A Miami man was arrested this week after police received a tip that he was selling marijuana-laced candy.

Christopher Vazquez, 34, appeared in bond court Wednesday on charges of trafficking marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $26,000.

Miami police officers seized 59 clear plastic bags, 184 push pops, 54 chocolate bars and six candy bars -- all of which were laced with marijuana. Police said they confiscated 51.63 pounds of marijuana and found $1,600 in Vazquez's pocket.

Police said they don't know from where the pot candy is coming and whether it is being manufactured in Miami or somewhere else.

Further details were not immediately released pending the investigation.

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Local 10 News is has learned more about the bridge tender who was on duty the day a woman fell to her death from a drawbridge bridge in Miami.

The bridge house sits high along the Miami River, allowing boats to ease through the area of Northwest 12th Street and 11th Avenue.

But how clear is the vantage point for workers from the control tower?

Our search for answers took us to a southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood to find someone who would know best: Christine Veronica Gulsaran, the bridge tender on duty that fateful afternoon.

It was Tuesday when rescuers rushed to the bridge after it went up as 61-year old Olga Aponte was walking across.

The woman gripped a side rail before falling 40 feet to the pavement below.

Gulsaran told police she did not see the victim.

Gulsaran's mother answered the door, but it wasn't long before the 24-year old bridge tender surfaced.

"I don't have anything to say, please leave," she said. "If you have any questions, you can call the main office."

We know Gulsaran has been on the job about one year as an employee with Florida Drawbridges Inc., which is contracted through Florida Department of Transportation.

Aponte's family is still in search of answers. Local 10 News learned Thursday that the woman died of internal bleeding after suffering a broken ankle, broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

"It doesn't make a lot of sense. It really doesn't," Aponte's grandson said.

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A Sweetwater police officer was involved in a multi-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon near Dolphin Mall.

Sky 10 was above the scene at Northwest 12th Street and Northwest 111th Avenue just after 5 p.m.

It appeared that at least four vehicles were involved in the crash.

It's unclear whether any injuries were reported.

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Opa-locka leaders are working on a plan to face their financial problems as the city faces an $8 million deficit.

Some tragic news about a man who grabbed the hearts and attention of South Floridians one year ago.

Terry Owens, 67, died Wednesday night after choking on some food. During the incident, Owens went into cardiac arrest and died.

“I have never had better friend. Terry was a real treasure but he was almost invisible to most people. He was painfully shy.” said Peter Harrington, Terry’s best friend

Local 10 News featured Owens, who suffered from severe dementia, in a series of stories in November 2014.

Friends say Owens was lured into a Fort Lauderdale beauty shop and sold $8,000 worth of beauty products he didn't even remember buying.

Those same friends say the shy, innocent and vulnerable man didn’t even know what day of the week it was and in no way knew what he was doing.

The owner of Luxury Beauty, across from the Galt Ocean Mile in Fort Lauderdale, refused to give Terry his money back until Local 10's Jeff Weinsier got involved and confronted him.

Weeks after Local 10 News exposed the issue Luxury Beauty closed, but not before they eventually returned all of Owens' money.

But State Lawmakers were disgusted with State Senator Jeremy Ring drafting legislation to protect those with dementia.

Senate bill 726 became known as Terry's Law.

Under the law, anyone declared mentally incompetent by a doctor would have 72 hours to return merchandise worth $1,000 or more.

Although the bill passed through two committees, it failed to make it out of third.

However, the push to pass Terry's law lives on as Senator Ring has already refiled the bill for the upcoming legislative session begins in January.

Once a mathematical genius, Owens first taught math, then become an actuary before the dementia reduced a brilliant mind to nothing. 

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Miami-Dade police Officer Lourdes Hernandez became the first female in Miami-Dade County history Friday to successfully pass the modified SRT boot camp training school.

The five-week intensive course is both physically and mentally draining. It is a feat not lost on women who hope to have a future in law enforcement.

