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BREAKING NEWS

STEVEN MONTIERO

Here’s why it’s difficult to enforce Florida’s texting-while-driving law

In 2019, the texting-and-driving law went into effect, allowing law enforcement officers to issue tickets to people caught texting while driving. By law, drivers don’t have to surrender their phones without a warrant, making it difficult to prove someone was texting while driving. AdHere’s what Central Florida municipalities reported to the state for 2020 texting-while-driving tickets:Orange County Sheriff’s Office: 114Flagler County Sheriff’s Office: 64Volusia County Sheriff’s Office: 18Sumter County Sheriff’s Office: 9Lake County Sheriff’s Office: 6Brevard County Sheriff’s Office: 4Marion County Sheriff’s Office: 4Orlando Police Department: 12Melbourne Police Department: 12Daytona Beach Police Department: 3University of Central Florida Police Department: 2While the numbers are low, Montiero said it’s a good start in making the roads safer for drivers. Drivers caught texting while driving can face a fine ranging from $30 for the first violation to more than $100. As part of the law, holding a phone while driving is illegal in school zones and construction zones.

Trooper Steve shares cancer story to inspire others to monitor their health during pandemic

Montiero’s surgeon, Dr. Steve Williams of AdventHealth, specializes in urology and robotic surgery. AdNow, Montiero, who’s a first responder and U.S. Air Force veteran, wants to raise awareness about patient advocacy and preventative care. “It’s preventative care, don’t ignore the signs, take care of yourself, because if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else,” he said. Reminders about preventative care have become even more important since the start of the pandemic. He’s now sharing his story in an effort to encourage others not to neglect their health needs because they’re afraid to visit a health care facility during the coronavirus pandemic.

News 6′s Trooper Steve diagnosed with kidney cancer amid COVID-19 pandemic

Dr. Steve Williams, a urologist and robotic surgeon at AdventHealth, explained how he found Montiero’s tumor. But the next step, surgery on the tumor, would have to wait two months, something Montiero said terrified him. As you may well know, Montiero is back at work and doing well, but he will share more details about his recovery tomorrow on News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. Florida doctors have said for months that the hospitals are “very, very safe.” You can read more about hospital safety during the pandemic here. AdThe Mayo Clinic and CDC also offer tips on how to safely visit your doctor during the pandemic.

Here are the security measures you could see in place ahead of possible nationwide protests

According to an internal FBI bulletin, nationwide protests at state capitols and courthouses are being planned from Jan. 16 until Jan. 20. Montiero said when law enforcement receives a warning like this one, it’s important for agencies to act quickly. So, the FBI has issued their information, you have the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) that gathers their own and then the sheriff’s offices,” he said. “Of course, they share information and then they begin to put action to prevent anything from happening.”A likely part of the security plans would be to put officers in places where they can be seen. “You’re going to get an obvious response (and) there’s going to be visual deterrents” Montiero said.

‘Obviously there was a failure yesterday:’ Orlando police chief responds to violence at Capitol

This coming after an angry mob of violent Trump supporters forced their way inside the Capitol. It looked like it was a normal day in D.C,” Montiero said. As a trained law enforcement officer, Montiero was asked why the Capitol police didn’t use more force. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon shared his thoughts from the incident at the Capitol. He said in fact the law enforcement response to the protest in D.C. just made him mad.

News 6 honors its own on 'The Weekly' for Veterans Day

On Sunday's episode of "The Weekly on ClickOrlando.com," anchor Justin Warmoth introduced you to some of the veterans of WKMG News 6. Derrick Riviere, a production technician at News 6, served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years. Steve Griffiths, a production technician at News 6, served in the U.S. Navy for six years. Richard Falley, an engineering specialist at News 6, served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five and a half years. The episode also highlighted three Getting Results Award winners who volunteer their time year-round to support veterans in Central Florida.

'What the Honk': Passing traffic illegally, ditching helmets, hauling equipment

[WHAT THE HONK: Send Trooper Steve your strange traffic scenes]The incident unfolded along westbound Old Winter Garden Road at Kirkman Road. You might want to trade out your family sedan for a pickup truck if your job has you transporting heavy equipment -- a lot of heavy equipment," Montiero said. [MORE: What the Honk: Window AC unit, casket in SUV | 'What the Honk': Trooper Steve explores DIY car hacks]"Not only is this a true 'What the Honk' moment, but a disaster waiting to happen," Montiero said. Trooper Steve wants to see what youre seeing on Central Florida's roads. Have your passengers snap photos or gather footage from your dashboard camera to submit to Trooper Steve at ClickOrlando.com/WhattheHonk, or email them to AskTrooperSteve@wkmg.com.

Here's a crash course on how to safely merge onto highways

To help, News 6 traffic safety expert Steven Montiero is here with a crash course. According to Montiero, any time drivers are on a ramp entering onto a main highway, there is a process that needs to be followed. In every merge area where the merge meets the main highway, there is a white striped area, according to Montiero. "Florida traffic terms refer to this as a pointed gore," Montiero said. "This allows for certain speeds in certain traffic to gain entry onto a main highway safely," Montiero said.

Here's where the free Kissimmee Connector shuttle service will take you

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Public transportation has come a long way in Central Florida, and Kissimmee is among the latest cities in the area to offer even more travel options to its residents. The City of Kissimmee, in partnership with Lynx Transportation, has started the Kissimmee Connector. "The City of Kissimmee, down in Osceola County, has done just that, keeping travelers connected with the Kissimmee Connector." Stops include Kissimmee Lakefront Park, Osceola Courthouse, Kissimmee City Hall, Osceola Regional Medical Center, AdventHealth Kissimmee and the county library. City of Kissimmee public information officer Melissa Zayas-Moreno said the shuttle service has been running since January and is available to anyone, including visitors and residents.

Buying or selling online? Safely carry out exchanges at these Orlando-area spots

ORLANDO, Fla. - Many people these days are choosing to ditch the department stores and find a lot of their wants and needs by making private online purchases, but with growing sales comes the opportunity for the bad guy to ruin your exchange. [RIDE ALONG: Want to Ride Along with Trooper Steve? If you cant make it to a police station, you can always consider your local bank. Not only do they have cameras, security and employees present, it's a great place to exchange money or verify the validity of the cash. Copyright 2019 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.

Want to Ride Along with Trooper Steve?

Do you want to ride along with Trooper Steve? News 6 Traffic Safety Expert Steven Montiero is Getting Results, educating our community and helping to make safer drivers with a new segment called Ride Along with Trooper Steve![APPLY: Use the form below to sign up for a chance to be on 'Ride Along with Trooper Steve']Central Floridians now have the chance to ride along with Trooper Steve and learn firsthand insider secrets about how to eliminate those traffic stressors. Just hop in the passenger seat and find out what you should do in any and every kind of road situation. From what to do when you get pulled over by police to how to spot imposters, drive defensively and protect yourself if a road rage driver is on your tail, Trooper Steve knows what to do and he wants you to know, too. You are invited so come on, get in the passenger seat and learn how to stay safe on our ever-changing roads.