Melissa E. Holsman

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Melissa E. Holsman

FORT PIERCE — Keith Pearson must wait until next week for a judge to decide if a conflict of interest exists for State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl’s office to keep investigating an issue raised last July by St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro regarding “a false social media post” designed to make him appear to be a racist.

4 weeks ago | tcpalm.com | Melissa E. Holsman

Brett M. Waronicki quit his circuit judge post effective May 9. He faces a trio of misdemeanor charges related to a DUI arrest on April 23 during a traffic stop. Waronicki's lawyer on May 8 filed papers on his behalf pleading not guilty to the charges. FORT PIERCE — Brett M. Waronicki, who faces a trio of misdemeanor charges related to his DUI arrest on April 23, has resigned his elected post as a circuit judge effective May 9, according to a letter he submitted to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

4 weeks ago | tcpalm.com | Melissa E. Holsman

Lonnie Bee Smalls III, 21, of Indiantown, on May 9 was ordered to prison for life. A judge imposed four life prison terms related to the murder of Mattie Jones on Thanksgiving Day 2022. Jones, 74, who was inside her house not far from the group Smalls III targeted, had been eating a Thanksgiving meal when she was killed.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Melissa E. Holsman

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued May 5 for nine counties, including the Treasure Coast until 9 p.m., according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. “We currently have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties until 9 p.m. for severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds possibly up to 50 to 70 mph and hail up to 2 inches,” said meteorologist Robert Haley.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Melissa E. Holsman

VERO BEACH — An Orchid woman on May 5 pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide related to what police in 2022 described as a high-speed crash caused by an intoxicated driver that led to the death of a John’s Island man. As part of a plea deal with the state, Elizabeth Danielsen, 63, avoided a trial scheduled to begin May 5 by pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in the May 10, 2022 crash that took the life of Christopher Ingraham, 89.