"It means the door is open. And not only is the door open, but there is an example that they can, in fact, succeed if they persevere, if they work hard (and) if they want to do it," Miami-Dade Police Director J.D. Patterson said. "There's an opportunity that is open to them."

Hernandez said Friday's induction was the culmination of a three-year journey for her.

"I tried out two years ago. I didn't make the tryouts," Hernandez told Local 10 News. "So I trained a little bit harder and came back."

Hernandez, whom her friends call "Lou Lou," said there was never a point during boot camp that she considered dropping out.

"I wasn't going to allow anybody to take it from me in one moment of grief or one moment of weakness," she said.

Her parents were gleaming with pride Friday.

"She is a very tough cookie," father Joaquin Hernandez said.

"She has been like that from day one," mother Olivia Hernandez added. "When she was born, whenever she wanted to do something, she made would make sure she did it."

Instructors at the boot camp didn't take it easy on her because she was a woman. In fact, Hernandez said she sometimes felt they were tougher on her.

"She's very tough," instructor Anthony Prieto said. "If not, she wouldn't have made it. There are plenty of guys that started that are not here. "

Hernandez now has to decide whether she wants to join the SWAT team or take her career in another direction. Whatever she decides, it seems likely she will succeed.

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A man wanted by Coral Gables police in connection with a carjacking and shooting that happened on Halloween was arrested Friday morning, a day after he turned 18.

Luis Alberto Basalo was taken into custody in the area of Northwest 21st Avenue and 18th Street in Miami.

"We believe Basalo is the shooter. He was cooperative. He did not put a fight,” Lauren Poole of the Coral Gables Police Department said.

A witness told Local 10 News reporter John Turchin that police came through the neighborhood quietly.

walk to jail

"Two officers, two unmarked cars blocked the road (and) came through quietly, telling everyone to back up quietly," John Johnson said. "Then, two other officers came and helped, I guess, and, more officers and more officers and then they came through quietly. Very quietly, no sirens, nothing."

According to the 19-year-old victim who was driving the car, he was picking up his girlfriend from work at Sunset Place last Saturday when Basalo and four others asked him for a ride.

He agreed, and the group got into his car. He headed down U.S. Highway 1 and was told to turn on Rosaro Avenue.

"I put the car in park, and he immediately put a gun to my head," he said.

The victim said he was shot twice and his girlfriend was shot once in the knee.

The group fled in his car in the 400 block of Rosaro Avenue, leaving them both stranded and injured. The victim managed to call 911, and he and his girlfriend were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

On Thursday, police said that had interviewed the four others involved in the carjacking, two men and two women, but had made no arrests. Police were still searching for Basalo, who they said was the gunman.

The victim’s black Infiniti was found Thursday with its Miami Heat license plate switched out with a generic Florida plate.

"I am overjoyed that the intense collaboration between one of my senior violent crimes prosecutor, the Coral Gables Police Department and the Miami Police Department has led to this individual being taken into custody," State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle said. "It is only a matter of luck that these two young victims were not fatally assaulted. The process of developing the proper and appropriate criminal charges is now underway."

Basalo faces armed carjacking and attempted first-degree murder charges.

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A man who was fatally shot during an attempted robbery in Lauderhill earlier this week has been identified as Donald Johnston, 29, the relative of three employees of the Broward Sheriff's Office.

Johnston was one of three people who were shot Wednesday night near the garage of a condominium at 5707 NW 21st St.

All of the victims were taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where Johnston died Thursday.

"Our hearts are heavy as we extend our sincere condolences and prayers to Katherine Wilson, a 22-year veteran with our agency, and her family as they mourn the tragic death of her son Donald Johnston," the BSO said in a statement Friday.

Wilson is married to former court deputy Leroy Wilson. Leroy Wilson's daughter, Ericka Pratt, is a senior background investigator with the department.

