Latest news with #MartinCountySheriff'sOffice
7NEWS
6 days ago
- 7NEWS
Florida: Woman miraculously survives brutal alligator attack during swim with her dog
A woman has miraculously survived a brutal alligator attack. The unnamed 27-year-old was swimming with her dog in Saint Lucie River in Florida as her boyfriend watched from their boat on Wednesday when the terrifying incident unfolded. The alligator bit her hand and wrist, suddenly dragging her below the surface. Martin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement posted to Facebook that the alligator eventually released the woman and her boyfriend was able to help her pull of the water and drive her back in to the boat ramp at Charlie Leighton Park. She was treated at the scene for serious injuries at 7.51pm before being flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce as a precaution. Her boyfriend and dog were not injured. The Martin County statement said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had responded to the attack and are 'awaiting their trapper to locate the alligator'. Florida is known for its alligators, having an approximately 1.3 million of them. On average there are eight unprovoked alligator attacks in the state each year, according to FWC. This latest incident comes after a young boy died in front of his family when he fell into a waterway and was brutally attacked by crocodiles. Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez, 14, was walking with his family by the waterway in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, when tragedy struck on July 18. Before his parents could intervene, crocodiles hidden by the swamp waters launched at him and dragged him beneath the surface. Andres' family watched in horror as the crocodiles pulled the boy further from the water's edge and began tearing into his body. The Mirror reported that it is believed the boy was attacked by a group of Morelet's crocodiles, also known as the Mexican or Belize crocodile, which can grow up to three metres long and typically weigh a staggering 200kg. The species is known for being particularly vicious, and once they reach maturity, they will prey on nearly any animal that enters their territory. Police divers have begun to search the canal for the boy's remains, but it is unclear if they have managed to recover his body.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Martin County Sheriff's Office arrests 4 people accused of using counterfeit money locally
MARTIN COUTNY — Martin County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested four people in a counterfeit money spending spree, according to sheriff's officials June 6. The people went from store to store offloading the counterfeit bills, a lot of which the Sheriff's Office was able to retrieve, according to sheriff's spokesperson Christine Christofek. She said the agency's criminal investigations division was able to track the people down. Palm City: Detectives seize drugs and rounds of ammunition in drug house bust Martin County: Sheriff's office arrests two after man's death following Mudfest incident The counterfeit cash was used at these businesses: two Publix stores, Walgreens, Office Depot, Rack Room Shoes, twice at Home Depot, twice at Lowe's, and twice at Aldi, according to Christofek. She said the people also attempted to use the counterfeit money at Walmart and Ollie's Bargain Outlet. This story will be updated after a Sheriff's Office news conference this afternoon about the arrests. , where more informtion will be availableOlivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048. E-mail her at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Four arrested after counterfeit money spending spree in Martin County
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Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Stubborn 7-foot alligator refuses to leave swimming pool, Florida video shows
An alligator in Florida has become a hot topic on social media after it magically appeared at the bottom of a home's swimming pool. The debate is over how it got there, given the pool is surrounded by a wooden fence about 6 feet high that's designed to withstand storms. It happened Saturday, May 31, at a home in Jensen Beach and video shows deputies found the 7-foot gator was making a comically bad attempt to blend into the aqua colored bottom of the pool. A trapper was summoned and his efforts to pull the alligator off the bottom resulted in a tug-of-war that went from one side of the pool to the other. The video ends with the gator being dragged through a gate. Deputies aren't sure how it got there, but there are only two realistic possibilities: 'It's believed the gator either climbed over or found its way under the fencing,' the Martin County Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. The video had been viewed more than 321,000 times as of June 3 and amassed 2,100 reactions and comments, many from people in disbelief. 'Fully fenced yard? Yikes,' Colleen Marie wrote. 'That high (a fence) without sliding back down?' Danielle Rosario wrote. 'I've lived here since 1970. I've seen gators climb chain link, wooden, vinyl fences. ... And screen(ed) enclosures. ... If there's a body of water in Florida … always assume a gator, croc, snake, bear, or any wildlife could be lurking beneath the waters,' Debbie Williams said. 'I don't think it should have been a wooden fence, it should have been a concrete infilled taller fence,' Ella Maria wrote. Water attracts alligators but experts say there is another reason it may have strayed into the yard. 'This unusual encounter is an important reminder: it's mating season for alligators,' the sheriff's office wrote. 'During this time, they become much more active and may travel into areas they don't typically frequent — including fully fenced yards like this one.' Jensen Beach is about a 110-mile drive north from Miami.
