STUART —A wrongful death suit brought by the estate of an illegal immigrant against the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was settled prior to opening statements at the Martin County Courthouse Tuesday.

Just before bringing in the three-man, four-woman panel, attorneys for the Sheriff’s Office and Port St. Lucie resident Brenda Gonzalez, 33, the personal representative of Matias F. Alonzo’s estate, told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger that a $15,000 settlement had been reached. (more…)

STUART — A Stuart woman was killed Thursday night as she was attempting to cross the southbound lanes of U.S. 1 in the 1700 block of Northwest Federal Highway.

Stuart police report Martha Clearwater, 42, was airlifted to Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce with severe injuries following the 7:15 p.m. accident and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
(more…)

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.

HOBE SOUND — A man was arrested on an aggravated battery charge after he allegedly dragged his mother from his car, cursed her and left her bleeding on the side of the road.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on Monday, a Martin County Sheriff’s deputy found the 68-year-old woman by U.S. 1 and Seabranch Avenue, her arms bloody, according to a sheriff’s report.

The woman reported she was in the car with her 48-year-old son, Dennis A. Baum, when she told him he was too intoxicated to drive. The son got angry, slammed on the brakes, she said, and yanked her out of the vehicle.

(more…)

Cortina Wobbleton

Cortina Wobbleton, 26, told investigators with Stuart police and Martin County Sheriff’s Office that she was aware that Lamar Lloyd, 21, and Damian Louissaint, 21, had robbed a Pizza Hut and a Sunoco gas station while she and her children were outside waiting in the car.

Damian Louissaint

Lamar Lloyd

Authorities said the two men walked into the pizzeria in the 2000 block of U.S. 1 at about 9:30 p.m. before one man brandished a revolver and the other watched the door.

Minutes and about 2.5 miles south later, the men entered the gas station in the 4500 block of U.S. 1 and demanded money, according to sheriff’s reports. They also took Black & Mild cigars, Newport cigarettes, Dentyne Ice gum and an energy drink, the reports show.

(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…)

STUART — A motorcyclist was severely injured when an automobile made a U-turn in front of him on the southbound lane of U.S.1 north of the Roosevelt Bridge, said Sgt. Martin Jacobson of the Stuart Police Department.

“The motorcyclist suffered multiple broken bones but we think he will make it,” said Jacobson. “It wasn’t his fault. A woman driving in front of him suddenly turned around in front of him and he T-boned the vehicle.” (more…)