The other two victims remain in the hospital in critical condition.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

Dr. Ben Carson is the keynote speaker at the Diamond and Ice scholarship dinner on a day when new questions about his stories of a violent childhood arose.

Those stories, and the apparently false claim that he got a full ride to the Military Academy at West Point, are garnering attention.

"I would hit people with hammers," Carson once said. "Almost put a guy's eye out one time."

Statements like that from Carson, a GOP presidential candidate, are under scrutiny Friday. Several of Carson's friends and classmates told CNN they have no memory of an incident from his youth in Detroit in which he said he tried to stab a close friend.

"I was a little surprised by it," Carson's friend, Tim McDaniel, said.

Carson claims he changed the names of people involved in his latest book to protect their privacy.

"If you choose to believe I'm incapable of these acts, it's a compliment," Carson told CNN Friday morning.

Meanwhile, Carson's campaign is now saying the White House hopeful didn't get a formal scholarship offer to the Military Academy at West Point, something he described in his autobiography. This comes after the prestigious academy said they have no records of Carson's application. A representative said Carson got offers of an appointment to West Point but, ultimately, never applied.

South Florida supporters showed up for Carson at two book signings in Kendall and Ford Lauderdale on Thursday.

Carson will speak at Friday night's scholarship gala, according to the program. Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele will also speak. The event begins at 7 p.m. Local 10 News will be there.

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A man was arrested this week after leaving the scene of a crash on Interstate 95 in Pompano Beach, authorities said.

Andrew Smith, 27, was arrested Thursday on charges of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

The crash was reported just after 11 a.m. Thursday on I-95 near Southwest 10th Street.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol arrest report, Smith was driving a white Chrysler Town and Country minivan when he crashed into a blue Ford F-150.

The woman who was driving the truck called 911 and spotted the minivan exiting I-95 southbound onto Atlantic Boulevard.

The woman pulled up to the vehicle and said it appeared that Smith was asleep at the wheel, holding up traffic.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper arrived and took Smith into custody after he was first awakened and checked out by paramedics.

The trooper said Smith claimed that he was tired and had only taken medication for his diabetes.

According to the report, Smith smelled of alcohol and his eyes were bloodshot and watery. A beer can was also found in his vehicle. The arresting trooper said Smith gave inconsistent statements about the crash and what direction he was traveling.

Further investigation revealed that Smith was also driving with a suspended license.

According to the trooper, Smith seemed uneasy on his feet and spoke in an incoherent manner, repeatedly telling the trooper "Thank you for your time."

Smith went on to fail a field sobriety test, and his mood shifted from sarcasm to anger to being very polite during his ride to jail, the trooper said.

The victim was not injured in the crash.

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Investigators from the Miami-Dade Police Department's Economic Crimes Bureau are working to confirm the identities of the credit card victims believed to be targeted by a crime ring that was busted Thursday in southwest Miami-Dade County.

Police said 100 gift cards encoded with stolen credit card numbers were found at one of the three properties that were targeted in the investigation. They said the credit card information was lifted from gas station skimmers.

Local 10 News investigative reporter Christina Vazquez was with detectives from the bureau's Organized Fraud Intelligence Squad Thursday when the discovery was made.

"Basically, anything that contains a magnetic strip can be re-encoded with a victim's credit card information. Every credit card is one victim. We have over 105 victims in this one case alone," Economic Crimes Bureau Detective Marcos Rodriguez said.

In this case, detectives said the stolen credit card numbers were being used to purchase diesel fuel.

"Steal fuel and then sell it to truck drivers," Sgt. Leo Fuentes said.

They also found four black cables that may be related to skimmers that are still out there. 

"These cables are, basically, cables that come in the package in which skimmers are bought. They buy these skimmers online, they take them apart, (and) they rig them in order to be able to retrofit them in the fuel pumps," Rodriguez said. "In (one) particular house, we found four. That means that this organization alone in this house had, at one point in time, four skimmers, which are currently or probably out there right now attached to fuel pumps."

