By Alexi Howk

PORT ST. LUCIE — The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, which draws more than 10,000 spectators and participants, won’t be marching through the city’s streets next month for the first time in 20 years. (more…)

By Will Greenlee

PORT ST. LUCIE — A suspicious incident involving panhandlers at Publix turned into a felony marijuana bust this week for Port St. Lucie police, according to recently released records. (more…)

A toddler was taken to a local hospital after a pit bull bit him on the face, said St. Lucie County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Catherine Chaney.

About 3 p.m. Wednesday, fire rescue officials received a call at 2171 S.E. Watercrest St., that a pit bull bit an 11-month-old boy on the face, Chaney said. The boy was taken to the hospital with non-trauma related injuries, she said.

The boy was hugging the dog, a family pet, when he was bitten, said city of Port St. Lucie spokesman Ed Cunningham, who talked with the city’s animal control officer who responded to the call. The status of the dog was unknown Wednesday afternoon, Cunningham said.

The area is not known for having many dog attacks, Cunningham said.

In April, an animal control officer was called to that same street after a pit bull was reported roaming loose, Cunningham said. An animal control officer said the dog was friendly, Cunningham said, and it was taken to the St. Lucie County Humane Society. Cunningham didn’t know the status of that dog

No further information was available.

By Will Greenlee

PORT ST. LUCIE — A man was flown out following a crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle, the St. Lucie County Fire District said.

Fire District crews were called about 3:45 p.m. Monday to the incident in the 1400 block of Southeast Port St. Lucie Boulevard, spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said.

She said the motorcyclist wound up underneath the vehicle and suffered multiple injuries. Port St. Lucie Police officers were investigating the crash, Chaney said.

The tragic death of Steve Schafer sent shockwaves through Martin County’s tight-knit surfing community on Thursday.

Schafer was a popular surfer in the Stuart Beach lineup who was well-known for his smooth surf style and calm demeanor. (more…)

Eryn Allegra, escorted by St. Lucie County Deputy Angel Torres, was sentenced Wednesday afternoon by Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn to life plus 30 years for killing her 8-year-old son Tristan on Christmas Day 2008. (TCPalm.com)

FORT PIERCE - Eryn Allegra, the 32-year-old Port St. Lucie woman accused of smothering her 8-year-old son to death on Christmas Day 2008, avoided the possibility of a death sentence by pleading guilty Wednesday afternoon to premeditated first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges.

View past coverage on the case

Tristan Allegra

But spending the rest of her life behind bars thinking about how she killed her son, said Chief Assistant State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl, “is probably a much greater punishment for her.”

Shackled and wearing gold prison scrubs, Allegra looked incredibly small as she stood before Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn, who accepted the plea deal and levied the sentence: Life in prison for the first-degree murder charge, plus 30 years to run consecutively for the child abuse charge.

Allegra spoke softly and gave only “yes, sir” and “no, sir” answers to Vaughn’s questions. Neither she nor her attorneys, Chief Assistant Public Defender Mark Harllee and Assistant Public Defender Alan D. Hunt, tried to persuade Vaughn to give a lighter sentence.

Audio

Listen to her talk about her son’s death:

(more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — Two men each face a grand theft charge after police linked them to a scheme in which a home was rented to a family without the homeowners’ knowledge, according to recently obtained records and a detective.

Robbie Jay Hughes, 36, and 46-year-old Issiac Rivers were arrested Monday after police accused them of renting a home in foreclosure to a family in September 2009.

Police began investigating after the owners of the home in the 5400 block of Northwest Cromey Street, who live in New York, got a refund check from Florida Power & Light Co., Detective Kim Bailey said.
(more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — A woman trying to help two dogs on Southwest Del Rio Boulevard early Wednesday died after being hit by a Ford pick-up truck, a police spokesman said.

Bonnie Tonetti, 53, was driving a Chevrolet Camaro east on Southwest Del Rio Boulevard shortly before 6 a.m., stopping near Southwest Erie Street to help two dogs, said Officer Tom Nichols, police spokesman.
(more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — A 35-year-old man faces several cocaine-related charges following a series of drug transactions with at least one informant late last month, according to affidavits released Monday.

Jerome Dexter Harriell was arrested Friday by St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators after they executed a search warrant at his home in the 1900 block of Southeast Aires Lane.
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By TYLER TREADWAY

Eryn Allegra

FORT PIERCE — A Port St. Lucie woman accused of smothering her 8-year-old son to death Christmas Day 2008 is scheduled to plead guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges.

As part of a plea deal reached with the State Attorney’s Office, Eryn Allegra, 32, will be sentenced to life in prison and not face the possibility of a death sentence, said Tom Bakkedahl, chief assistant state attorney.

“Avoiding the death penalty, that’s the full benefit of the agreement to her,” said Bakkedahl, adding that the decision of whether to pursue the death penalty is up to the State Attorney’s Office.

Tristan Allegra

Allegra also is charged with aggravated child abuse, which carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

“The only question now is what will the sentence be on the child abuse charge,” Bakkedahl said, “and whether that sentence will run concurrently or consecutively to the murder sentence.”

The change of plea hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Wednesday before Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn in the St. Lucie County Courthouse in Fort Pierce.

(more…)