WAFC Local News – March 04, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. A LaBelle man was sentenced to five years in prison for a boating accident last year near Alva on the Caloosahatchee River. 38-year-old Anthony Carella is a former Florida Forest Service supervisor. He changed his plea to no contest to leaving the scene of a vessel accident with injury and tampering with evidence. The original charge was vessel homicide. The victim was 64-year-old Christopher Giangaruso of Fort Myers. Carella did not alert authorities about the accident until three hours after it occurred. They found the victim’s body two days later. They believe he was injured by the propeller of the boat. The victim’s blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit. Among arrest, Joshua Ortiz is charged with engaging in sexual activity with a person underage between the ages of 12 and 16. The incident occurred between January 1 and January 31 of last year. It’s also alleged that Ortiz drove to Hendry County during that time period to meet with a minor and utilize a computer online service to solicit her. Charges include lewd or lascivious battery, lewd or lascivious molestation, traveling to meet a minor, promoting asexual performance of a child, and possession of child pornography. A 24-year-old Clewiston man is charged with biting off the fingers of his brother. Ikoakau Otoniel was facing charges of felony battery for an incident on February 22, investigated by Clewiston police. Officers were dispatched to a disturbance between two brothers. Hendry County backed up the police department. Alcohol was said to be a contributing factor to that fight. An alleged thief reportedly stole from the city of LaBelle. 58-year-old James Stevens is facing charges of grand theft. The property valued between $750,000 and $5,000. He’s also facing a charge of dealing in stolen property. It’s alleged she stole several weed eaters and chainsaws from the Department of Public Works. Hendry County Sheriff’s deputies investigated the crime, and some of the equipment was recovered. The suspect, Stevens, was found hiding in a garage in the Port LaBelle area. The candidates for Belgrade City Commission participated in a forum hosted by the Glade’s Democratic Club. One of the races has Mayor Steve Wilson and Daryl Kelly running for seat B. The election is March 10, next Tuesday. Mayor Wilson says the city is headed in the right direction with more housing and growth, improved infrastructure and improved parks. Kelly says he wants a stronger and safer Belgrade and wants more programs for youth and more transparency in the city. Mayor Wilson says they’re transforming Belgrade into a Mecca. We’re transforming our city one block at a time. We’re rebuilding our infrastructure system by strengthening the very foundation of our streets and utilities. Wilson says they’re also trying to bring affordable housing. What’s affordable now? Who knows? That’s a word that you use all day long, affordable. So we’re trying to make sure that we have a seat at the table to make sure we take care of every resident in Belgrade, whether it’s on the high end or the very low end. And that’s what we’re committed to doing. Kelly advocates for more mechanical harvesting of sugar cane, less burns and less smoke. They are developing not to burn. It’s going to take a little time to fully develop it. They can go in and harvest cane while it’s green. He says Palm Beach Sheriff deputies should do more. He says they want to do nothing but sit in the shade in their squad cars. We got to come together and bring stuff for our kids to do where we don’t have all this pride. When something happens, you can see the Sheriff’s Department rides by. We’re going to have to get down and talk with the Sheriff’s Department. They’re going to have to patrol our streets. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).