Circuit Judge Brett M. Waronicki was arrested on DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia charges after a traffic stop in Martin County, authorities confirmed. The Martin County Sheriff's Office reported the arrest, which also involved two other individuals, Wendy Ditroia and Christopher Greenman, facing cocaine possession charges. CBS12 News offered the initial details.
During the stop which occurred Wednesday night, Waronicki, who presides in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court, allegedly declined a blood-alcohol test, subsequently getting booked for DUI. Ditroia, 43, and Greenman also faced drug-related charges, with the latter arrested for an extra possession of drug paraphernalia count. Sheriff's spokesperson Christine Christofek left certain aspects of the incident, like its exact time and location, undisclosed. Despite the hush around specifics, it is known across the Treasure Coast that a man tasked with administering justice now awaits it himself.
Upon investigating the background of Ditroia and Greenman, TCPalm revealed that Ditroia apparently maintains a clean slate in Martin County's criminal records. Meanwhile, Greenman's record includes a no contest plea to a DUI charge from March 2024 with certain charges either dismissed or dropped. The public record juxtaposes these profiles with Waronicki's assignment over significant judicial responsibilities, including all civil jury trials; substance abuse and mental health court cases; and risk protection order cases.
Waronicki's rise within the legal community is an exemplar of service trajectory, from an assistant public defender in Fort Pierce to partnership at the firm Wiederhold, Kummerlen & Waronicki, P.A. Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020, he succeeded Circuit Judge Barbara Bronis, who chose to retire. Securing a six-year term on the bench without opposition just three years later, Waronicki's tumble from judicial grace is all the more precipitous. He was released on bond yesterday, before 8 a.m.
