In today's roundup of troubling things: A Dolphins player is formally charged for hitting his pregnant girlfriend, city leaders claim Miami's teen curfew is reducing crime, a Hialeah bank robber is on the run, and the Biltmore has finally reached an agreement with Coral Gables.
Miami Dolphins player Phillip Merling was arrested May 27 for hitting his pregnant girlfriend. Now the Broward State Attorney's Office has formally charged him with a felony.
The girlfriend, Kristen Lennon, was two months pregnant with the couple's second child, and officials claim Merling either knew or should have known that fact when he hit her. She was left with a lacerated lip and a swollen face after the attack.
If convicted of the second-degree felony, Merling could face up to 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
The Dolphins have no official comment on the charges, and Merling is still participating in training camp. [Herald]
- Police say crime is down after a curfew for minors went into effect in May. One officer claims shootings are down 30 to 50 percent. [JustNews]
- BB&T bank in Hialeah was robbed Monday morning, and police are searching for the perpetrator. [WSVN]
- The management of the historic Biltmore Hotel and the City of Coral Gables have finally agreed on a plan for the hotel to pay its back rent. [CBS4]
