By Lamaur Stancil

VERO BEACH — A 20-year-old woman was released from a local hospital Tuesday, three days after police said she was involved in two car wrecks.

Maude May Walker of the 2400 block of Buena Vista Boulevard, Vero Beach, was traveling westbound on 23rd Avenue when she struck a Mercury stopped at a stoplight at U.S. 1 shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday, according to a police report released Tuesday. The driver of the Mercury, Jason J. Gaffey, 23, of Vero Beach was treated for injuries at Indian River Medical Center, police said. (more…)

YEEHAW JUNCTION — A blown tire caused a Ford sport utility vehicle with a five-member Orlando family aboard lose control and overturn twice, killing a woman on Florida’s Turnpike in western Indian River County, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report released late Sunday night.

Daphne Ramgadoo, 62, of Orlando, was killed in the 12:35 p.m. Saturday crash. The the other passengers were taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute for treatment of non-incapacitating injuries, the report shows. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — A 58-year-old man died Sunday morning after he lost control of his vehicle on Indian River Drive, according to a Florida Highway Patrol release.

The man, who was not identified, drove south onto the western shoulder of the road before crossing over both lanes about one mile north of Walton Road and sliding down a steep embankment, according to the FHP report. The vehicle overturned several times and ejected the man. (more…)

FORT PIERCE — It must feel pretty strange to be rolled off an ambulance and into a crowd of cheering people.

It’s probably even more strange for Chris Doyle. After all, he’s used to rolling the stretchers, not being on one.

Doyle, 22, was released from Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute minutes before arriving at Big Apple Pizza for a fundraiser in his honor. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — St. Lucie County Fire District crews were called Wednesday morning to a crash involving a school bus with children on board and a small car, a fire district spokeswoman said.

No injuries were reported in the crash, officials said.

The bus had 15 children aboard and was headed for Parkway Elementary School, according to Janice Karst, director of communications for St. Lucie schools.

Crews were called at 7:39 a.m. to the incident at Southeast Walters Terrace and Southeast Ocean Lane, Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said.

No other information was immediately available.

FORT PIERCE — A man in his early 20s was taken to a local provisional trauma center in critical condition after being hit Sunday night by a compact car, a St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman said.

Crews were called to the incident at South 13th Street and Kentucky Avenue about 11:30 p.m., Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said.

The man was taken to a local provisional trauma center in critical condition, Chaney said.

No one else was injured in the incident.

PORT ST. LUCIE — Motorists should expect slight delays from periodic lane closures on a half-mile section of Becker Road being widened from two to four lanes.

The road will remain open as the city continues the widening project from Paley Court to the interchange at Florida’s Turnpike beginning Monday for the next six months, according to Jim Angstadt, a civil engineer with the city. (more…)

A Sebastian woman remained in custody Tuesday in Brevard County after she roughed up and robbed someone she was partying with and threatened to arrest him, though she is not a law enforcement officer, according to an incident report.

Dawn Leigh Kravis, 31, of the 1000 block of Roseland Road, Sebastian, was charged with robbery with no weapon, kidnapping and false imprisonment of an adult and fraudulently impersonating a law enforcement officer in the commission of a felony. She was being held at the Brevard County Detention Center in lieu of $48,000 bail.

A 53-year-old man who lives in the 9100 block of U.S. 1, Micco, called the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office about 6 a.m. Saturday and said Kravis had robbed him, the report said. He told deputies he had been partying most of Friday and early Saturday with Kravis and another woman, the report said.
(more…)

FORT PIERCE — A trauma surgeon and nurse on their way to work at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute on Saturday became first responders at an accident scene.

Dr. Alex Funicello, who was returning from a Hutchinson Island condo to finish rounds at Lawnwood, found the base of South Bridge blocked with police cars and accident tape.

Raymond Chew, 47, lay in the intersection of Seaway and Indian River drives, his motorcycle nearby and his helmet loose but still on. No emergency medical crews had arrived when Funicello arrived.

So, the trauma surgeon went to work, assessing the patient.
(more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — The International Union of Police Associations, which represents the city’s police officers, put a sign on a billboard Sunday at U.S. 1 and Jennings Road to protest the city sending layoff notices to eight police officers.

The notices advised the officers their last day of employment would be Sept. 30.

One side of the billboard reads, “Welcome to Port St. Lucie! Violent crime is up 14.4 percent! Feel safe???”

The other side breaks down what the city spent on the civic center and plans to spend to bring a private digital production studio to the city. It also cites a figure, $1.5 million, as the annual upkeep of the botanical garden project.
(more…)