Detectives also found a grow house and an illegal cockfighting ring operation while executing search warrants.

Some of the people arrested after the massive police raid were facing serious charges in bond court Friday.

Investigators are currently trying to track down which gas stations those people whose credit card numbers were found on the gift cards may have visited in order to locate the possible outstanding skimmers.  Each skimmer can carry up to 2,000 credit card numbers, which means up to 8,000 people may be at risk.

If you believe you've found a skimmer or a gas pump that's been tampered with, you're urged to contact the gas station manager, local law enforcement or the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA. 

Follow Christina Vazquez on Twitter @CallChristinaTV

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David Beckham's plan to bring Major League Soccer to Miami is in jeopardy because of a battle over land rights with landowners near Marlins Park.

Violeta Jimenez told Local 10 News that she bought her home in April 1979 and loves it there.  

"It's a long time. The neighborhood changed a lot and everything," she said.

Jimenez's next-door neighbor is her own sister who helps her out.

"I prefer to live here until the day that I die," Jimenez said.

Her private property next to Marlins Park is one of six in the area where David Beckham's group wants to build a 30,000-seat stadium.  

There is empty land owned by the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County, which Beckham will pay millions to use, but the privately owned parcels are still in the way. Beckham's group told Local 10 News that the owners are demanding up to 15 times the market value.

Jimenez said no one from the soccer star's group has approached her about her property, but Local 10 asked her if she would be willing to sell the land.

"I'm going to tell you something," she said. "Everything has a price."

The Candy House Day Care next door to her home is already in negotiations with the group, but Beckham's team said it can only go so far before it moves on and changes course.

"They have the right to decide whether or not they want to sell and, if they want to sell, what they want to sell for," Tim Leiweke of Miami Beckham United said. "I think, unfortunately, they see a pot of gold."

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The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a missing cruise ship passenger who fell overboard near the Bahamas.

Coast Guard officials said the incident happened on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Seas about 1 a.m. Friday.

Cruise ship workers told the Coast Guard that a 35-year-old man jumped from the seventh deck onto a life raft below and then fell into the water. Video taken by a passenger shows him holding on to a ledge near the life raft before falling into the water. He was last seen wearing a pink shirt and white shorts.

"I'm not sure if they slipped off. I'm not sure exactly what happened. However, just with that information, he fell into the water in the dark," Coast Guard Petty Officer Mark Barney said. "Those are things we are definitely concerned about."

The ship was about 17 miles east of the Turks and Caicos and 80 miles away from the Bahamas when the man fell.

"Our report was that he jumped on to a lifeboat and subsequently fell into the water, but regardless of how he ended up in the water, we're concerned right now about just finding him," Barney said.

The cruise send two smaller boats from the ship to look for the man.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean said the passenger was from Brazil.

"He was spotted by Oasis of the Seas crew members intentionally going over the side of the ship," Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said. "A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched and is currently assisting us with the search. Our care team is providing support to the guest's family and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time."

The cruise is expected to return to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday morning.

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A newly released report from the Department of Children and Families shows that the Miami Beach Police Department were concerned about the well-being of a toddler months before he drowned when he fell of the boat where he lived with his parents.

In the report, officers claim that the boat's conditions were "disgusting and horrific." Police said there were no bathroom, no sink and no air conditioning on the boat. They also said that trash littered the boat as well as dog feces from the family's pit bull.

"There are concerns that the baby is crawling through the feces and trash on the boat because there is no part of the boat that does not contain trash or dog feces," the Aug. 19 report said.

Yadriel Alba, who was 16 months old, was found floating in the water on Oct. 23. Police said his father was at the grocery store and came back to find Alba's mother sleeping and the toddler gone.

Police told DCF in August that "there was no concern for the development of the child," but feared that he wasn't being fed or properly nourished. They also said that the boy appeared to be dirty and his clothes appeared to be dirty.

