ST. LUCIE COUNTY — After weeks of police officer training in a classroom, Indian River State College students move on to a small platform that provides a high-tech simulation of how they react in a real-life situation.

They’re given a weapon that only emits lasers and equipped with a belt that zaps them if they put themselves in danger.

“It teaches consequences if they make bad decisions,” Stephen Huntsberger, associate dean of Public Service Education for IRSC, said of the VirTra Systems simulator at the complex.

The simulator is one of the planned demonstrations at Friday’s public open house at the new Indian River State College Public Safety Complex.
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STUART — Nine years ago, a drunk Donald Flewellen drove a stolen van across the center line, causing a collision that killed two people and left illegal Guatemalan immigrant Luis Jimenez permanently brain damaged.

Less than four months after his December release from prison for two counts of DUI manslaughter, authorities say Flewellen, 52, was behind the wheel of a borrowed car and caused a hit-and-run crash with property damage in Fort Pierce.

Already charged with two counts of violating his supervised release, court papers show when Flewellen returns to court Aug. 17, he’ll face additional charges of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and driving on a revoked driver’s license related to an April 5 traffic collision.
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Services for a Martin County firefighter-paramedic who was killed early Sunday when his motorcycle and a car collided west of Boynton Beach will be held Thursday, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.

James Reeder, 42, of Stuart worked for Martin County Fire Rescue since 2000 and was promoted to firefighter paramedic in 2002.

During his career, he worked on the Technical Extrication Rescue Team (TERT) and water Rescue Team / Dive Team. (more…)

WEST PALM BEACH — Rob Murphy loves talking about his spearfishing adventures. Since earning his scuba diving certification last year, he estimates he has made almost 400 dives.

But Murphy will never forget his last dive on Jan. 9 when while surfacing in waters northeast of the St. Lucie Inlet, Murphy was struck by a passing boat. The boat operated by Roger Nicosia, an emergency room physician at Martin Memorial Medical Center North, severed Murphy’s legs.

Murphy lost nearly half his blood. He was lucky to escape with his life, and doctors couldn’t save his legs. (more…)

Divers across the state are organizing a Dive Flag Awareness Day on Saturday to raise awareness following a recent boating accident in which a Martin County man lost both his legs below the knee.

Rob Murphy, 26, was hit by a boat while scuba diving earlier this month in Stuart.

Volunteers plan to distribute brochures with a copy of the law that requires boaters to stay 300 feet away from a diver’s flag. The brochure also reminds divers to carry and display the required flags. Volunteers also will hand out bumper stickers with a message about the law. (more…)