Overview
- A vehicle struck a large pipe at the Hobe Sound/Osprey Water Plant, causing significant damage that reduced water pressure and left many residents with limited or no service.
- A nearby resident reported hearing a loud crash and seeing a man at the scene say "I messed up" before running away, according to law enforcement and witness accounts.
- Martin County deputies identified the suspect as a man in his 20s with a neck tattoo and later arrested 24-year-old Eliuvar Garza after a family member brought him to a hospital.
- Garza faces multiple charges including leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and driving with a suspended license, and investigators have not determined what caused the collision.
- Officials have not given an estimated repair or restoration timeline and have asked residents with information to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office while utility crews evaluate the pipe and needed fixes.