By Jay Meisel
meisel@hometownnewsol.com
MARTIN COUNTY -
Three men may have committed an armed carjacking as part of a gang initiation, according to arrest affidavits.
One of the suspects, Joell C. Riggins, told Martin County Sheriff's Office investigators that another suspect, Odell Lee, "was to perform a robbery with the purpose of being initiated into a gang," the affidavit said.
Witnesses identified Mr. Lee as the person suspected of pointing a gun during the carjacking, the affidavit said.
Mr. Riggins also told authorities the third suspect, Timothy Richardson, aka President, drove them from Fort Pierce to Stuart, the affidavit said.
Charged with armed carjacking were: Mr. Richardson, 31, 835 East 16th St., Stuart; Mr. Riggins, 29, 916 S.E. Dixie Lane, Stuart and Mr. Lee, 22, 522 S.E. Ron Rico Terrace, Port St. Lucie.
Mr. Lee denied involvement with the robbery, the affidavit said.
Victims told investigators they were doing a landscaping job at Jefferson Street and Evergreen Avenue.
When they finished the job and packed up their equipment, one of three men who had congregated in the area approached their vehicle, the victims told investigators, the affidavit said.
The man later identified as Mr. Lee pointed a gun and ordered the victim in the driver's seat to exit the vehicle, the affidavit said.
Eventually, Mr. Riggins abandoned the stolen vehicle and was arrested, said Rhonda Irons, public information officer for the Martin County Sheriff's Office, in a press release.
She said the other two men were arrested later and were inside the vehicle the three men were have said to be driving in from Fort Pierce to Stuart.