News Archive

In the early morning hours of Thurs., Sept. 1, gunshots rang out in several Crestview neighborhoods. The shots were reportedly fired between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.

“There was numerous scenes, nobody was injured, but there was property damage,” Crestview Police Department Major Raymond Harp said. “We have an idea of what was going on, but nothing on paper yet. Its still an active investigation.”

There were three scenes in which the incidents took place. Gunshots were investigated at W North Ave. and Lindberg St., E Redstone Ave. near the Crooked Pines townhomes neighborhood, and School Ave. and McClelland St.

Rates for city services are being increased in Crestview under the city’s newest comprehensive fee schedule. The vote at the Aug. 22 meeting marked the first time the city had amended in whole the Comprehensive Fee Schedule, which dictates the cost of various city services.

Sometimes even the teacher needs to be educated.

That was the case for Crestview High School Criminal Justice teacher Amy Mertens when the school received 911 simulators allowing students to train to be dispatchers.

Beginning in 2018, the DEA and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office partnered in an investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization responsible for distributing kilogram amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl within Okaloosa County.

Named Operation Songbird, the years long investigation utilized numerous investigative techniques to identify members of the Drug Trafficking Organization and locations utilized by the Drug Trafficking Organization.

A mother and son were arrested Aug. 29 near Crestview after one fled an attempted traffic stop and the other interfered with a deputy attempting to arrest her.

According to an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office press release, the incident started when a deputy spotted Venetia Berry, 62, driving a truck with the wrong license attached. Berry refused to pull over when the deputy tried to make a traffic stop on Highway 85 near Auburn Road around 10:30 a.m.

A mother and son are in Okaloosa County Jail after Crestview Police and Animal Services found 18 emaciated dogs and one deceased dog in their backyard.

Officers from Crestview’s Police Department, Animal Services Division and Code Enforcement responded to the residence based on a tip received by PAWS.

Four of the emaciated dogs were located outside with no food, water or adequate shelter. Inside the residence, 18 living dogs were located, along with one deceased dog.