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City of Bradenton & BPD covered up Chief Melanie Bevan's car crash

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4d ago

In 2019, shortly after the annual Desoto Parade, Police Chief Melanie Bevan struck Rita Bonnett with her unmarked Ford Explorer. Bonnett, who was holding her 4-year-old daughter at the time, managed to throw her daughter out of the vehicle's path but was unable to break her fall. She hit her head on the ground, suffering a traumatic brain injury that has resulted in seizures, migraines, and recurring nightmares about being run over.

A rookie officer wrote the incident report, which was later approved by a veteran sergeant. The report, however, did not include Bevan's name. According to a former department source, the officer claimed he was instructed by two superiors on what to write.

Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown has never publicly addressed the incident, despite his office being served with a summons for a negligence lawsuit filed in 2021 by Bonnett against the city. Brown, who also serves as the city's police commissioner, oversees Bevan. At the time of the accident in 2019, however, Brown was a city council member, and Wayne Poston was mayor. Poston, too, was Bevan's supervisor.

At least 10 individuals may have been aware of the accident, including Bevan, Brown, Poston, Bradenton Police Officer Josh Lunder, Sgt. Joseph Kelly, Lt. Shannon Seymour, Assistant Chief and current city councilman Josh Cramer, BPD Legal Advisor Paul Driscoll, City Administrator Rob Perry, and City Attorney Scott Rudacille. Yet, the incident has never been mentioned in any Bradenton City Council meetings, according to agendas and minutes. Additionally, it has never been publicly disclosed that a settlement was reached in 2022, likely using taxpayer money.

Read the full Herald Tribune investigation... https://archive.ph/wljbi

Tanner Farmer

 Tanner Farmer

Tanner Farmer

It’s no secret that at the beginning of the holidays (thanksgiving-Christmas) our district is easy pickings for entering autos, one way to combat crime in our neighborhood is STREET LIGHTS!! Not only does it reduce crime it also has a significant impact on reducing traffic accidents! When elected, I will fight for street lights on every road in our district and in our parks!! MAKE CHEROKEE HEIGHTS SAFE!!

Rules for thee, but not for me?

 William Tompkins

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Rules for thee, but not for me? If you have been following social media or attending city commission meetings, you are likely aware of the ethics complaints that have been filed. The primary concern raised is the lack of oversight regarding city officials' use of city-issued credit cards. Specifically, there have been allegations of questionable charges on one commissioner's credit card. While one commissioner was singled out and investigated, the city commission declined to authorize an outside investigation into all city-issued cards. That is troublesome. Are they afraid of what an investigation might turn up? As someone with 25 years of management experience, I have only had one instance where I was issued a company credit card. In my opinion, eliminating city-issued credit cards could be beneficial. In most corporate settings, employees are provided with a daily meal allowance guideline when traveling. Expenses are reimbursed upon submission of receipts, minimizing the potential for questionable charges. It is perplexing that the entire commission would not welcome an independent investigation. If elected, I pledge to refuse a city credit card. It is time for honesty, accountability, and integrity in city hall. Elect me as your next commissioner, and together, we can strive to make our city a city of excellence.

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