UPDATE: Missing Vero Beach man found after minor traffic crash

Low beach attendance for January; no water rescues

VERO BEACH — While chilly temperatures caused a drop in beach attendance last month, lifeguards are happy to report that there were no water rescues that occurred in January. "It's a great thing," Vero Beach Lifeguard Association officials said in a statement. "We hope people are paying attention to lifeguards and condition signs before they go into the water." The Vero Beach Lifeguard Association recently released its monthly report for the beaches at Jaycee Park, Humiston Park and South Beach Park. Lifeguards said about 54,105 beachgoers flocked to the shore in January. The highest beach-attendance record of 65,700 was set in 2019 for Vero Beach, lifeguards said. The record low for beach attendance was set in 2016 with 36,000 people, ...

Man shot after charging at deputy with small sword

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 29-year-old man who was shot by a deputy after charging at the officer with a small sword, was hospitalized late Friday, officials said. The unidentified man was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce, Indian River County sheriff's spokesman Maj. Eric Flowers said. The deputy who fired the shot was not injured. The deputy was placed on paid administrative leave, which is protocol for police-involved shootings. Neither the deputy's name nor the man's name were released Friday. The incident unfolded about 7 p.m. Friday after deputies received a series of calls about a disturbance at a home at 12th Street Southwest and 35th Avenue Southwest in the Grovenor ...

Deputies search for missing, endangered man

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies are searching for a man they described as missing and endangered last seen early Monday. Indian River County deputies said Frank Yelmini was last seen walking northbound in the area of Indian River Boulevard and Royal Palm Pointe. His age and address were not immediately available. Deputies said Yelmini is insulin dependent and that it was unknown if he was taking his medication. Yelmini might be accompanied by James Raymond, deputies said. Deputies said Yelmini is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 260 pounds and is bald on the top of his head with grey hair on the sides. Yelmini was last seen wearing an unknown colored shirt, sweatpants and slides, deputies said. Anyone who ...