Bicyclist seriously hurt after being hit by vehicle early Tuesday

‘This is our home’ – Protest demands fair treatment for undocumented immigrants

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two days after a joint operation netted eight traffic arrests and the detainment of dozens of others, residents gathered to protest what they say is unfair treatment from law enforcement officers along with racial profiling of undocumented immigrants. The demonstration - deemed "Fight For Our Families" - aims to counter the narrative of classifying anyone without documentation as "criminals." "This is our home. I live here. I have a mortgage here," said event co-organizer Azucena Maldonado, 46, a longtime Vero Beach resident whose roots originate in Mexico. "There is no reason for people to be afraid of us or the language we speak." Capt. Joe Abollo, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, said ...

Man on railroad tracks struck by Brightline at 8th Street crossing

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 30-year-old man was critically injured after he walked along the railroad tracks and was struck by a Brightline train at the Eighth Street railroad crossing, deputies said. "The (crossing) arms were down," said Lt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. The incident happened about 6 p.m. Sunday at the crossing at Eighth Street between U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway, Jaworski said. The crash happened south of the Vero Beach city limits. Jaworski said the man was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. Deputies closed Eighth Street for about 30 minutes. "Deputies and railroad officials are on scene working to determine the cause of the crash," Jaworski ...

Sailboat washes ashore near South Beach

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — No one was aboard a large sailboat that ran aground earlier this week just south of South Beach Park, police said. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers and police have notified the owner about the vessel washing ashore, said Officer Kelsea Callahan, a spokesperson for the Vero Beach Police Department. Vero Beach police officers responded to reports of the incident shortly after 7:23 a.m. Tuesday. A caller told dispatchers she could see the boat from her condo unit in the 1600 block of Ocean Drive, reports show. An incident report showed the boat appeared to be drifting south. Police tagged the boat for removal. It was unclear Thursday if the vessel was towed away from the area. ...