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Video shows fatal hit-and-run on Palmetto Expressway

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The Florida Highway Patrol has released video that shows a fatal hit-and-run crash on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami-Dade County.

The crash was reported just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway approaching the Interstate 95 exit.

According to an incident report, a 2000 Mazda Protege struck the motorcycle in the middle lane. The video shows the car striking the motorcycle from behind.

The impact of the crash caused the motorcycle to slide on its right side. The rider, identified as German Albelda Martinez, 28, was thrown from the bike, coming to a rest in the right shoulder of the expressway.

The driver of the Mazda swerved into the grass shoulder after the crash and fled the scene.

Troopers said the Mazda is possibly green.

WATCH: Raw video of crash

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol Station.

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Burglars tie elderly man to chair, ransack home in Miami, police say

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Two armed and masked men broke into a home in Miami early Wednesday morning as an elderly man was attempting to fall asleep, police said.

The home invasion was reported just before 1:30 a.m. in the area of Southwest 21st Street and 25th Avenue.

Police said the men tied the victim, who is in his 80s, to a chair as they ransacked his home in search of money.

Police said it appears that the thieves broke in through a window.

According to police, the burglars untied the victim before leaving the home through the front door. An undisclosed amount of money was taken.

The burglars are described as two Hispanic men, who were wearing black ski masks and black clothing.

The victim was not injured.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Miami Police Department's Burglary Unit at 305-603-6030. Anonymous tips can be made to Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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4 BSO deputies taken off road in excessive force investigation

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An assault suspect was handcuffed and under interrogation one minute and battered and bruised -- his right eye blackened and shut, his cheek grotesquely swollen -- the next, needing a visit to the hospital.

One question in the ongoing internal investigation into the incident is whether a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy was justified in inflicting that damage with his punches.

Four deputies in the Dania Beach district -- Gerald Wengert, Sean O'Brien, Dan Miller and Matt Griffith -- have been taken off the road during an internal investigation in which another deputy made a complaint about what he saw the night.

Wengert, a one-time reality TV star who was acquitted by a jury of battery and official misconduct charges in 2013, wrote in his report regarding the arrest of Robert Arciola, 51, that the suspect was cursing at deputies during an interrogation during which the suspect was sitting handcuffed on the tailgate of a truck in the driveway of the residence.

Arciola, whom deputies reported had allegedly been drinking and smoking crack, complained that his handcuffs were too tight. This is what Wengert wrote about what happened next:

"I advised the suspect that I was going to remove a handcuff and place another set of handcuffs for his comfort ... As soon as I removed the first handcuff, the suspect immediately spun and yelled, "It's one on one (expletive)." The suspect then pushed me and threw a punch with a closed fist. The punch hit me in the chest. The suspect still had one handcuff attached to him and attempted to swing his fist again. I immediately struck him with a left closed fist then immediately followed it with a right closed fist punch to the suspect's face ... The suspect fell and struck the right side of his face on the side of the truck. I then grabbed him and threw him into the bed of the truck ... The force I used was necessary to prevent me from serious bodily harm ..."

O'Brien's account in the probable cause affidavit in the case basically supported that account. From his report:

"While I was interviewing the victim, Deputy Wengert advised me that he was going to adjust the defendant's handcuffs. During that process I observed an altercation ensue during which the defendant took a fighting stance and struck Deputy Wengter in the chest with a closed fist. I observed Deputy Wengert struggle with the defendant as he was violently resisting by swinging his arms towards Wengert ... before Wengert and [Dep. Dan] Miller were able to overcome his resistance and safely restrain him."

The two other deputies who are under investigation, Miller and Griffith, wrote in their reports that they didn't see what precipitated the violence. Miller, who was the only other deputy to restrain Arciola, wrote the following:

"I then heard the suspect complain that his handcuffs were hurting his wrist. Deputy Wengert checked his handcuffs and advised Deputy O'Brien that he was going to re-handcuff the suspect. I then observed Deputy start to fix the suspect's cuffs. I then turned away for a second towards Deputy O'Brien, when I turned back Deputy Wengert [was] involved in a physical altercation with the suspect."

