groups and more. The U.S. Secret Service, the Florida Lottery and the South American Theft Group Intelligence Network were among the presenters.

Special guests included Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk and Naples Police Chief Tom Weschler.

The event was sponsored by Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant, Hooters, Allegra Print & Imaging, Jewelers International, Planet Fitness, Costco, Bonefish Grill, Sunshine Ace Hardware, Grey Oaks and All Locks Locksmith Service.

Go Behind The Scenes At CCSO

If you want an insider’s look at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, then Citizens Academy is for you. During the six-week course you will:

·Meet some of the men and women of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and learn about what they do to keep you and your family safe.

·Tour the Naples Jail Center.

·See live demonstrations by SWAT and the Bomb Squad.

Citizens Academy begins Monday, March 8, and takes place each Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. through April 12. Classes take place at the CCSO Professional Development Center, 615 Third Ave. S., Naples.

To enroll, go to www.colliersheriff.org. Go to the pull-down tab that says “How Do I?” and click on “Attend Citizens Academy. For more information e-mail ccsopio@colliersheriff.net or call 239.793.9145. Applications must be turned in by Monday, Feb. 24.