"It is not known how an adult let alone a baby could live in this environment," the report said.

READ: Full DCF report

According to officers, Yadriel's father, Oscar Estable, 39, told police that he would shoot someone if they came back to his boat.

DCF followed up on the Police Department's claims and said it did not find evidence to support the allegations.

According to the DCF's final report on Oct. 9, the couple felt they were being picked on by Border Patrol, police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission because authorities believed their boat was abandoned.

Investigators said there was a full-sized kitchen, toilet, sink, shower, clothing and a bed for Yadriel. They said the AC was working and there were no environmental hazards found.

Estable told investigators that his son usually is with his maternal grandmother who lives in Las Vegas and takes care of Yadriel's mother's other child.

The grandmother also told DCF that she usually has the children. The grandfather told DCF that he never saw the boat in deplorable conditions.

Police said the family lives on their boat between Star Island and Palm Island.

Neither parent has been charged in the case, but police said the investigation is still open.

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A man from Kendall has been charged with unlawfully possessing the components of four pipe bombs after a garbage truck exploded in a neighborhood last month.

The truck exploded Oct. 23 while outside a home at 10620 SW 129th Court.

Prosecutors said an investigation led detectives to the home of Jonathan Dittemore, 24, where they found various explosive powders and components to construct pipe bombs.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the truck driver, John Lewis Webb, 33, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to West Baptist Hospital.

Miami-Dade police said windows in a nearby home shattered during the explosion.

Dittemore faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted.

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On Thursday, the puppet, the board game Twister and the Super Soaker became the latest inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame.

In addition to the tapeworm that nearly killed a California man this week, there are at least four more equally disturbing parasites to worry about.

After a few slow weeks at the box office, this weekend looks to have a license to kill thanks to Bond, James Bond, returning to theaters.

"Spectre," the 24th installment in the spy franchise, hit U.S. theaters this weekend and shot through the box office making $28 million for its opening day on Friday.

The film, starring Daniel Craig as the suave British spy, has already had a record-breaking opening in the United Kingdom. It looks to be taking aim for one of the biggest Bond openings ever.

Hollywood analysts have projected that the film will bring in $80 million to $85 million for its opening in North America. If the film lands on the higher end of that forecast it could have a chance at becoming the biggest Bond opening ever -- passing the $88.3 million that "Skyfall" made in 2012.

The studios distributing the film, Sony and MGM, are being more conservative with expectations, predicting a U.S. opening closer to $75 million after Friday's totals.

"Coming off of 'Skyfall' the property is as popular as it has ever been," said Phil Contrino, chief box office analyst at BoxOffice.com. "The marketing campaign is strong and the trailers have been action packed."

Contrino also made the point that the James Bond franchise is a series that thrives off of its unique villains. Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz represents "a perfect Bond villain," who could help bring more people to theaters.

The box office of "Spectre" may also get a boost seeing as it could be the final film in which Craig plays 007.

This is the fourth time that Craig has played Bond since 2006's "Casino Royale," and for many fans he's rivaled only by Sean Connery.

The box office would seemingly agree seeing that Craig's three films have averaged $240 million at the U.S. box office, when accounting for inflation. This is second only to Connery whose six films averaged $345 million.

Craig was quoted as saying that he'd rather "slash my wrists" than play Bond again, but he clarified those comments on NBC's "Today on Thursday" saying that he had a "massive amount of fun" making "Spectre."

While no one is sure if we'll see Craig in the bow tie and tux once more, Contrino feels that if Craig does move on, James Bond, a prolific billion dollar movie franchise, shouldn't be too shaken or stirred.

"The franchise is in great shape, and if they find a new actor with a new take on it, then I think James Bond fans would still be more than receptive to the series," Contrino said.

Going back to World War II, only three Miami coaches won their first two games with the Hurricanes.

