VERO BEACH — A former Indian River County sheriff has publicly criticized County Commissioner Joe Flescher, accusing him of disrespecting deputies and misrepresenting his own financial background in a scathing open letter.
Gary C. Wheeler, who served as sheriff and later as a county commissioner, said he regrets hiring Flescher in 1998 and supporting his bid for commissioner. Wheeler’s letter, shared recently with local media, stems from a commission meeting where Flescher allegedly referred to deputies as liars.
“I saw a recent commission meeting where Flescher basically called deputies liars,” Wheeler wrote. “I think Flescher is judging others by who he is.”…