News & Updates

LYNCH ARREST REPORT The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man suspected of donning a mask and using a gun to rob a Fort Walton Beach business in April. 25-year old James Lee Lynch of Marnan Drive is charged with armed robbery and petty theft in...

ARREST REPORT Excellent work by security employees at Eglin Federal Credit Union and an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Deputy led to the capture of two Romanians believed to be traveling state to state installing skimming devices on ATM machines. The devices capture...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office responded after a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun caused a scare on an Okaloosa County school bus shortly after 3 p.m. this afternoon. A teen who saw what appeared to be a gun on another student from Bruner Middle School had...

DUMAS ARREST REPORT A man who thought he’d steal a $9000 motorcycle by driving it off the parking lot of Coastal Powersports didn’t get far after the manager ran to the motorcycle, hit the off switch, and pulled the defendant off. Employees say they were moving...

ARREST REPORT A Destin Middle School student who threatened to shoot up the school today was arrested by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office following an investigation into an incident on a school bus. 14-year old Ian Ray is charged with making a false report about...

NELSON ARREST REPORT Observant Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies on their lunch break today at a Destin restaurant noticed a man leaving who seemed “nervous” about their presence. Their alertness and follow-up led to the capture of a fugitive from Indiana...

BARLAS ARREST REPORT A Fort Walton Beach woman detained at a Destin department store for suspected shoplifting of multiple baby items failed to mention to deputies that she had left a 22-month old child in her vehicle unattended. 38-year old Jeana Barlas is now...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation after the body of a homeless man in Destin was found in a wooded area off Highway 98 today. Deputies were called to a medical emergency around 12:35 this afternoon after receiving a call that a...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after the body of a Mary Esther woman was found on a beach off Tecumseh Lane Monday. Deputies were called to a medical emergency around 7 p.m. after receiving a call that a man walking his dog had noticed a woman...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting after deputies responded to a home on Hardie Lane in Fort Walton Beach early this morning and discovered one adult male with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Deputies received a 911 call around 4:30...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigations Section launched a narcotics investigation after receiving multiple drug-related complaints in reference to activity at a Destin home. Today the Unit, which consists of members of the OCSO, Fort Walton...

SCALLAN ARREST REPORT A Louisiana man chaperoning a group of Spring Breakers in Destin says he was aware high school students were drinking and smoking pot at the rental home on Shirah Street. 57-year old John Scallan of Covington is now charged with holding an open...

ARREST REPORTS A thirteen year old who escaped from the Okaloosa Youth Academy Tuesday evening was later captured at a Crestview McDonalds after a Department of Juvenile Justice employee stopped in and spotted him. 13-year old Nickolas Shoffner and 15-year old Richard...

For the third time in three weeks the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has responded to a call of a person passed out behind the wheel of their vehicle while parked at gas pumps. In all three instances, the individuals were under the influence of narcotics. Around...

School Resource Officers from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Niceville High School administrators moved students to the football stadium this afternoon after someone emailed a threat of toxic chemicals inside the school. The threat, believed now to have...

GARDNER ARREST REPORT A Kentucky man who says he was chaperoning a group of high school kids on Spring Break in Destin is charged with holding an open house party where marijuana was scattered around the home and the teens he was overseeing could drink alcohol....

KINABREW ARREST REPORT An underage LSU Spring Breaker had a lot more than beer in his possession when an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted him on Regions Way in Destin around 7:30 Friday night. After 20-year old Joel Kinabrew of Gonzales Louisiana was...

WALKER ARREST REPORT An OCSO deputy pumping gas early this morning at a convenience store on Beal Parkway spotted a man asleep behind the wheel at the pumps across from him, with the engine running. The deputy got the man to wake up and roll down the window. When he...

FOSTER ARREST REPORT Crestview man facing OCSO warrants for reckless driving and fleeing from law enforcement before crashing into a wall, was found and arrested on those charges and others after attempting to steal an Air Soft Pistol, a knife, and other items from...

TOBIAS ARREST REPORT A Crestview man held a burglary suspect at gunpoint last night after arriving home from work to find his back door broken in with a cinder block and a strange man showering in his bathroom. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged 28-year...