Dannielle Garcia
WINK News
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Past articles by Dannielle:
Drug bust in Fort Myers leads to arrest after months of planning
A woman is in custody after a major drug bust on Grand Ave in Fort Myers on Wednesday. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Shenna Nicole Gentry was leaving her apartment complex when they arrived and detectives got her just in time. “When this Bearcat pulls up, it’s not just pull up, get out, and […] → Read More
Researching rattlesnakes in Southwest Florida
Graduate students in Southwest Florida are trapping dangerous rattlesnakes for research. It’s not what most people want to find in their yard but on Thursday a 14-year-old boy walking in an overgrown grassy area to go fishing was bitten by one of the snakes. He is recovering at a hospital ICU. It’s snake-mating season now, […] → Read More
Port Charlotte man gets tombstone of baby Gideon back to family
A tombstone discovered in Southwest Florida that dates back to the Civil War is back where it belongs. WINK News first brought you this story in 2020. A SWFL man discovered the tombstone in his backyard months after purchasing his house. Now, WINK News is speaking to the family of the child to whom the […] → Read More
Fort Myers police body cameras getting an upgrade
The Fort Myers police’s body camera system is getting an upgrade. Now, if a police officer pulls out a gun or taser, their body camera will automatically start recording. Fort Myers police said it’s about transparency and security. If someone makes a misconduct allegation when it comes to an officer using his or her gun, […] → Read More
Airline staffing problems leaving passengers stranded
Several airlines are experiencing staffing issues and that is leaving some passengers stranded or not going on their trips at all. One airline is doing what it can to change this trend. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Allegiant Air needs to hire people and fast. So, the company has partnered with CareerSource to hold […] → Read More
Expert discusses how difficult it would be to hold President Putin accountable for war crimes
Thousands of people have been killed since the start of the war. Thus many world leaders say Russian President Vladimir Putin is committing.. → Read More
Child comes home with mark on arm after coming from Collier day care
A mother is outraged after her child returned home from day care with a mark on his body. The mom’s initial reaction was to believe that what happened had an innocent explanation, but now she thinks something else is going on and wants to know what. Her little boy came home from day care with […] → Read More
Doggy ambassador for LCSO gets a promotion and a new prosthetic leg
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has another doggy ambassador. Deputies found Hope a year ago. “Hope was a very abused dog,” said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno. She was so badly abused that a vet had to amputate her leg. But the trauma doesn’t slow her down. “You would think that a dog that’s abused […] → Read More
How social media handles censorship and graphic content
A video on social media that showed a 14-year-old falling from an Orlando ride is still up. But how can that be if politicians get in trouble for social media posts? Right now, there is no law or regulation prohibiting people from posting that video on Facebook or Twitter. Of course, sometimes there will be […] → Read More
Reuniting two unlikely friends from a Southwest Florida Publix
A little girl and a Publix worker have a special bond. A video from inside a Southwest Florida grocery store is going viral on social media. That little girl first met that Publix employee when she was a toddler, and he has watched her grow up ever since. The two reunited for the first time […] → Read More
Teen who shot at Lee County deputy appears in court after turning himself in
17-year-old Eusebio Montoya made his first appearance in court after turning himself in. After a county-wide manhunt, Montoya turned himself in on Saturday night. WINK News reporter Dannielle Garcia explains charges Montoya could face. Just two weeks before his 18th birthday, Montoya appeared before a judge. “I am going to order that you be held […] → Read More
Woman accused of killing 4-year-old in Arcadia day care crash transported back to DeSoto County
A young woman who deputies say killed a 4-year-old on a day care playground has a fresh jumpsuit and a new place to stay. Kiara Morant got her fingerprints taken at the DeSoto County Jail on Monday. Morant is now locked up just down the street from the day care where the crash happened last […] → Read More
Missing Cape Coral man identified as body found in canal
Cape Coral police have identified the body found in a canal in Cape Coral as missing 22-year-old Jeremiah Don Ballam Jr. This is heartbreak. The moments after members of JJ Ballam’s family say divers found his body in a Cape Coral canal. Police say Ballam was last seen leaving Backstreets Bar around 3:30 Sunday morning. […] → Read More
Caught on Camera: Truck hits car after running a red light then drives off
A truck ran a red light, smashed into the driver’s side of a car, and then took off. This happened near the intersection of Hancock Bridge Parkway and Del Prado Blvd. The whole crash was caught on dashcam video, and you can clearly see the truck blow past the red light. The video is clear, […] → Read More
Lee County sheriff looks to almost double narcotics unit
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is looking to double its narcotics unit. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno likes to talk tough especially when it comes to drugs. “It’s literally poison on our streets and when you take it off it saves lives,” Marceno said in a one-on-one interview with WINK News in Oct. 2020. The […] → Read More
Woman saves life of teen shot at Bonita Springs park
A teen who was shot in Bonita Springs on Wednesday was saved by a woman who swung into action. The shooting happened at Leitner Park. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and has not identified who was shot. They did say he will likely survive. Deputies have also not said if they have made […] → Read More
Two arrested, accused of Lehigh Acres crime spree
Two men have been arrested in connection with a Wednesday home robbery and car chase in Lehigh Acres. Willie Bell, 18, and 20-year-old Demetrius Beckworth are accused of leading Lee County deputies in a high-speed chase through neighborhoods and traffic that ended after the two drove to a canal. The two disregarded all form of […] → Read More
Everglades Seafood Festival underway in Everglades City
The Everglades Seafood Festival is kicking off in Everglades City. The best part is that all of the money raised goes right back into the community. The funds will be used to support commercial fishers as that industry continues to struggle. Another portion of the funds will go to schools to pay for books and […] → Read More
Mother arrested, accused of inciting riot among teens in Fort Myers
What started off with two teenage girls fighting on social media ends with a riot and a couple of arrests. Fort Myers police say a woman drove a group of teens to a fight. Iris Rivera Roman is now charged with inciting violence. Roman declined to speak in detail to WINK News. The fight was […] → Read More
FMPD officer takes the stand, defends his actions in excessive force trial
A trial is underway for the two officers accused of using excessive force on a Southwest Florida man. Holley jones is suing two Fort Myers police officers, Andrew Barlow and Christian Robles, for tasing him at a 7-Eleven back in 2018. Jones’ attorney says the arrest was unlawful because he had not committed a crime, […] → Read More