STUART — Authorities are looking for a man who stole more than $6,000 in cash and checks from a convenience store Friday.

Employees at the Stuckey Shell station in the 8000 block of Southwest Jack James Drive, Stuart, called deputies about 11 a.m. Friday after the theft. An employee said she had been counting cash and preparing to load an ATM machine when she left a rear office at the store for a few minutes. When she returned, a plastic bag with the cash was missing, according to the incident report.
(more…)

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — After weeks of police officer training in a classroom, Indian River State College students move on to a small platform that provides a high-tech simulation of how they react in a real-life situation.

They’re given a weapon that only emits lasers and equipped with a belt that zaps them if they put themselves in danger.

“It teaches consequences if they make bad decisions,” Stephen Huntsberger, associate dean of Public Service Education for IRSC, said of the VirTra Systems simulator at the complex.

The simulator is one of the planned demonstrations at Friday’s public open house at the new Indian River State College Public Safety Complex.
(more…)

PORT CANAVERAL — Martha Jackson was watching a wedding video with her nephew when she heard the splash.

Soon after, the Nashville, Tenn., woman heard a man yelling.

“You could hear him hollering for help,” said Jackson, who was on the last night of a four-night cruise to the Bahamas.

Authorities have not released the name of the 34-year-old Philadelphia man who jumped from his sixth-deck suite aboard the Carnival Sensation late Wednesday. The man, who was on the cruise celebrating his wedding anniversary, was rescued 1 1/2 hours later by the Disney cruise ship Wonder off the coast of southern St. Lucie County. (more…)

VERO BEACH — The DUI trial of County Administrator Joe Baird continues today with more defense witnesses testifying about his physical condition before his arrest at 10:25 p.m. May 16 in Vero Beach.

Baird “appeared perfectly normal to me” around 10 p.m., Baird’s long-time friend John Binkley testified Tuesday at the end of trial testimony for the day.

Testimony is expected to end today, possibly in time for the case to go to jurors for a decision.
(more…)

VERO BEACH — Jury selection begins Monday in the DUI trial of Indian River County Administrator Joe Baird and prosecutors will get to use key evidence the defense wanted excluded.

County Judge David Morgan refused defense attorney Bobby Guttridge’s request Wednesday to toss out the May 16 arrest, which the attorney said was based on an invalid stop. (more…)

STUART — Described as a loving father and caring person, Jerome Hutchinson was found early Monday morning face down on the sidewalk leading to his East Stuart residence.

The 24-year-old man had been shot in the chest, the second to die in an exceptionally violent weekend in Stuart. The first was Michael Morrison, 43, found early Saturday morning on his back next to his Jeep at The Crossings at Indian Run Apartments less than four miles away.

Morrison also had been shot in the chest, but police haven’t found a nexus between the two killings, police spokesman Sgt. Marty Jacobson said Monday.
(more…)

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The attorney for County Administrator Joe Baird says the police traffic stop that led to Baird’s arrest on DUI and speeding charges was illegal.

And on Wednesday, attorney Bobby Guttridge plans to ask County Judge David Morgan to throw out the case, according to court documents. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — The city has released its own video on YouTube to address allegations from the Treasure Coast Tea Party that their civil rights were violated during the city’s Freedomfest on July 4.

Organization members were put into a special area near a sign stating Port St. Lucie did not back their views or opinions.

The 2 minute, 21-second video, titled “Port St. Lucie and Freedom of Speech,” features city Communications Director Ed Cunningham disputing the allegation.

Cunningham says the sign was “created to separate city government from individual political agendas” and that “free speech is alive and well in this city and was in fact practiced heavily at the Fourth of July Freedomfest celebration.”

The video is in response to one the Treasure Coast Tea Party posted on YouTube over the weekend saying the city “harassed” them by creating the special section and placing the disclaimer sign near them.

Members of the group have demanded an apology from the city and intend to address the issue at the City Council’s July 13 meeting.

Treasure Coast Tea Party member Karon Nunes said Mayor Pat Christensen and Council member Jack Kelly have sent e-mails apologizing to the group.

By Jim Turner, TCPalm.com

Darrell Patrick Brown

According to arrest reports, detectives caught Darrell Patrick Brown tending to a crop of about 66 marijuana plants Tuesday afternoon. Authorities had spotted the plants several days earlier in the park near Jensen Beach and set up a hidden camera to see who was cultivating them.

Martin County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Budensiek went to Brown’s home nearby on 9th Avenue Tuesday and confronted Brown with the video. Budensiek in arrest records said Brown hung his head after the footage ended and said “You got me.”

Brown was arrested on marijuana possession and cultivation charges. He was bring held at the Martin County jail on $10,000 bail.