Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crashNaples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
CAPE CORAL Island Coast High School employee accused of inappropriate behavior with 2 students We now have new details about the arrest of a Cape Coral instructional support aide at Island Coast High School accused of inappropriate relations with students.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman reunites with husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman has been reunited with her husband’s ashes after struggling with the U.S. Postal Service to find them.
Tim Aten Knows: The Avenue set to break ground on Fifth An upscale mixed-use redevelopment project — The Avenue — will begin construction this quarter on a nearly two-block area of Fifth Avenue South from the former longtime property of St. George & the Dragon restaurant.
Demolition begins on former Winn-Dixie grocery in Estero The walls of the former grocery store at the northwest corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road started coming down last month after reaching an agreement with nearby residents who filed suit to stop the project.
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
CAPE CORAL Island Coast High School employee accused of inappropriate behavior with 2 students We now have new details about the arrest of a Cape Coral instructional support aide at Island Coast High School accused of inappropriate relations with students.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman reunites with husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman has been reunited with her husband’s ashes after struggling with the U.S. Postal Service to find them.
Tim Aten Knows: The Avenue set to break ground on Fifth An upscale mixed-use redevelopment project — The Avenue — will begin construction this quarter on a nearly two-block area of Fifth Avenue South from the former longtime property of St. George & the Dragon restaurant.
Demolition begins on former Winn-Dixie grocery in Estero The walls of the former grocery store at the northwest corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road started coming down last month after reaching an agreement with nearby residents who filed suit to stop the project.
Rae Cotner (Credit: Calvin Cotner) A man has filed a lawsuit against the Cape Coral Police Department because he says an officer didn’t do a wellness check properly. Calvin Cotner was in California and hadn’t heard from his wife in Cape Coral. He called for a wellness check, and the officer said there were no signs of distress and left. Cotner says his wife was found dead the next day. Cotner says he isn’t filing this lawsuit for the money. Instead, he wants to force Cape Coral police to create a wellness check policy because the department doesn’t have one. Cotner believes his wife would be alive today if the officer had just broken down the door to his home as he asked. Calvin and Rae Cotner were married for nearly 30 years. Many of those years they spent traveling and enjoying every moment together. “You realize that life is too short,” said Cotner. In December 2020, Calvin traveled to California alone to visit family and feared the worst when Rae didn’t pick up the phone. “I couldn’t get a hold of her. I tried all day,” said Cotner. Calvin did what so many people do in this situation; he called the police and asked them to do a welfare check. Calvin said Rae was taking several pain medications and worried to she took too much or got confused. When a cape coral police officer got to his house, “He could see her inside and that she was breathing she was in bed. I told him to break down the door. Go in and check on her because it’s not like her to not answer the phone all day long. He says I can’t do that,” said Cotner. The following day, when officers returned, Rae Cotner was dead. A year and a half later, just thinking about Rae’s death still gets to Calvin. “What they did was wrong but what they didn’t do was wrong,” said Cotner. Now, Calvin is suing Cape Coral Police. In the officer’s notes from that night, he wrote, “We can see her in bed breathing but she isn’t waking to answer the phone or door… no signs of distress. Breathing appears normal.” Cotner’s attorney, Michael Beckman, argues at the very least, the officer should’ve called EMS to make that medical determination. “The main cause out of the natural causes was cardiorespiratory so, which means that event could’ve been happening there right there and then it could’ve been rapid breathing, but nobody was called EMS wasn’t called to make that determination,” said Beckman. David Thomas, a law enforcement expert at FGCU, agrees. “If a homeowner gives you permission, then that’s all you need. And so but based on the preponderance of evidence, and by that, I mean, she was nonresponsive, although she was breathing, she was still nonresponsive. I would suspect that they rang doorbells, that beat on doors, they beat on Windows, the phone was ringing, and there’s no response. So how many times does EMS or law enforcement go to a call where a person is nonresponsive, and they end up being transported? Why is this any different only because it’s behind a locked door? But you have that permission? No. I think that they’re hung up on the exigent circumstances, rather than looking at the totality of the circumstances,” said Thomas. “What they did was wrong. I don’t care if I get a dime,” said Cotner. Cotner believes if the officer had entered his home or called EMS, things would have been different. “If she had overdosed, if she had passed out, they could’ve taken her to the hospital and done something,” said Cotner. “That’s what makes me so angry.” While working on this story, WINK News learned most police departments do not have a welfare check policy. One expert said they can’t have a policy for everything. WINK News asked Cape Coral police for comment on the lawsuit, but the department had no comment.