Griffith too said he didn't observe the beginning of altercation. He wrote that he was walking toward people in a nearby "field area" to tell them to leave when: "I hard a noise behind ... I turned around and observed that Arciola was laying on the bed of the truck and Deputy Wengert was on top him. Arciola was reaching toward Deputy Wengert's face and head area."

Arciola, who was sentenced back in 1987 to probation with adjudication withheld after pleading guilty to battery on a law enforcement officer, was charged with aggravated assault for the knife incident and resisting arrest and battery on a law enforcement officer for what happened during the interrogation.

The Broward Sheriff's Office is tight-lipped on the internal investigation, only confirming the investigation.

Despite requests, sheriff's spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright did not release any information on the status of the deputies, though employees confirmed they had been taken off the road and were on leave.

That arrest occurred in February. Multiple independent sources said that Deputy Jeffrey Ventura, who was also present at the scene, filed a complaint with the FBI alleging wrongdoing by deputies, according to multiple independent sources. The state attorney's office dropped the charges of battery on a law enforcement and resisting arrest against Arciola on July 15.

Wengert is a defendant in an active federal lawsuit alleging he yanked a 21-year-old motorist from his car, smashed his head against the door frame and pounded him with his fists, fracturing his face.

In 2013, a jury acquitted him of battery, official misconduct and falsifying reports when he allegedly accosted a 17-year-old boy who had a road run-in with his girlfriend.

According to reports, Wengert rushed to the scene and punched the teen and had his dog attack him while arresting him.

Follow Bob Norman on Twitter @NormanOn10

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Community pushes for private search to find teens missing at sea

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A massive community effort is underway to raise money that will be used toward the efforts to find missing teens Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen.

Family, friends and even strangers are getting involved, raising funds to fuel more boats and planes. The money is also going toward hiring more private pilots to help search for the teens lost at sea.

RELATED: Coast Guard says search for 2 teens missing at sea still active

"They haven't found the cooler. They haven't found the life vest," said Tatasja Curtin, a cousin of Stephanos. "You know, the boys are with the life vest. They're attached to the cooler."

A GoFundMe page has already raised nearly $200,000 to help rescue the missing friends.

A silent auction and raffle took place at Jumby Bay Island Grill in Jupiter. Hundreds packed the event.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for the teens, who have been missing since Friday, despite The Associated Press reporting earlier Wednesday that the search had been called off.

COAST GUARD REPORTS: Distance on the Atlantic ocean is measured on square nautical miles. July 25: morning report: 5,300 miles searched July 25: afternoon report: 6,200 miles searched July 26: morning report: 14,447 miles searched July 26: afternoon report: 25,000 miles searched July 27: morning report: 26,000 miles searched July 27: afternoon report: 28,127 miles searched July 28 afternoon report: 30,992 miles searched July 29 afternoon report: 39, 429 miles searched

Stephanos' grandmother reported the boys missing about 5 p.m. Friday. The search has been following the warm Atlantic Ocean's Gulf Stream, because the powerful current pushes everything north.

RELATED:Father confident son will be found

The boys left the Jupiter Inlet as a storm approached. Cohen shared a photo on Snapchat that showed their fishing rods. Their capsized 19-foot center console vessel turned up Sunday off of the coast of Daytona Beach.

The U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Customs and Border Protection and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were part of the massive effort, which involved boats, ships, helicopters, planes and even privately owned drones.

Relatives said they will continue to search even if officials call it off, although there has been no mention of stopping.

"The search has not been suspended," Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor said. "It is still active and open."

Meanwhile, family members are not accepting the alternative.

"We're not even going there," Curtin said. "I refuse."

Follow Andrew Perez on Twitter @PerezLocal10

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Father of 1 of teens lost at sea confident son will be found

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A father is speaking exclusively to Local 10 News for the first time since his son disappeared at sea.

