When Sam Bellett woke up that dark summer morning, his future couldn’t have been much brighter.
He had just turned 16 and was a week away from starting his junior year in a rigorous academic program at Mandarin High School. He had recently earned a spot on the cross-country team and was on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.
At about 6:15 a.m. Aug. 18, 201... [More]
One moment, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Patrolman Michael Pickering was in pursuit of a suspect. A few minutes later, he was in the back of an ambulance, on his way to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center.
It was Jan. 20, when Pickering felt a pain in the center of his chest during the chase and called for paramedics.
Now on the stretcher, Pickering, 50, felt tired. He wanted to close his ... [More]