That is, until now.

Brad Kaaya returned from a one-game absence to pass for 286 yards and two touchdowns, Stacy Coley had 132 receiving yards with a score and Miami topped Virginia 27-21 on Saturday. The Hurricanes moved to 2-0 under interim coach Larry Scott, who joined Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and Larry Coker as the only coaches in the last 70 years to have such a start with Miami.

David Njoku had a 5-yard touchdown catch to open the scoring and set up Mark Walton's 1-yard fourth-quarter scoring run with a 58-yard grab for Miami (6-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which is bowl-eligible and still in the race for the ACC's Coastal Division title.

Matt Johns completed 29 of 42 passes for 280 yards for Virginia (3-6, 2-3), which lost its 14th consecutive road game and needs to win out in order to reach a bowl for the first time since 2011. The Cavaliers had a fourth-quarter touchdown nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty, and Miami put the game away with a field goal from Michael Badgley on the ensuing drive.

Ian Frye kicked four field goals for the Cavaliers, including a 47-yarder that made it a six-point game with 35 seconds left. But Miami recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

The Cavaliers were down 14-5 in the second quarter then put together 10 unanswered points for the lead. Olamide Zaccheaus capped a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 3-yard run for score midway through the third to put the Cavaliers on top 15-14.

It lasted all of 2 minutes, 20 seconds.

Miami came right back with a field goal to reclaim the lead then Kaaya finding Njoku on a long catch-and-run set up the touchdown run by Walton that allowed the Hurricanes to finally exhale.

Miami was without Artie Burns, the junior cornerback whose mother died unexpectedly late last month. The Hurricanes said Burns missed the game because of the strain of his family situation.

It's the first time since 2008 that Miami swept its ACC rivals from the state of Virginia. The Hurricanes topped Virginia Tech 30-20 earlier this season.

Miami's win sets up a huge game at North Carolina (8-1, 5-0) next weekend. The Hurricanes have to win to remain in the Coastal race, while the Tar Heels could potentially wrap up the division title.

The U.S. economy made big strides in October.

And one of the brightest spots was that a lot of America's part-time workers have been able to find full-time work.

The number of part-time workers who would rather have full-time jobs has fallen by more than 1 million to 5.7 million in the past 12 months. It's the lowest number since 2008.

"It's a real sign that the labor market is healing," says Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the think tank American Action Forum.

The rise in part-time workers has been one of the most unsettling trends of the Great Recession and the years since. Most of these workers are doing it not out of choice but because they haven't been able to find full-time work.

There's a lot to worry about. Part-time workers -- defined as people working under-35 hours a week -- are five times more likely to live in poverty than full-time workers, according to a report by Rebecca Glauber, a professor at the University of New Hampshire.

The majority of these workers are also in low-wage industries like retail and restaurants.

They are far less likely to have health and other benefits. Part-time workers often get fewer and smaller wage hikes than full-time workers who have the same responsibilities, says Chris Tilly, a professor at UCLA.

One reason that part-time workers have been stuck with fewer hours is because employers have been afraid about higher costs associated with full-time workers, particularly healthcare costs. The Affordable Care Act mandates that companies provide healthcare to their full-time employees.

Many large companies, including Home Depot and Walmart, have cut workers' hours or healthcare benefits, citing the Affordable Care Act. The high healthcare costs remain a concern, Holtz-Eakin says.

Still, this decline in part-time workers is a broad sign that the American job market is stronger. As more people find jobs and there's a smaller supply of available workers, employers must upgrade workers from part time to full time -- or risk losing them to competitors.

And when more people get full-time work, wages go up. That's exactly what happened Friday -- wages for everyone grew 2.5% in October -- the best one-month gain in years.

It also reflects optimism on the part of business owners.

"When people are able to work full time instead of part time, that tells me that businesses are more confident," Tom Perez, U.S. Secretary of Labor, told CNNMoney Friday.