Volusia News Now

Daytona Beach's Vince Carter started at shooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks at home before a raucous Christmas crowd, scoring 5 points on the losing end as the Miami Heat gave a little payback to the defending NBA champs.

Lebron James scored 37 points for the Heat in the 105-94 win in a game that was lopsided in Miami's favor despite the final score.

PORT ORANGE -- Alcohol may have been a factor in a horrific Christmas eve crash on I-95 with an Oak Hill motorist veering into the passing lane and striking a Broward County family's car, killing one of its passengers after that car flipped over, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Patsy Anne Phillips, 56, of Oak Hill, was southbound in the right lane near the Dunlawton Avenue exit at 5:25 p.m. Saturday when she crossed into the passing lane, striking the other vehicle and causing it to flip over before her own car struck a tree, the highway patrol reported. Phillips was transported to Halifax Health Center with critical injuries.

Alcohol may have been a factor in Phillips striking the other car and charges are pending the results of a homicide investigation, Florida Highway Patrol spoksewoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

MIAMI -- A man's request to have his neighbor turn down loud music because his wife was asleep led to him being stabbed to death during the morning hours of Chrismas eve.

Phillip Arthur, 24, stabbed once in the chest at 9:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of Northwest 66th Street, died within minutes of his arrival at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Unit from Liberty City, police said. Dorian W. Hinkson, 51, was taken into custody and the knife weas receovered.

For more details, please visit: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/24/2560512/miami-man-stabbed-to-death-after.html.

COCOA -- A 44-year-old Cocoa man was struck and killed by a motorist while trying to cross U.S. 1 near Roundtree Drive on Saturday night, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The Brevard County victim's identity was withheld while troopers were in the process of contacting his family with the tragic news on Christmas eve in the wake of the 7:50 p.m. accident.

The man was transported to Wuesthoff Rockledge Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later, highway patrol spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

PORT ORANGE, Fla. -- A robber who implied he had a gun walked up to a teller on this busy Christmas eve shopping morning at the TD Bank, 1101 Dunlawton Ave., demanded money, and after getting it, walked right back out and drove off in a tan-colored 4-door car, Port Orange police said.

DELTONA -- A 26-year-old woman was struck and killed early Wednesday night after she stepped into the path of an oncoming vehicle while crossing Howland Boulevard in Deltona, a Volusia Ciunty Sheriff's spokesman said.

The crash, which occurred at  6:20 p.m. where Howland and Courtland boulevards intersect, is under investigation by the Sheriff's Office. Shinnique Comer, a Deltona resident, was crossing the road when she was struck by a mini-van that was traveling westbound on Howland Boulevard.

"Several people witnessed the collision and called 911 to report the crash to the Sheriff's Office," agency spokesman Brandon Haught said. "Deputies were on-scene within 4 minutes, where an off-duty paramedic was attempting to revive the victim. Witnesses told deputies that she was talking on a cell phone while crossing the street."

It was the wedding of the new century. William and Kate exchanged their vows in April before a worldwide TV audience in Westminster Abbey, but they didn't kiss until later when they emerged on the Buckingham Palace balcony with not one, but two kisses.

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic have waived guard Gabe Pruitt, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Otis Smith announced Wednesday night following the team's preseason game vs. Miami.

Pruitt, who did not appear in either of Orlando's two preseason outings,  was third on the depth chart at point guard behind Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2009 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics out of USC.