James Nelson

The sheriff’s department is looking for a 20-year-old Margaretta man who twice during the past week managed to flee on foot from deputies attempting to arrest him on a warrant for violating probation.

James Latherias Nelson first gave police the slip the morning of April 10 when he jumped from the rear passenger seat of a 2013 Buick that briefly sped off from Deputy Trey McCullough on Lowder St. in west Macclenny.

The deputy turned around on the vehicle driven by Veronica Manning, 35, of Glen St. Mary when it failed to stop at the intersection with Minnesota Ave. about 10 am. He chased it to a residence on Big Blvd. near the school bus garage and saw Mr. Nelson scale a six-foot fence before running off toward the CSX tracks.

Ms. Manning and passenger Antonio Lee, 22, of Glen initially told the deputy they did not know the identity of the fleeing passenger, then under threat of arrest admitted to Deputy McCullough that he was Mr. Nelson, who has the nickname “Monkey.”

Two mornings later about the same time, Deputy Chris Walker said he was tipped off that Mr. Nelson and another male were in a Chevrolet SUV outside a residence on Ruise Lane in Margaretta.

The vehicle sped off when the officer approached in his patrol car and turned onto Davis Rd. where it pulled up to a residence and both occupants fled on foot through a field of tall grass.

Deputy Walker identified one of the men as Mr. Nelson. The vehicle belonged to Tosha Coleman, who said she allowed the fugitive to use it the previous day.

Mr. Nelson is on probation for criminal mischief, burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

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Baker County High School varsity football coach Ryan Sulkowski used this week’s school board meeting as an opportunity to issue a public apology for his use of a school district credit card to buy alcoholic beverages at a Clay County restaurant following a sporting event in February.

“This is something that’s been on my heart,” Coach Sulkowski said, as he stood before the board during a community meeting in the sanctuary at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ in Margaretta. “I’m standing here, humble. I wanted to apologize for any negative reaction to the mistake I made.”

School board chairman Dean Griffis said Mr. Sulkowski, who was recruited to Baker County from Colorado in April 2010, had requested time to address the school board under a place on the agenda designated for “citizen input.”

Kristen Hilliard (at left) of Sanderson explains to Deputy Trey McCullough why she didn’t believe she struck Wanda Dodson, 61, of Macclenny with her pickup truck as she backed out of a space at the Family Dollar Store on US 90 downtown the afternoon of April 15.

Ms. Hilliard, 24, said she backed straight out of one space to move into another because of a water puddle about 3 pm, and was asked by an unidentified male witness, “Did you just run over that lady?” Ms. Hilliard then looked to the front of her truck to see Ms. Dodson lying face up on the pavement.

Deputy McCullough’s report notes Ms. Hilliard was “adamant” she did not run over the woman because she “did not feel a bump ...” Rescue personnel said Ms. Dodson had no visible injuries but she was flown to Shands Jacksonville for observation. Another witness told the deputy Ms. Dodson was in the store moments before and appeared to be disoriented or under the influence of a substance.

Chief Dolan

About seven years after Richard Dolan became Baker County’s first full time fire chief in charge of an all-volunteer firefighting force, the county is now searching for his successor. Mr. Dolan plans to retire at the end of this month, ending a career that began in 1979 as a volunteer firefighter in Jacksonville.

After 34 years in the stressful, physically demanding job putting out fires at all hours of the day and night, plus responding to countless car crashes and other accidents, Mr. Dolan said he wants to retire while he is still relatively healthy.

“I had six bypasses (heart surgery) three years ago,” the 60-year-old chief said last week after discussing the matter with county commissioners during a workshop session on April 2.

During a regular board meeting immediately following the workshop, the board voted 4-1 to seek a full-time replacement for Mr. Dolan, whose annual salary is $43,000, after rejecting a proposal offered by Commissioner James Croft to hire someone part time to do the job for $12,000.

During the workshop County Manager C.J. Thompson said the actual work performed by Mr. Dolan and the time he invests in the job clearly demonstrate that it is a full time role.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen him respond (to an emergency) in the middle of the night after working all day. It’s a 24/7 job,” Mr. Thompson said.