STUART — A resident of The Crossings apartments in the 3600 block of Gatehouse Circle walked into her apartment Saturday at 3:45 p.m. and surprised a burglar in her home.

The suspect, a black male, 6 feet tall and with a medium build was wearing a gray T-shirt and black shorts, according to Sgt. Martin Jacobson of the Stuart Police Department.
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ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A 48-year-old man accused of hitting another man with a samurai sword before bringing a second edged weapon into a Thursday night confrontation faces a felony charge, according to an arrest affidavit released Friday.

A woman told St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators that she and her ex-husband were dropping off her 62-year-old mother at her home in
the 13900 block of Encantado Circle north of Indrio Road when the mother’s boyfriend exited the residence with a samurai sword. (more…)

FORT PIERCE A 74-year-old man accused of beating another man with a wooden sword last month at a business was arrested Wednesday, according to records released Thursday.

The victim told St. Lucie County Sheriff’s investigators he went to Jose Pinera’s business behind Fred’s Grocery on June 23 to deliver some auto parts to Pinera, 74, who was there with two other men.

The victim said he saw a wooden sword and picked it up. The sword, he said, was hand carved and he was admiring the workmanship.

That’s when Pinera, of the 2300 block of Southeast Marseille Street in Port St. Lucie, reportedly got very upset and asked what the victim was doing with the sword.

Pinera snatched the sword from the victim and hit him with it in the left shoulder, police said.

An investigator noted a large yellow-and-purple bruise on the victim’s left shoulder six days later when the investigator spoke to him. The victim said he hadn’t seen a doctor because he couldn’t afford it.

The victim said he didn’t know why Pinera would hit him.

Pinera left after the victim said he was calling authorities, but was arrested Wednesday night on a battery charge at his home.

By Will Greenlee, TCPalm.com

William Luciano

Witnesses told St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputies that William L. Luciano ran out of his home on Hidalgo Lane, chasing a man with a sword. He later went back inside and returned with another knife, the witnesses said.

Luciano slashed the man in his left arm, the witnesses said.

When investigators arrived at the scene, Luciano said he was trying to protect his roommate, Patricia D. Best, from the man.
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