"I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's out there and he's alive," Philip Cohen said Wednesday.

Cohen is confident that his son, Perry Cohen, who's missing at sea, will soon be found.

"If anybody can survive this, it's my son," he said.

Perry Cohen and his friend, Austin Stephanos, disappeared at sea last Friday while boating in Jupiter. Their capsized boat was recovered Sunday.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported Wednesday night that 39,429 square nautical miles had been covered. The U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and even private parties have joined in the search.

"I can't tell you how much that means to me," Philip Cohen said.

Thursday marks day six of the search, and there was still no sign of the 14-year-olds, which is even more of a reason Philip Cohen wants rescue teams to keep pressing on.

"I'm pleading for everybody to please continue searching for my boy because he's there and he's waiting," he said.

Howard Talenfeld, a family friend and advocate for Perry, explained that there's still hope.

U.S. COAST GUARD PROGRESS REPORTS: Distance on the Atlantic ocean is measured on square nautical miles. July 25 a.m. report: 5,300 July 25 p.m. report: 6,200 July 26 a.m. report: 14,447 July 26 p.m. report: 25,000 July 27 a.m. report: 26,000 July 27 p.m. report: 28,127 July 28 p.m. report: 30,992 July 29 p.m. report: 39,429

"There are so many people that have survived in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, throughout this world for months," Talenfeld said.

Philip Cohen admitted that he feels helpless at times, but he is remaining positive and optimistic through it all. The father pointed out that Perry Cohen isn't the average 14-year-old.

"I know that he would have done everything he can, whether it be grabbing all the life vests, tying them together," Philip Cohen said. "They've got a cooler. That cooler has water in it. There's a seat supposedly that's missing. He would have thought of it."

Philip Cohen shared an emotional message to his only son.

"Stay strong. We're coming for you," he said. "I miss you so much. I love you."

Follow Shyann Malone on Twitter @ShyannMalone

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Map: Austin and Perry

Man who escaped from police custody arrested in Boynton Beach

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A man who escaped from police custody after a traffic stop in Boynton Beach has been arrested.

Boynton Beach police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said Anthony Webb, 48, was apprehended early Thursday morning after a security guard spotted him at the Tri-Rail station in Boynton Beach.

Slater said officers conducted a traffic stop Wednesday night after noticing Webb driving the wrong way. It was determined that Webb had an open arrest warrant for a probation violation, but he got away as officers were trying to handcuff him.

Webb, who had one handcuff on his wrist, got into his car and drove off, Slater said.

Officers deployed stop sticks on his car on Interstate 95, but Webb bailed out of the car and jumped a fence near Northwest 14th Avenue, Slater said.

Webb was still wearing the handcuffs around his wrist when he was arrested, Slater said.

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2 killed in Plantation when truck hits pole

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Two are dead after a truck hit a pole in Plantation, and now police are looking for a second car possibly involved in the crash.

The crash happened at Peters Road and South Pine Island Road early Thursday morning.

Fire rescue said a man and woman were ejected from the truck. The woman died at the scene, while the man died on the way to a hospital.

Police said a white car possibly crashed into the truck and took off. The car may have damage to the driver's side mirror.

South Pine Island Road will be closed from Southwest Sixth Street to Peters Road while the investigation is conducted.

Stay with Local 10 and Local10.com for updates.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Man reported missing shoots himself in front of deputy, authorities say

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A man who was reported missing from Port St. Lucie fatally shot himself in front of a deputy early Thursday morning, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports.

Authorities said Deputy Jorge Prince was patrolling the end of Old Boca Chica on Big Coppitt Key at about 12:30 a.m. when he saw a Ford F150 parked at the barricades.

Prince said he told Terrence Haynes, 61, that he was not allowed to park there, because the beach closes at 11 p.m.

Prince said Haynes claimed that he was trying to get some sleep before heading north. Prince then asked Haynes for identification and found out he had been reported missing.

Prince said he asked Haynes to step out of the truck, but Haynes became agitated and drove off.