USA Today
02-06-2025
- USA Today
Alligator found in Florida backyard pool: Watch the moment it was captured
Alligator found in Florida backyard pool: Watch the moment it was captured Some residents in Jensen Beach, Florida, got an unexpected backyard visitor over the weekend when they found a 7-foot alligator going for a swim in their pool. When officers responded to a home in the Pinecrest Lakes neighborhood on May 31, they found the gator "completely unfazed by its unexpected audience," the Martin County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post. After enlisting the help of professional trapper Matt Hines, the alligator was trapped and removed from the pool, the MCSO said. The reptile made it into the pool despite the home's pool being fully fenced in, the post said. Officers said they believe the alligator either climbed over or found its way under the fencing. While the encounter is abnormal, it happens more often than expected, officers said. In fact, it was the second call that day for an alligator found swimming in a residential pool, the department said. Watch: Gator found in pool tries to evade capture with 'death spiral' Watch as this scaly intruder does a death roll in neighborhood pool Local authorities had to call a professional trapper to help remove a 7 foot uninvited guest from a Florida resident's pool. In a video posted to Facebook, the alligator is seen trying to evade capture by using what's known as the "death roll" or "death spiral," MCSO said. The animals use a full-body twisting motion to kill prey, according to the University of Tennessee. The species can't chew, so it uses a powerful bite coupled with the roll technique to attack prey. In this case, the gator used the death roll as a defense mechanism, officials said. "As you can see by the powerful 'death spiral,' an alligator's natural defense tactic, it is not safe to attempt to remove a gator unless you are a trained professional," MCSO's post said. Police warn about alligator mating season The MCSO also said the incident serves as a reminder that it's mating season for alligators. "During this time, they become much more active and may travel into areas they don't typically frequent — including fully fenced yards like this one," the MCSO said. The department cautioned residents and pet owners to stay alert for alligators, which can be dangerous if provoked. If you spot an alligator, keep your distance and call for help, police said. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
Russian national allegedly stole luxury yacht, led Florida police on massive boat chase years after being granted asylum in the US
A Russian national accused of jacking a massive luxury yacht and leading authorities in Florida on a boat chase where SWAT officers had to be deployed to secure the vessel was granted asylum in the US. Nikolai Vilkov, 29, was arrested on May 5 after the Martin County Sheriff's Office and other agencies had to use smaller boats to pin the stolen 68-foot, two-million-dollar yacht against the shoreline in Jupiter Island, Sheriff John Budensiek said in a press conference. Budensiek said the 'bizarre' ordeal started at around 1:07 a.m., when Vilkov is suspected of stealing a tow boat just hours before the chase. 5 Nikolai Vilka, a Russian national, is seen being arrested after allegedly stealing a yacht and getting into a massive police chase in Florida. Martin County Sheriff's Office Investigators found the suspect at the Lucky Shuck restaurant in Jupiter, then wandering around by the boats docked in the marina near the bar around 2 a.m. Minutes later, Vilkov allegedly took control of a tow boat and headed north. His first boat-jacking ended when the vessel got stuck on a sandbar and he was forced to flee the scene and walk down US 1 Highway, Budensiek said. Investigators said they lost sight of Vilkov's whereabouts from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. until he was spotted chatting with people at the Tiki 52 Bar & Grill near the Blowing Rocks Marina. Budensiek said witnesses told police they saw the suspect getting on and off the 68-foot yacht, but he was able to blend in like he belonged. 5 Vilka is seen being chased by police after stealing the luxury yacht. Martin County Sheriff's Office The marina's dockmaster reported the luxury vessel had been stolen at 3:55 p.m. Authorities deployed multiple boats that 'locked on to' the vessel, but were at an 'extreme tactical disadvantage.' 'We're talking about a three-story yacht, 68-foot, and our vessels with one or two marine officers were not suited to safely take those individuals into custody,' Budensiek said. Police had shut down the Hobe Sound bridge, a drawbridge on Indian River, in an attempt to end the chase, but were forced to open it for safety reasons when Vilkov got closer. However, about a quarter mile later, Vilkov appeared to have trouble maneuvering the yacht, giving the police boats and SWAT officers on the shore the chance to take back the ship. 5 Police boats were able to pin the stolen vessel against the shoreline. Martin County Sheriff's Office SWAT operators used tear gas and breaching rounds on the yacht as it was pinned down, then called out for the suspect to surrender, but got no response. Vilkov surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody. He told investigators that he spoke little English, but they weren't buying the excuse. 'We do know that he interacted with Jupiter police earlier in the day,' Budensiek said. 'We know he interacted with people in the docks, so we don't really believe him in that regard.' The Department of Homeland Security used a Russian translator for the interview, where Vilkov was 'caught in a multitude of lies' and tried to 'frame that he was insane.' 5 Vilkov surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody. Martin County Sheriff's Office Investigators found that the Vilkov had a wife and child and that they flew from Turkey to Mexico in November 2022. They were granted asylum in Mexico and allowed to enter the US through the Southern border during the Biden administration in December 2022, Budensiek revealed. While Vilkov's whereabouts from 2022 to 2025 are unknown, his driver's license shows that he's from Charlotte, North Carolina. His wife and child also flew back to Russia from the US in April 2024. 5 Investigators found that Vilka and his family were granted asylum in Mexico and allowed to enter the US through the Southern border during the Biden administration in December 2022, Budensiek revealed. Martin County Sheriff's Office 'This does highlight a problem that we've seen with immigration, illegal immigration specifically. We don't know what he did in Russia,' Budensiek said. 'We know he showed up on the Mexican border; he was allowed into our country, but we have no idea what his criminal history is overseas. So we could be dealing with a real bad guy or not, but we're just not sure.' Investigators have yet to uncover any prior run-ins with the law that Vilkov has had since being in the US. His motives for stealing the 68-foot yacht, or how he knew how to operate it, remain a mystery. Authorities speculated that Vilkov was stealing the ship to the 'Bahamas for a smuggling venture,' but they weren't 'able to verify that.' Vilkov is being held without bond and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and resisting arrest without violence. 'He has an ICE detainer on him, and the next time he steals a vessel… it'll be back in Russia, not here in the United States,' Budensiek said. 'When he serves his time here, he'll be deported out of our country.'
