A vehicle struck a major pipe at the Hobe Sound/Osprey Water Plant on Wednesday night, causing the driver to abandon the scene and leaving hundreds of residents without water service or adequate water pressure. The Martin County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash, which occurred around 9 p.m.
Investigators located the driver through a hospital visit. The driver, 24-year-old Eliuvar Garza of Stuart, was brought to the hospital by a family member for injuries sustained in the crash. According to witness accounts, Garza repeatedly said "I messed up" before fleeing the scene. He now faces multiple charges including leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving with a suspended license with knowledge of the suspension, failure to use due care, and failure to stop at a stop sign.
The South Martin Regional Utility has restored water service to all affected customers in the area. However, the utility issued an advisory for residents who experienced the water shortage. Customers should boil their water for three minutes before using it, according to the advisory posted on the SMRU website. The emergency response team worked to restore water to every household impacted by the pipe damage.
The boil water warning remains in effect until further notice. Any Hobe Sound residents with questions about their water service should contact the South Martin Regional Utility directly for more information.