Prince radioed for assistance and followed Haynes, who deputies said stopped a short distance away.

Deputies said Haynes was outside the truck with his back turned to Prince and was smoking a cigarette.

Prince said he told Haynes to show him his hands. He said Haynes then raised a gun to the side of his own head and fired one shot.

Deputies said Prince performed CPR until rescue units arrived, but Haynes was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

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Pedestrian killed in downtown Miami hit-and-run crash

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A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a car in downtown Miami early Thursday morning. 

Miami police confirm the driver who struck the person along Biscayne Boulevard at Northeast Fourth Street left the scene. 

Several blocks near Bayside Marketplace are roped off as the investigation continues.

Police have not released any information about the car, but they are collecting evidence at the scene. 

Watch Local 10 News and refresh Local10.com for updates on this story. 

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On this day: July 31

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Mt. Fuji erupts, the Apollo 15 astronauts go for a ride, major-league baseball players end their strike, and Michael Phelps swims into Olympic history, all on this day.

Most memorable celebrity weddings

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Nothing captures the public's imagination quite like a celebrity wedding -- and the bigger the celebrity, the bigger the spotlight.

At least 3 rescued after boat partially submerges

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At least three people were rescued after a boat began taking on water off the South Florida coast.

The rescue took place near the Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach.

Sky 10 was above the boat, which was partially submerged in the water.

The rescued boaters -- a man and two women -- were on a North Miami police boat and didn't appear to be hurt. They were wearing life jackets.

"It's a perfect example of something that could happen at any time, and these people were prepared because they had their life vests readily accessible," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino told Local 10 News.

A mechanical issue is believed to have caused the boat to fill with water.

The partially sunken boat is estimated to cost more than $100,000.

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Boat partially submerges after taking on water

Fort Myers attorney, sons accused of hiding illegal lobster stash on boat

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A Fort Myers attorney and his two adult sons were arrested after they were caught hiding an illegal stash of lobsters on their boat in the Florida Keys, state wildlife officers said.

Steven Koeppel, 55, and his sons, John Koeppel, 24, and Kyle Koeppel, 22, were arrested by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers Wednesday night.

Two officers were conducting a routine boat inspection on the first day of lobster miniseason when they noticed the Koeppels "acting very nervous," Officer Bobby Dube said.

The men showed the officers the required 18 lobsters in their possession, but after a thorough search, the officers found 28 more lobsters in a hidden compartment under the deck of the boat, Dube said.

Steven Koeppel is the founding attorney of Yeslow & Koeppel in Fort Myers.

All three men face misdemeanor charges.

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Miami-Dade County man accused of calling 911 claiming officer was shot

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A man was arrested after calling 911 Thursday morning and falsely telling a dispatcher that a Miami-Dade police officer had been shot in the chest, police said.

Eddie Lewis Taylor, 38, faces a charge of misusing the 911 system.

Sky 10 was above the scene near the 8000 block of Northwest Fifth Court as dozens of police vehicles arrived to verify the claims.

A woman was placed into handcuffs but was later released. A SWAT team was also seen entering a home and three children quickly came out.

Police said officers from multiple agencies, including aviation units, attempted to locate the officer, but determined the call was a hoax. 

Police tracked the location of the cellphone used to call 911 to the area of 1544 NW 44th St. and found Taylor holding the phone.

Detectives determined he was the person responsible for making the call and took him into custody.

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Police called to burglary find marijuana grow house in Florida City

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Police are investigating after a marijuana grow house was found Thursday morning in Florida City.

Florida City police said officers were initially called to the home on Northwest Third Street off Eighth Avenue in reference to a burglary, but they found the home locked and secured.

Police said they later received a second call from an anonymous tipster who hinted to take a closer look.

They did, and police said they found a full marijuana lab inside the home.

Police said several plants were dropped in the front yard as someone inside the home tried to get away. Police said marijuana plants were also hidden in bushes next to the home.

