Jeremiah Minatee

Still, 22-year-old Herbie Innocent ended up dead Friday night and, two days later, Minattee, 18, was behind bars for his murder.

Police say witnesses reported that Innocent’s death was retaliation for him allegedly beating Minatee’s sister before he was shot dead outside a home on Ormond Avenue.

The sister told police Innocent, her ex-boyfriend, had punched her in the face several times when he met to pick up their baby earlier that night. After he left, the woman called her mother, who showed up with Minatee to check on her, she said.

Mary Dawson told police her son, Minatee, was upset. He had received a message from Innocent about the incident and meeting later that night to fight.

“Don’t do it,” she told her son. “It ain’t worth it.” (more…)

Xavier Davis

An employee at the restaurant in the 200 block of Port St. Lucie Boulevard called Port St. Lucie police after another worker said he saw a man enter with what looked like a firearm by his side, police said.

The caller told police that the man wore all black was openly carrying the firearm.

Police surrounded the restaurant where they found 25-year-old Xavier Davis sitting at a table with a long gun placed in the seat in front of him, according to a police report.

Davis was directed to the floor and handcuffed before officers determined that the firearm was actually a paintball gun, the report states.

According to police, the gun looked like a real semi-automatic rifle.

Paintball gun seized by police.

Davis was arrested on a charge of openly carrying a weapon. He was released from the St. Lucie County jail on Friday after posting $250 bond.

John Christopher Woods is hoping his photos and additional information about his birth parents he has been able to extract from the Florida Department of Children and Families will trigger memories in someone on the Treasure Coast, maybe even his mother or siblings.

Woods, born Jan. 16, 1961, at Martin Memorial Hospital, said he feels he is creeping closer to identifying and perhaps meeting his birth mother, but her name and location are still elusive. His mother was 24 when she gave birth to him and then gave him up for adoption. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — When John “Jack” Gray tells people what he is doing — helping build the transportation hub facility for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey under the new World Trade Center, he gets their attention.

Technically, the 71-year-old construction industry retiree, is providing his expertise in estimating the need for reinforcing steel bars to strengthen poured concrete for the $3.2 billion underground Transportation Hub and PATH Station. PATH is the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s heavy rail system that carries more than 250,000 people a day between New York and New Jersey. (more…)

Motorists preparing for the July 4 weekend should take precautions while driving through St. Lucie and Martin counties on Interstate 95 this week.

Travelers should expect several lane closures on I-95 Monday through Thursday. Here’s a look at what will be closed and when to help avoid traffic:

Between State Road 70 to Midway Road: Two southbound lanes will be closed overnight, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Thursday between the two roads. The reason: A repaving project in St. Lucie County.

Southbound exit to St. Lucie West (Exit 121): Will be closed to all traffic from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. Continue to the Gatlin Boulevard interchange, turn around and travel north to the St. Lucie West interchange to exit.

Gatlin Boulevard interchange: One northbound lane in the area will be closed Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the installation of overhead electronic message signs. The same project will require a northbound lane to be closed north of the High Meadows Avenue interchange and in the area of Bridge Road 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, as well as closure of a lane at the Kanner Highway interchange Tuesday and a lane at the State Road 714 interchange on Wednesday.

South Martin County: One northbound lane will be closed 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday as part of the construction of a truck weigh station.

By Eric Pfahler, TCPalm.com

Circuit Judge Gary Sweet (left) swears in Darren Steele on Friday.

The crowd that spilled out onto the second-floor stairwell at the Martin County Courthouse last week made the ceremony about to begin inside the courtroom appear more like a rock concert than the installation of a new judge.

But as the people waited - some only to be guided to an equally packed overflow room on the third floor - Darren Steele’s family members, friends and supporters called the turnout fitting for the former defense attorney who worked himself through the public defender’s office and private practice before becoming one of the Treasure Coast’s youngest judges.

(more…)

A Hobe Sound man died after apparently losing control of his motorcycle shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday.

Charles E. Thompson, 42, was killed in the accident that occurred on Southeast Seabranch Boulevard, about two miles west of U.S. 1, according to a Florida Highway Patrol release, TCPalm.com reported.

Thompson was driving his 1986 Honda east on Southeast Seabranch Boulevard when he reportedly lost control of the motorcycle, struck a curb and traveled onto the grass median. The motorcycle then struck a large tree and Thompson was thrown off, hitting a tree, according to the report.

By Lona O’Connor

FORT PIERCE - Police have arrested a suspect in a Friday night shooting death.

Jeremiah Minatee

Jeremiah Minatee, 18, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Herby Innocent, 22. Both men are Fort Pierce residents. At about 10:35 p.m. on Friday, police found Innocent lying in the middle of the street in the 1200 block of Ormond Avenue.

Fire-rescue personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.

After canvassing the neighborhood for leads, police arrested Minatee at home early Sunday morning and took him to the St. Lucie County Jail.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 273-8477 or Detective Aleita Smith at (772) 468-1805 ext. 5248. Those providing information may remain anonymous and may be eligible for up to $1,000.

STUART — Vehicle tires were reported stolen from another auto dealer this week.

On Thursday morning, police were called to Carl’s Buick, Pontiac, GMC on U.S. 1 where tires and wheels from two sports utility vehicles had been stolen, according to a news release.

The SUVs were left sitting on blocks, spokesman Sgt. Marty Jacobson said. Other vehicles were found on blocks with the equipment still intact while there were also vehicles found partially on blocks, Jacobson said.

The value of the property stolen and damaged was in excess of $6,500.00.

On June 19, an officer found four trucks sitting on wooden blocks at the Advantage Ford dealership on U.S. 1.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Officer T.J. Delancy at 220-3900 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 273-TIPS.

Matthew Beider

The 56-year-old woman told police that she first used the taser on her 23-year-old son, Matthew A. Beider, after he came after her.

He had been drinking and became belligerent, she said. She said the electronic was her personal taser.

Beider then wrestled the taser away from her, she said, and he tasered her in the her left elbow.

The woman said she then fell to the ground and Beider kicked her four times.

Beider was arrested at his Port St. Lucie home on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and obstruction of justice.

He is being held at the St. Lucie County jail without bond.