VERO BEACH — New Orleans resident Lionel Sims broke a hole in his roof to be rescued from Hurricane Katrina’s devastating flood waters in August 2005, but he had to leave behind a best friend, his dog Peanut.

Rescuers said they couldn’t take the dog.

Sims didn’t know if Peanut was dead or alive for about two months, until an American Red Cross volunteer tracked it to the Humane Society of Indian River County and Vero Beach.

And the two were reunited.
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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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FORT PIERCE — A 74-year-old man reportedly walked onto the campus of Dan McCarty School Tuesday evening and fatally shot himself near the school’s bus pick-up area.

The 1201 Mississippi Avenue campus was empty of students and faculty when the incident occurred, according to Dave Morris, director of security for St. Lucie County schools. The man’s identity was not immediately released, pending notification of next of kin.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — The Port St. Lucie Police Department has a new weapon to use against criminals, and officers are asking residents to use it to protect themselves.

It’s an industrial-sized paper shredder, and the public is invited to the Civic Center from 10 a.m. to noon June 16 for the first Shred-a-Thon. Anyone can destroy sensitive documents for free.
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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An accident along Interstate 95, about two miles north of the Fellsmere exit, resulted in 13 people being transported to hospitals Tuesday morning.

None of the injuries were life threatening, according to Lt. Tim Frith, with the Florida Highway Patrol.
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VIERA — For five years, the Palm Bay couple considered Gary Sebastian, the father of their 14-year-old daughter’s best friend, a close acquaintance, trusted to protect their child during the girls’ weekend sleepovers or to hang out at their home during get-togethers.

So, they were stunned when they discovered last summer that 41-year-old Sebastian had been sending their daughter inappropriate text messages, mailed her a package filled with sex-related items and provided her with alcohol on at least one occasion.

And they weren’t satisfied Wednesday when a judge sentenced the former Palm Bay firefighter to three and a half years in prison and five years of sex offender probation. (more…)

FORT PIERCE — Police are asking the public’s help to identify a man who doesn’t remember who he is after he was hit by a vehicle last month.

The ying and yang tattoo on the crash victim's shoulder.

The man was airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, where he is still receiving treatment, police spokeswoman Audria Moore said. He doesn’t know who he is and is unable to speak to police, she said. (more…)