A Florida Power & Light crew was called to shut off the electricity at the home because of the dangerous setup inside the home, which consisted of a water filtration system, carbon dioxide tanks and power diversion. 

"These houses can catch fire very easily," an officer told Local 10 News. "The houses are pretty close to each other, so they could spread to the other properties."

The marijuana confiscated from the home has an estimated street value of $25,000, police said.

No one has been arrested at this time.

Follow Terrell Forney on Twitter @TVTerrell

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Fugitives believed to be hiding in South Florida among those most wanted

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A man wanted for aggravated battery and another accused of attempted murder are among the fugitives most wanted in South Florida.

Miami-Dade, Biscayne Park officers hurt in crash

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Two police officers were taken to local hospitals after they were involved in a crash, Miami-Dade police said.

The crash happened after 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Southwest 152nd Street and Southwest 137th Avenue.

Investigators said a Miami-Dade police officer in his marked patrol vehicle was traveling west on the eastbound lanes in emergency mode with lights and sirens activated as an off-duty Biscayne Park officer in his marked police car was traveling west, attempting to make a left into a shopping center.

Both police vehicles collided, sending the Biscayne Park vehicle into three vehicles stopped in traffic. Police said the Miami-Dade police vehicle crashed into an unoccupied parked vehicle in the shopping center.

The Miami-Dade officer was taken to Baptist Hospital West, and the Biscayne Park officer was taken to Kendall Regional Trauma. Police said both officers were listed in stable condition.

There were no other injuries reported.

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Friend of boy shot, killed in Cooper City faces manslaughter charge

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A 14-year-old boy faces a manslaughter charge after another 14-year-old boy was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound inside a Cooper City home, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.

The shooting happened before 3 p.m. Thursday at a home at 10000 NW 41st St.

BSO spokeswoman Dani Moschella said the boy was killed as he, his 16-year-old brother and a friend played with a handgun. When deputies arrived, they discovered the body of the victim in the garage and a handgun nearby.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel called the incident a "terrible tragedy." He said the SWAT team was called to clear the house as a precaution.

The shooting happened at the home of the 14-year-old boy, who now faces a charge of manslaughter with a firearm.

Homicide detectives spent hours talking to the 14-year-old and the victim's 16-year-old brother about the incident.

The victim was not identified by deputies, and the shooting remains under investigation.

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After week of searching, still no sign of teens missing at sea

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A seventh night of searching for two South Florida boys missing at sea has passed, and still they haven't been found.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has searched nearly 44,000 square nautical miles from Daytona Beach to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, but there haven't been any clues leading to the discovery of Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos.

Friday marks a full week since the 14-year-old Tequesta boys vanished off the coast of Jupiter. Their capsized boat was found Sunday near Daytona Beach.

The Coast Guard has said it will continue to search until it believes there's no reasonable chance the boys could be found alive.

U.S. COAST GUARD PROGRESS REPORTS: Distance on the Atlantic ocean is measured on square nautical miles. July 25 a.m. report: 5,300 July 25 p.m. report: 6,200 July 26 a.m. report: 14,447 July 26 p.m. report: 25,000 July 27 a.m. report: 26,000 July 27 p.m. report: 28,127 July 28 p.m. report: 30,992 July 29 p.m. report: 39,429 July 30 p.m. report: 43,967

Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss described the search early Friday as ongoing and said he has nothing new to report. The Coast Guard scheduled a news conference for noon Friday in Opa-locka.

For the boys' families, there is still hope of survival, because a cooler, life jackets, a cushion and the engine cover were missing from the boat.

Philip Cohen told Local 10 News in an exclusive interview Wednesday that he believes his son is still "out there and he's alive."

Tatasja Curtin, Stephanos' cousin, said her family is refusing to accept the alternative.

"We're not even going there," she said.

The families said they'll continue with a private search if the Coast Guard search ends.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Map: Austin and Perry

Confidence grows that piece of Flight 370 found

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Debris found in the western Indian Ocean on Wednesday appears to be part of a Boeing 777.

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