Indian River County Crime Blotter: February 19

Port St. Lucie man in custody after bank robbery, high-speed chase, crash

TREASURE COAST — A Port St. Lucie man who stole more than $5,000 from a Fellsmere bank, then drove southbound at speeds of up to 120 mph before crashing his vehicle in St. Lucie County, was in custody Thursday afternoon, sheriff's officials said. The incident led nearby Fellsmere Elementary School to be placed on a brief lockdown. "(The suspect) demanded money be placed in a pillowcase he brought with him," Fellsmere police said. The incident caused a multi-agency response across two counties to capture the suspect. Police identified the man as 44-year-old David Abram Ziesel. Police learned that Ziesel was on federal probation for robbing a bank in 2019 in Oakwood, Ohio; further details on that case were not immediately ...

Deputies: Man charged with running over woman after domestic dispute

A Sebastian man was jailed Thursday in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that occurred after a domestic dispute with a woman he was in a relationship with, deputies said. The identity of the woman who was fatally struck was not publicly released. The woman's body was found on the side of southbound U.S. 1, prompting a criminal and traffic homicide investigation, Indian River County sheriff's officials said. "We think her body was there for a couple of hours," Sheriff's spokesperson Lt. Joe Abollo said. Drew Preston Leibrock, 52, of the 100 block of Crawford Drive, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with a death and tampering with or destroying evidence. Leibrock was held Thursday at the Indian River ...

Fellsmere awarded $700K for community development

Fellsmere was one of 48 cities and counties to be awarded state funding toward community development Wednesday, according to the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The $700,000 grant for the city will go toward replacing streets, sidewalks and landscaping from North Broadway Street to South Broadway Street, officials said. "Making investments in our small communities helps build opportunities for generations to come," DeSantis said in a statement. "I am proud to make these awards to 48 communities throughout the state to help them build economic resiliency and strengthen their communities." DeSantis issued more than $35 million to the communities through the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant. The funds will be used for economic development, commercial and neighborhood revitalization, ...