OKEECHOBEE -- A 16-year-old girl was arrested on several felony charges Sunday after she reportedly broke into a N.W. Seventh Street home while armed with a knife.



Maria Adele Martinez, S.R. 70 W., Okeechobee, was arrested Sept. 4 on felony charges of burglary of a structure while armed, armed trespassing, criminal mischief and grand theft. She was also arrested on a misdemeanor charge of resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.

Martinez was booked into the Okeechobee County Jail then taken to the St. Lucie Regional Detention Center in Fort Pierce.

Deputy Richard Varnadore, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), stated the 21-year-old homeowner was asleep on a couch shortly before 8 a.m. when he awoke to see Martinez standing over him.

The teen allegedly had a knife in her hand but never threatened the man with it, pointed out the report. She was ordered to leave the home by the man and apparently did so.

After the alleged intruder had gone, the homeowner walked to a nearby home to contact law enforcement. When he later returned to his home he found his flat screen television had been shattered, there were holes in a door and wall, a window was damaged and several things were missing.

Those missing items included 50 DVDs, eight cans of cola and a 2-liter bottle of soda.

In all, stated the report, damages were estimated at $1,100. The deputy’s report goes on to indicate that the stolen items had a total value of $508.

Deputy Varnadore’s report stated the front and rear doors were damaged by someone apparently trying to pry them open.

When OCSO Deputy Robbie Lamb confronted Martinez not far from the home she was riding a bicycle and would not stop when ordered to do so.

Deputy Lamb finally pulled his car in front of Martinez which caused her to stop.

The girl got off her bike and was taken into custody without further incident.

According to the reports the two deputies both knew the girl because they had responded to the same home Saturday, Sept. 3, for a disturbance and had trespassed Martinez from that residence.

Deputy Varnadore said all of the stolen items were recovered.