By Christin Erazo

Vice Mayor Linda Bartz filed an incident report after fired Assistant City Attorney Gabrielle Taylor sent her “harassing” and “disturbing” text messages, according to a Port St. Lucie Police report.

Reports show Bartz received three separate text messages on her city cellphone on March 16 at 12:10 a.m. from a Gainesville area code, but she did not recognize the number. She reported the texts to police on Monday.

The text messages read: “Ur the first that will have karma u lying horrible person. U kissed me on the cheek like a mafiosi. Your friends will b the first to betray you. I will never be mean to you, but u do not Realize that ur words to me will be repeated … On tape …”

Police called the number from where the message was sent.

“The call was answered by a female who identified herself as Gabrielle Taylor,” states the report.

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Greg Oravec

By Christin Erazo

PORT ST. LUCIE — City Hall has a new leader at the helm after the City Council unanimously voted Monday to promote Acting City Manager Greg Oravec to the top spot.

The decision comes nine days after a political earthquake that included the firing of former City Manager Jerry Bentrott.

Oravec, who declared he was ready to assume the role if he was lucky enough to be chosen by the council, said Monday he was excited and honored to accept the position.

Councilwoman Shannon Martin, who motioned to promote Oravec, said it was unnecessary to start a nationwide search for a new manager when the right candidate has been right under the council’s nose the whole time.

“Mr. Oravec, since I’ve been on council, has displayed great leadership abilities,” Martin said. “He has a passion and a vision for the city and in the last week in becoming acting city manager he really, in my opinion, has hit the ground running and has already started to make necessary changes that I feel are very important.” (more…)

Christopher Reed

By Will Greenlee

Christopher Reed looked at a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy with a “death stare.”

“I am the devil and I will kill you,” Reed is quoted as saying in a recently released arrest affidavit.

Reed, 43, gave the deadly look and said he was Satan March 7 after the deputy asked whether he felt OK –  responses that could suggest he wasn’t feeling OK.

A deputy went to the 5600 block of Angle Road after an apparent report of a man on the side of the road. The deputy found a man later identified as Reed on a canal bank.

“As I got closer, I could smell a strong foul odor coming from the subject,” the affidavit states. (more…)

Fort Pierce Police officers responded to an armed robbery in progress in the 200 block of South 22nd Street about 12:10 a.m. Saturday.

On arrival, police found Charles Edward Smith, 31, of the 100 block of South 21st Street, Fort Pierce, on the ground suffering from a wound to his head, according to police reports.

An investigation revealed that Smith approached victims Antonio Beccerra, Samuel Hernandez and a juvenile female that were sitting in a truck in front of the residence, according to police reports. Smith reportedly was wielding a shotgun and demanded money and jewelry from the victims. According to Becerra and Hernandez, Smith took Becerra’s wallet and ripped a rosary off his neck. Smith then demanded money from Hernandez but was told that he had no wallet.

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By Alexi Howk, TCPalm.com

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — County credit card records show employees charged a total of $2.8 million in purchases between October 2010 and November 2011 with total charges ranging from under $1,000 up to $80,000 on a single card.

And the cost for at least one official’s annual travel adds up to the yearly salary of a county road and bridge equipment operator.

Of the county’s 639 full-time and part-time employees, 259 of them have county credit cards.

Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers reviewed purchases — made between October 2010 and November 2011 — from a sampling of more than three dozen employees. The investigation found:

Treasure Coast Research Park Executive Director Ben DeVries went on 33 trips in a year at a total cost of $22,725 — or the yearly salary of a road and bridge equipment operator. He said the trips are necessary to market the park and attract future tenants, though he conceded some trips ended up being a waste of money.

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By Elliott Jones

PORT ST. LUCIE — Sportsman’s Park’s basketball courts were shut down Thursday and Little League officials said they were bringing in crisis counselors Friday evening for players who were nearby Wednesday night when gunfire killed a South Florida man.

Marcus Samuel, 24, of Margate in northern Broward County, was killed in the gunfire that originated from a church parking lot across the street from the popular park around 8:45 p.m.

On Thursday morning, Port St. Lucie National Little League president Amy Gustin cried as she recounted her sleepless night after being at the park and hearing bursts of gunfire. About 100 Little League players were at the park at the time of the shooting.

“The kids are my heart,” said Gustin, who is regularly at games. “They (the players and parents) are very upset,” she said, including her own son who was at the games. Players range in age from 9 to 14.

Before the shooting, Gustin was in the midst of people cheering and listening to the sounds of bats hitting balls. Because of that, “You want to think innocently,” she said, assuming that the gunfire was firecrackers.

