News Cast for April 23rd:
It ends here
A violent crime in Collier County Monday morning ended up having an impact on Glades and Okeechobee County.
Glades County Sheriff David Hardin said the suspects refused to stop for several law enforcement agencies.
It started as a shooting and home invasion robbery in Collier County and went on to SR 29, US 27, SR 78 east and ended in Okeechobee County next to Okeetantie.
Sheriff Hardin said the suspects were taken into custody and given medical treatment.
None of the deputies or public motorists were injured in the chase.
There was some property damage to private property on state road 78 in Okeechobee.
The names of the suspects were not immediately available.
A 38-year-old Okeechobee man died in a single vehicle rollover crash on Berman Road near SE 26th Lane on Saturday night.
Robert Cochran Junior was ejected from the vehicle while a passenger, a 29-year-old woman from St. Petersburg, Hayleigh Price was flown out to a regional facility with minor injury.
A $50,000 bond set against Bryan Young of Okeechobee for child pornography possession.
The Okeechobee County Sheriffs office worked with the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children and the Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
A chase from the Super Walmart due to another shoplifting complaint.
Kelton Smedley allegedly refused to stop for Okeechobee Police. He drove north bound in the south bound lanes of South Parrott Avenue and narrowly avoided other traffic during the chase.
The incident ended when the vehicle, a Chevy Trailblazer collided with a fire hydrant and concrete bollard or short post meant to keep traffic out on SW 14 Street.
Smedley faces several charges including fleeing and eluding police, petit theft and reckless driving.
Jobless rates remained at 3.4 percent in Okeechobee during March.
The state continues to add jobs with many more job openings that candidates to fill them.
Labor economist Jimmy Heckman said 7 of 10 job sectors gained jobs in March.
The construction industry also gained jobs.
Okeechobee had 18, 313 in the labor force, 17,698 employed and 615 collected benefits in March.
That compared to 18,273 in the labor force, 17,659 working and 614 unemployed in February.
Around the region Glades County had 4.1 percent, Highlands 4.6 percent, Osceola 3.6 percent, Indian River 3.8 percent, St. Lucie 3.9 percent and Martin County 3.3 percent in March.
The county court house will host an exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.
Angie Griffin with Main Street said Voices and Votes, the story of democracy in America will be here from May 28 to July 12.
The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners will host the exhibit in the lobby of the historic court house.