Driver Who Caused Accident That Killed Heat Dancer Was Drinking

In today's stunning return of Riptide's news roundups: the man who fatally struck a Miami Heat dancer's motorcycle admits to having been drinking, a Miami police officer is sent to prison for stealing from a traffic accident victim, a rare destructive beetles species is found in Miami, and the latest poll numbers in the Senate and Governor's races.

Over the summer 22-year-old Nancy Lopez had learned she had been selected to join the Heat's elite dance team for what could be the team's biggest season ever. Unfortunately she never made her debut with the squad, as she died in an accident while driving her motorcycle in Ft. Lauderdale earlier this month.

Mario Careaga, the driver behind the wheel of the Mercedes that fatally struck Lopez, has admitted that he was drinking before the crash. Careaga says he was at the Galleria Mall before the crash, and had consumed two Vodka drinks.

Careaga has not been charged with a crime yet, but is being investigated for DUI manslaughter. [CBS4]

• A Miami police officer has been sentenced to jail for stealing the ATM card from a traffic accident victim and using it to swipe $460. [CBS4]
• Numerous thieves were caught on camera stealing from a jewelry store inside Mary Brickell Village. [JustNews]
• Your latest Senate poll numbers from Quinnipiac: Rubio 46%, Crist 33%, Meek 18%. [NBCMiami]
• Your latest Governor poll numbers from CNN/Time: Statistical dead heat. [CBS4]
• Fisher Island is now only the 37th most expensive zip code in America. Down from its ranking two years ago at number one with a bullet. [NBCMiami]
• Two people are dead and another 12 are missing after Tropical Storm Nicole ripped through Jamaica. [CBS4]
• Bug invasion? Officials at the Port of Miami found a rare and potentially destructive species of beetle inside a shipment of limes from Guatemala. [WSVN]
• A house on Northeast Second Street and 8th Avenue in Miami was destroyed by a fire yesterday. [WSVN]