Historical Society tells tales of Kitching Switch near Sebastian

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 ...

No injuries after plane makes emergency landing in field in Sebastian

SEBASTIAN — Two people escaped injury after a Piper PA-28 plane experienced a power issue, leading the pilot to make an emergency landing in a field Tuesday morning, officials said. The single-engine aircraft took off from the Sebastian Municipal Airport, Police Capt. Tim Wood said. The plane was traveling south near the Vero Beach Regional Airport when it experienced a power issue about 9:30 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot headed back north and made a soft landing in an undeveloped area located on a private property just west of the railroad tracks, not far from 99th Street and U.S. 1, Wood said. Further details on the individuals aboard the aircraft were not immediately available. The FAA ...

2 residents, 4 dogs displaced after Sebastian house fire

SEBASTIAN — Two residents, along with their four dogs, were displaced after a house fire that ignited overnight, fire rescue crews said. No injuries were reported in the incident, Indian River County Assistant Fire Chief Bill Herrington said. Red Cross South Florida Region assisted the residents - two adults - and pets with temporary living accommodations. Firefighters were called to the blaze about 3:30 a.m. Monday at the residence along 50th Avenue in Sebastian. Herrington said the flames originated in a bedroom and that the home sustained extensive smoke damage. "There was fire damage to a couple of rooms," Herrington said. Herrington said fire crews knocked down the flames within 16 minutes. The residence is uninhabitable for now, he said. ...