A 25-year-old Manatee County man who has already piled up 10 felony convictions in his life is facing multiple new felonies after terrorizing at least two people with a firearm on the afternoon of March 2.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Kyle Cartwright was at the Fountain Lake Apartments in the 5500 block of Fountain Lake Circle, suspected of threatening a friend with a firearm inside his friend’s residence.

Deputies say Cartwright read several Bible verses before pulling a firearm, pointing it at the victim and said, “You are going to die. We are all going to die today.”

According to the arrest report, Cartwright held the victim against his will for several hours before a neighbor heard cries for help and called 911.

Deputies say Cartwright fled just before law enforcement arrived. Witnesses began providing information as to Cartwright’s direction of travel when another witness approached deputies.

The witness told deputies that he was working on a unit at the complex when Cartwright ran into the apartment and battered him while trying to pull the witness into the unit with him.

Deputies located Cartwright inside the residence and took him into custody.

According to the report, Cartwright had tossed the weapon and other personal items before making his second illegal entry of the day. Deputies were able to locate the loaded firearm along with a blue notebook that had “Kyle Cartwright” written inside.

Deputies noted Cartwright is a 10-time convicted felon with his most recent conviction in 2017 out of Sarasota County for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Cartwright was booked into the Manatee County jail on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault, two counts of false imprisonment and burglary with assault and battery.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, all of Cartwright’s previous convictions were out of Sarasota County and appear to stem from one crime spree.

He was convicted in late 2013 to early 2014 on three counts of armed burglary, three counts of burglary and grand theft. He was sentenced to five to eight years on each charge, which ran concurrent, meaning he was essentially serving one sentence for each charge.

He remains in custody on bonds totaling $150,000.

Bradenton woman makes off with Winn-Dixie scooter

A 36-year-old Bradenton woman is facing a felony grand theft charge after cruising away from the Winn-Dixie, 1010 53rd Ave., with an electric shopping scooter.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Vanessa Ayala Rosado left the store on the scooter, valued at $2,800, at around 4:20 p.m. on March 2.

Ayala Rosado was located with the scooter about five blocks from the store. She was booked into the Manatee County jail on the grand theft charge. She remains in custody on a $1,500 bond.

Bradenton man jailed for molesting 10-year-old

A 36-year-old Bradenton man was arrested on March 6 for sexually molesting a 10-year-old child, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Abdiel Rivera was booked into the Manatee County jail on a sexual assault on a minor charge and remains in custody without bond.

Racist carjacker?

A 37-year-old Palmetto man was arrested on several felony charges, to include being in possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say they were investigating a carjacking Rodney Dunbar was suspected of being a part of when witnesses noted Dunbar uttered several racial slurs about the victim and deputies to include, “white boy,” and, “there go them crackers.”

According to the arrest report, the suspect was sleeping in his vehicle in the 200 block of 21st Avenue East in Palmetto, when he was approached by a second unknown suspect, pulled from his vehicle and had a gun pointed at him.

The victim recognized Dunbar, who had left in his vehicle with the other suspect. Deputies say the vehicle was tracked by the sheriff’s office aviation unit and a felony traffic stop was conducted on the evening of March 7.

During the search of the vehicle, deputies found a pistol under the seat where Dunbar was seated, along with marijuana, brass knuckles and crack cocaine.

Deputies noted that Dunbar is a seven-time convicted felon with his most recent conviction on May 28, 2021 for felon in possession of a firearm.

Dunbar was booked into the Manatee County jail on multiple charges to include armed burglary, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of marijuana.

Despite seven felony convictions and being arrested on another possession of a firearm of a convicted felon charge, Dunbar was released on March 9 after posting bonds totaling $7,500.

There is no indication that this case is being investigated as a hate crime despite the racist remarks allegedly made by Dunbar.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Dunbar has only served one term in prison. He was convicted in the summer of 2021 on the previous felon in possession of a firearm conviction and sentenced to one year and three months.