Historic City News is reporting that (Commissioner and former Vice Mayor) Nancy Sikes-Kline's home was firebombed at or about 11 PM on Friday, February 2, 2016, with Commissioner Sikes-Kline, her husband Roger Kline, one of their sons and four friends (and a dog or dogs) in the home. This is apparently a terrorist act directed against one of our own, a popular City Commissioner who was elected in 2008, re-elected in 2010 and again in 2014. This would also appear to be a hate crime, directed against a local government official, in possible violation of multiple federal laws: the FBI and ATF should take the lead in investigating. Don't let the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) handle this without federal assistance.
Fire bomb thrown through window of city commissioner’s residence
Posted on February 27, 2016
At about 11:00 p.m. last night, the occupied residence of City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline was fire-bombed according to a report received by Historic City News today. Nancy and Roger Sikes-Kline, their son and four of his friends were inside the home.
Police are reporting that the incendiary device, a crude Molotov cocktail, was thrown through the son’s bedroom window, burning a hole in the window shade. The flaming Snapple bottle did not break on impact, thus the victims avoided serious, possibly life-threatening injury.
The boys were yelling “fire”, alerting the adults to what had just occurred. One of the occupants at 15 Miruela Avenue ran out of the home into the night, but told officers they were not able to see anyone.
Roger Sikes-Kline ran into the room and tried to put the fire out before St Augustine firefighters arrived at the scene. When he realized that he wasn’t able to extinguish the flame, he picked up the Snapple bottle and moved it to the kitchen.
The bottle shattered on the tile floor, spilling the accelerant, flaming up and setting a bag of dog food on fire. The homeowner grabbed a towel, absorbed the fuel, and threw the flaming towel outside the residence. According to reports, the device smelled of gasoline.
Firefighters responded with Ladder 47, Engine 42 and 43. None of the injuries at the scene required transportation of the occupants to the hospital.
Police are continuing their arson investigation; which includes analysis of physical evidence collected at the scene by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
3 comments:
This act serves to deflect her illegal dual office problems. Cunning.
Citizen involvement in govt is to be lauded and I enjoy public comment at most meetings even if I disagree. But I also laud citizen responsibility to educate themselves before criticizing others. I believe in "facts" not innuendo. The "dual office" statute is to prevent corruption, I think most will agree, in land deals so that one cannot sit one board to make a decision that they can go to the next board and continue that deal for themselves, friends, backers, etc.
Please explain to me how being on a Cultural Resources Review Board whose only decision making authority is whether to forward nominations on historic buildings in the county can be used for personal financial gain by an elected official of the city?
Clearly, Nancy Sikes-Kline is not gaining anything financial by reviewing historic properties for county landmark status that she clearly does not own or have a financial interest in.
It is irresponsible assumptions that lead to divisiveness and even hostility and now Nancy Sikes-Kline and her family are the victims of someone who has targeted them and for what? for holding a position on a cultural board meant to save our historic buildings? Really? Those who make assumptions and accusations without thoroughly vesting their subject and topic can see themselves in a mirror now as part of the problem breaking this country apart.
If you really love your city, your community and your neighbors, then stop tearing them apart and try to find ways to bring everyone together or we will become the same warring tribal lands like the mid-east. Is that really what everyone wants?
Do you contend that this awful incident was somehow related to citizens' First Amendment protected activity?
Or is it the sequelae of JACOB KLINE, Commissioner SIKES-KLINE's son, alleged January 25, 2016 home invasion robbery, for which JACOB KLINE has now reportedly been arrested?
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