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Jeff Ashton's son found guilty in DUI trial

<p> The son of Jeff Ashton, one of the three prosecutors in the Casey Anthony trial was found guilty of driving under the influence on Thursday.</p><p> Ashton was back in the courtroom Thursday for the first time since the trial, this time to defend his 21-year-old son, Alexander.</p><p> Alexander Ashton was arrested in October after he failed a series of field sobriety tests when he was pulled on U.S. 17-92 over by a Seminole County deputy for speeding.</p><p> The judge ruled Alexander Ashton must pay $200, go through 12 months of probation and will lose his license for six months.</p><p> Ashton said his son had been drinking that night but was not drunk.</p><p> The six-person jury heard from both defense and prosecution on Thursday at the Seminole County courthouse.</p><p> The judge denied Ashton's judgment of acquittal, saying there was "more than enough evidence to continue."</p><p> The deputy who pulled Ashton over, Brendan Lohri, was only witness the prosecution used.</p><p> Lohri said Alexander was driving 68 mph in a 45 zone and after he pulled him over at 2 a.m. he suspected Alexander was drunk.</p><p> The jury was shown cop's 40 minute dashboard video of Alexander taking his sobriety tests. He was then handcuffed and brought to the Seminole County Jail and given a breathalyzer test, which he also failed, according to the deputy's report.</p><p> Jurors didn't hear that because Ashton argued the tests were unreliable so prosecutors agreed not to use those results earlier in the week.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:46:47 GMT

Deputies: Hyperbaric chamber in explosion had known problems

<p> The hyperbaric chamber that exploded last week at an equine rehabilitation center, killing a woman and the horse, had known issues, according to a Marion County sheriff's report released Thursday.</p><p> Deputies said in an interview, Sorcha Moneley, the woman that survived the explosion at at Kesmarc Florida, told them she was aware that there were some problems with the valves on the chamber leaking.</p><p> According to the report, Kesmarc Florida manager Leonora Byrne had contacted the hyperbaric chamber facility in Kentucky twice requesting an engineer to look at the chamber. The company told Byrnes they would send someone when they could and for the time being, the chamber could be manually operated to regulate the pressure, the report said.</p><p> Moneley told deputies she was aware of some heated emails and arguments between Byrne and the Kentucky facility concerning the chamber. The owner of Kesmarc Kentucky said she has not been affiliated with the Florida facility for two years and doesn't own the hyperbaric chamber or the company that makes the chamber.</p><p> She said she doesn't want to comment out of respect for the victims.</p><p> Moneley also gave deputies details of events leading up to the explosion, saying she was 20 feet away from the chamber room when the explosion occurred, killing Erica Marshall, 28, who was regulating the chamber.</p><p> Fire rescue officials said the horse, with a stable name of "Tux", started kicking while it was inside the chamber and the workers went to turn the chamber off when the explosion occurred.</p><p> The report has conflicting accounts in the sheriff's report on if the horse was in fact sedated. Moneley told deputies that the horse was given a sedative but the manager said the horse didn't receive one.</p><p> The horse kicked off a protective shield inside of the oxygen-filled chamber and as the steel shoe as struck the side of chamber, it caused a spark and ignited instantly.</p><p> Horses are typically treated in a hyperbaric chamber after a vet prescribes it, Stroup said. It's not clear if the horse was prescribed treatment. Hyperbaric chambers are designed to push highly pressurized, pure oxygen into tissue to speed up recovery times for certain injuries.</p><p> Deputies said Marshall died at the scene. Her husband said she died doing what she loved.</p><p> Moneley, 32, was airlifted to Shands with serious injuries and underwent surgery.</p><p> Local 6 is going through the full report. Check back with ClickOrlando.com and Local 6 for more information.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:41:55 GMT

20 most- followed people on Twitter

See which celebrities and public figures are dominating Twitter as the most followed people on the site.

Published: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:05:00 GMT

You grew up with a sweet tooth if...

Gone, but not forgotten:  These are the candy bars, gum and sugary treats of our youth that, like the dinosaurs, are no longer in existence. See how many of these treats you treated yourself to throughout the years.

