PORT ST. LUCIE — Residents opposed to the St. Lucie County Fire District’s plan to erect a cell tower on Dalton Circle won their battle Monday night.

“But the war is not over yet,” said Dalton Circle resident Ron Colangelo.

The City Council unanimously rejected a plan by the Fire District that would have allowed it to replace several of its 911 communications towers at various fire stations with cell phone towers without having to comply with existing city zoning codes.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — A family of six was displaced from their home after a fire started in its attic early this morning.

St. Lucie County Fire District crews were called to the home in the 400 block of Southeast Whitmore Drive at 1 a.m. today, district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said. The family escaped the fire without injuries.

The fire, which originated from an air conditioning unit in the attic, caused $50,000 to $60,000 in damage, Chaney said. The family was displaced from the home and the Red Cross was called to help.

While battling the fire, a firefighter was taken to a local hospital for heat exhaustion, Chaney said. He was checked out and released.

UPDATES 1:50 P.M.

A man was flown to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center after getting pinned to between a pest control truck and a garbage truck this morning.

The man was behind the garbage truck, giving the driver directors as he backed up in the 13500 block of Netherby Avenue off Indian River Drive, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Tim Frith said.

The man didn’t notice how close the garbage truck was and he was pinned between it and a pest control vehicle on site, Frith said.

He suffered severe leg injuries and underwent surgery at Lawnwood, Frith said.

St. Lucie Fire District crews were called to the scene shortly after 8:30 a.m., district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said.

PORT ST. LUCIE — Two people were injured after a Sunday afternoon car crash.

At about 1 p.m. St. Lucie County Fire District crews were called to the intersection of Peacock Boulevard and St. Lucie West Boulevard, where two cars had collided, according to district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney.

One man in his early 50s was flown to a local trauma center in critical condition, Chaney said. A woman in her late 20s was taken to a local hospital.

PORT ST. LUCIE — A man at a Mets game ended up in the hospital after a baseball struck him in the face.

St. Lucie County Fire District crews assigned to the Mets Stadium on Sunday were able to respond to the man immediately, according to district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney. The man, described to be in his 20s, was taken to a local hospital for treatment after the 5 p.m. incident.

FORT PIERCE — A man was taken to the hospital in serious condition after getting stabbed last night.

At about 10 p.m. St. Lucie County Fire District crews responded to the 100 block of N. 29th Street, where they picked up a man who had been stabbed, according to district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney. The man was described to be in his early 20s.

Fort Pierce police were also called to the scene.

FORT PIERCE — A train that caught fire south of the downtown area this morning may cause some traffic delays as it is removed from the area.

St. Lucie County Fire District crews were called to the fire at 353 Florida Avenue shortly before 6:15 a.m., district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said. The fire was minor, involving electrical wires, she said.

However, both car and train traffic may be delayed this morning as they move the damaged train, she said.

PORT ST. LUCIE — A man was shot after a fight between a teen and a woman ended up with the man’s girlfriend accidentally firing a gun at him, police said.

Port St. Lucie resident Curtis Mock, 19, was taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Nineteen-year-old April Lipko and Alyssa Dolan, 17, were at Dolan’s home in the 1200 block of Southwest Santiago Street when they argued, according to police.

Dolan left her kitchen to retrieve a shotgun, which she then pointed at Lipko and her boyfriend, 18-year-old Christopher Wilson, police said.

Wilson and Lipko left, and once outside Wilson said he’d be calling authorities to report that Dolan had threatened to shoot them, police said.

Mock, Dolan’s boyfriend, swiped the phone from Wilson, which Wilson retrieved when he said he wouldn’t call 911, according to police.

Wilson began to back out of the driveway in his truck and Mock started walking back toward the house when Dolan discharged the gun and shot Mock in his right arm.
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PORT ST. LUCIE – A man was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after a motorcycle crash late Sunday night.

St. Lucie County Fire District crews responded to the crash on U.S. 1 just south of Port St. Lucie Boulevard shortly before 10:15 p.m., district spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said this morning.

The motorcyclist was a man described to be in his 60s or 70s, and he was wearing a helmet. No other vehicles or people were involved, Chaney said.

The man was taken to a local trauma center in critical condition.

By ANA CERON and JASON SCHULTZ

A small brush fire caused a brief scare in a Port St. Lucie neighborhood this afternoon, but was quickly brought under control with all homes escaping any major damage, according to county fire officials.

The fire was first reported at Patio Circle and Grand Drive shortly after 3 p.m., St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said. The neighborhood is south of Walton Road and east of Lennard Road.

The flames threatened 15 homes and several vacant lots in the neighborhood. Chaney said the blaze covered about two acres and firefighters were getting it under control as of 4:30 p.m. without any homes being damaged. The only structures that burned were some backyard fences, she said.