But then she heard fighting and screaming and league officials quickly moved everyone off the lighted fields. Some players and adults were in the outfield areas and within 100 feet of the shooting scene, she said.
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Eric Langill

By Elliott Jones

PORT ST. LUCIE — New York Mets bullpen catcher Eric Langill, 32, was charged with DUI in a single-car rollover at a traffic circle Sunday night, according to sheriff’s reports.

The accident occurred at Reserve Road and Commerce Center Parkway.

According to law enforcement reports, tire marks indicate that the white Honda Accord turned hard to the right as it approached the intersection, causing the car to go over a curb and hit a street sign and concrete fountain at the center of the traffic circle. That caused the car to flip upside down.

A witness, who lives nearby, and a friend were unable to open the driver’s door. But they got Langill, of Canada, out through a passenger door, according to reports.

Langill attempted to leave the scene on foot and was stopped by the witnesses, according to the reports. (more…)

Greg Oravec

By Christin Erazo

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jerry Bentrott became the first city manager to be fired by elected officials in Port St. Lucie history Friday after a ripple that started with the Police Department’s handling of a city employee suspected of drinking and driving turned into a wave of public criticism.

City Council members said they were dissatisfied with Bentrott’s actions following the traffic stop of an assistant city attorney who was driven home by police instead of being given a field sobriety test.

Bentrott was terminated following a 4-1 vote, with Vice Mayor Linda Bartz dissenting. Shortly after, council voted unanimously to name Assistant City Manager Greg Oravec acting city manager.

Some council members said they were unhappy with Bentrott’s lack of leadership in the police and legal departments after the incident involving former Assistant City Attorney Gabrielle Taylor. Taylor was fired Thursday.

Bentrott was panned by council for not urging City Attorney Roger Orr for immediate disciplinary action for Taylor and for not being able to answer questions about the traffic stop. Council called it “a breakdown in communication.”

“The charter says specifically Jerry (Bentrott) is in charge of every single employee in the city, even appointed administrators,” said Councilwoman Shannon Martin.

“We rely on our staff, the people under our direct control, to make sure that the staff matters are handled and handled appropriately and that didn’t happen,” Martin said. “It pains me to be here. … I just can’t sit by and not hold people accountable. It’s not right for anybody in the city, it’s not right for anybody up here and not right for our employees, either.”

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By James Kirley

FORT PIERCE — A 25-year veteran St. Lucie County firefighter described by peers as both a comrade and dedicated professional was laid to rest here Friday morning.

Hundreds of firefighters and other public safety officials from across Florida gathered at a full-honors funeral ceremony for Lt. Mark Morrison, a 25-year Fire District veteran who died Sunday while on duty at a Port St. Lucie fire station.

The funeral service for Morrison, 53, took place at Westside Baptist Church. It was the destination for a long procession of firetrucks, police vehicles and musicians that participated in the ceremony. Morrison’s flag-draped casket arrived aboard a fire engine draped in black bunting. Twelve firefighters of the St. Lucie County Fire District Honor Guard in full-dress uniforms flanked it, standing at attention in back.

“I wanted those gathered here today in his honor to know that we, his firefighting brothers, sisters and comrades, knew him as more than a dedicated professional,” Fire Chief Ron Parrish said. “We want you to know that we knew him, and genuinely loved him, as this warm, gentle giant.”

Others also said Morrison was a large man in both spirit and physique.

“He had some weight on him, but weight is power,” said retired Battalion Chief Arthur Crouse. “He could drag a 2 1/2-inch hose around where three skinny guys couldn’t.”

Friday’s funeral procession included firetrucks from as far away as Boynton Beach, Stuart, Indian River County and Okeechobee. Dozens of police cars and ambulances joined them to create a river of flashing red and blue lights that flowed up the long driveway between South Jenkins Road and the church.
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By Will Greenlee

PORT ST. LUCIE — A woman accused of forcing her way into an ex-boyfriend’s home during a Thursday confrontation in which she apparently lost her shirt and shoes was arrested after police say she falsely claimed to have been shot, according to an affidavit released Friday and a police spokesman.

Colleen Saturno, 22, was arrested on charges including burglary, criminal mischief, simple battery and assault in connection with the incidents.

About 5:08 a.m. Thursday, a Port St. Lucie police officer went to a home in the 500 block of Northeast Solida Circle. A man identified as Saturno’s ex-boyfriend was there with his current girlfriend.

The ex-boyfriend told police Saturno “is/was crazily infatuated with him” and “won’t let it go.”

He said Saturno kept beating on the front door, despite warnings that he was going to call 911. He said the door’s glass insert came inward and hit him. Saturno apparently saw his current girlfriend and “just went off.” (more…)