It’s Tuesday, May 11th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - New details have emerged in the case of a Miami-Dade Police lieutenant and former high-ranking union member who allegedly forced his way into a woman's hotel room before he sexually battered her.
Lt. John Anthony Jenkins, 50, turned himself in Friday to face sexual battery charges in the incident that allegedly took place last month in Palm Beach Gardens. Jenkins' attorney said he looks forward to have a chance in court to "clear his name and reputation," the Miami Herald reported. The report said Jenkins, who recently resigned as executive vice president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, had been staying at the PGA National Resort & Spa while he attended last month's PBA Officer's Ball at the Trump National Jupiter Golf Club. The woman said that when she opened the door to her hotel room, Jenkins followed her inside, pushed her against a wall and began forcibly kissing her, telling her he's had a crush on her for some time, the report said.
No. 2 - Pfizer’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine could be given to kids aged 12-15 as soon as this week.
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The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use status to the Pfizer- BioNtech vaccine for use in that adolescent age group. And for parents like Thelma Fernandez of Miami Gardens, it’s a relief. Fernandez’s 12-year-old son Jacob suffers from seizures and has autism. She says she’s been waiting for a year to be able to give him the best protection from COVID-19 available. Other South Florida parents who feel the same way are encouraging their teens to follow suit. To hear why, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Marissa Bagg.
No. 3 - Tuesday marks 25 years since ValuJet Flight 592 crashed in the Everglades, killing all 110 people on board.
The plane took off from Miami to Atlanta on May 11, 1996. But about 10 minutes later, it plunged into the Everglades after oxygen canisters ignited a fire in the cargo. Lives were forever changed, and the pain of the tragic day remains. Photos provided by Miami-Dade Police show the search to find anything that could be given to the families. NBC 6 investigator Willard Shepard, who anchored our live coverage of the event, spoke with family members of victims and those first responders who helped in the search. Click here for their stories.
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No. 4 - Chris Driedger stopped 30 shots to record his third shutout of the season, Juho Lammikko scored a short-handed goal, and the Florida Panthers secured home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the regular season finale for both clubs on Monday night.
Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal in his first game back from injury, and Alex Wennberg and MacKenzie Weegar also scored goals for the Panthers. Keith Yandle had an assist and recorded his 600th NHL point. The teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs, the first instance of the Sunshine State rivals going head-to-head in the postseason. The NHL has not announced when that series will begin.
No. 5 - A lightning strike in Florida launched a chunk of highway pavement through a truck windshield and injured two people inside the vehicle on Monday morning, according to fire officials.
The Walton County Fire Rescue responded to the accident on Interstate 10 near DeFuniak Springs, news outlets reported. Photos shared by the department on social media showed the Ford pickup truck’s windshield and back window shattered. Walton County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Corey Dobridnia told the Tallahassee Democrat that the two occupants of the vehicle suffered minor lacerations from the smashed glass and “will be fine.”
No. 6 - Hurricane Dorian made landfall nearly two years ago and the scars are still visible across the Abacos.
Endless fields of trees sheared in half and missing their tops. Twisted and mangled steal. Boats nowhere near the ocean. Telephone poles snapped like twigs. Homes without roofs or walls or empty lots where homes once stood. It’s almost two years later and there’s still so much recovery left for the Abacos. NBC 6 meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin traveled to the island to get a firsthand look at the clean-up efforts still in full effect. Click here for his report.