Published: Tue, 11 May 2010 17:46:54 GMT

Casey Anthony civil trial on track for April start date

<p> Judge Lisa Munyon on Thursday set a tentative trial period date of April 9 for the civil lawsuit filed by Zenaida Gonzalez against Casey Anthony.</p><p> Gonzalez is suing Anthony, 25, for defamation, claiming her life was ruined after Anthony linked her to Caylee Anthony's disappearance in 2008.</p><p> The exact start date of the trial is uncertain, but Munyon said she hopes to begin around the week of April 9. She said she plans to start jury selection on a Tuesday or Wednesday, possibly the prior week, with the six-day trial beginning on a Monday.</p><p> Munyon called for the meeting Thursday to ensure that both sides were ready for trial, and both sides said they were. Attorney Keith Mitnik is representing Gonzalez and attorney Charles Greene is representing Anthony.</p><p> The jury will likely consist of a six-person panel. Gonzalez's attorneys said they doubt they'll ask for a sequestered jury.  It is unclear if Anthony's attorneys will make that request. </p><p> Both Gonzalez's and Anthony's teams expressed optimism on Thursday they would be able to find a fair jury in Orange County.</p><p> Gonzalez's team said they plan to subpoena Anthony and put her on the stand, even though Anthony will likely plead the Fifth Amendment.</p><p> Anthony's attorneys pointed out that a defendant is otherwise not required to be present at the trial. They're unsure yet how they'll handle the witness subpoena.</p><p> As a courtesy to the security concerns, Gonzalez's attorneys said they have offered to serve the subpoena to Anthony's lawyers to prevent putting her home address on the subpoena. Gonzalez filed a motion Wednesday asking for a partial judgement against Anthony for statements Cindy Anthony made to the media about Gonzalez.</p><p> No hearing is set for that case yet.</p><p> Within the next two weeks, Anthony plans to file a motion asking for the case to be thrown out. One of their big angles will be that Anthony always mentioned a Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez. </p><p> Records show that that is not Gonzalez's full name, even though her attorneys had originally filed the lawsuit under that name erroneously.</p><p> Gonzalez's lawyers would not discuss any type of settlement options, but said that Anthony could come to the table with something and halt the trial.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:35:15 GMT

Tractor-trailer loaded with ammo starts brush fire in Sumter County

<p> Sumter County fire officials fought a brush fire in Wildwood they say started from a tractor-trailer loaded with ammunition igniting.</p><p> Officials said they received reports of the fire at around 3:15 p.m. in Wildwood. Both Sumter and Lake counties have responded to the fire.</p><p> A trailer containing gun shells and bullets caught fire, causing the bullets to explode, officials said.</p><p> According to officials, the fire was burning 10 acres and was reaching County Road 141 and State Road 44 before being contained.</p><p> Check back with Local 6 and ClickOrlando.com for more information.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:30:07 GMT

Cops: Man attacks grandmother for drug money

<p> A man was arrested for attacking his grandmother over money to purchase drugs, Volusia County deputies said Thursday.</p><p> According to the incident report, a deputy arrived to the home on Bailey Avenue in Deltona on Tuesday because of a battery complaint.</p><p> At the scene, 84-year-old Lucille Cameron told the deputy she and her grandson, 34-year-old Steven Saul, had argued over money he wanted to use to purchase drugs.</p><p> Cameron said she tried to leave the home and Saul pushed her from behind into the parked vehicle. Cameron told deputies Saul tried to grab her purse, but she managed to hold onto it.</p><p> Her right ear was hurt in the fight, according to the report.</p><p> When deputies talked with Saul, he told them he woke up to Cameron throwing unknown items at him. When he tried to leave to avoid further confrontation, Saul said his grandmother followed him.</p><p> Saul initially claimed Cameron's car door hit her, causing the injuries, but he later changed his story.</p><p> Saul was placed under arrest for domestic battery on a person over 65-years-old. He was in Volusia County jail as of Thursday afternoon.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:03:09 GMT

Cops: Teen performs sex acts on 48-year-old inmate

<p> Brevard County deputies are investigating an incident in the Brevard County Jail infirmary where an inmate had sexual relations with another inmate, a 17-year-old girl.</p><p> Tommy Lee Dixon, 48 is being charged with underage sex with a minor.</p><p> According to deputies, Dixon sent the 17-year-old girl love letters, which eventually led to the sexual encounter in the jail infirmary.</p><p> Deputies said the two had planned to meet up in the infirmary where she was being held. The girl then performed sex acts on Dixon on Feb. 7, according to deputies.</p><p> Dixon's charge could lead to more added jail time from his original sentence on drug charges, officials said.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:47:35 GMT

Convention for gay troops to be held at Disney World

<p> A national convention of gay military personnel on active duty will be held at an Army-operated resort on Walt Disney World property this coming fall.</p><p> Convention organizers are announcing Thursday that the Army-operated resort, Shades of Green, will host hundreds of gay and lesbian sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen for the second annual Outserve International Leadership Conference in October.</p><p> Shades of Green is located on Walt Disney World property near Orlando, but it is owned and operated by the Army.</p><p> Convention organizers say it's a big step for the Army to allow the conference to be held at the resort, given that it will be just more than a year since end of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell policy."</p><p> Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.</p>

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:00:20 GMT

Actors who've won both Oscars, Razzies

Even the best actors and actresses are allowed a stinker of a performance now and then. Take, for instance, these stars who can claim both Oscars and Razzies on their resumes.

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Orlando-area mug shot hall of shame

UPDATED DAILY:  Here's a look at some of the individuals who have been arrested recently in Central Florida.

Published: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:11:24 GMT