Tampa woman, 75, dies hot-wiring her own truck

TAMPA — A 75-year-old woman who was authorities say was trying to hot-wire her truck died when the car started suddenly and ran over her.

At about 10:40 Sunday night, Jacqueline Cloward popped the hood to her 1989 Ford F150 truck and was using a screwdriver to start it. The truck was parked in the Sweetbay parking lot at 4519 Gunn Highway and was in drive, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

When it started, it rolled forward over a parking block, knocked Cloward down and ran her over.

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Snake bites 87-year-old, who kills it with her cane

NEW TAMPA — An 87-year-old woman was hospitalized Monday after she was bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake and beat it to death with a cane.

The unidentified woman noticed what she thought was a stick just outside her Hunter's Green home and picked it up to move it, authorities said. The "stick" was a rattlesnake that bit her right hand. She used the cane in her other hand to beat it to death.

She was taken to the University Community Hospital and given 10 vials of antivenin, according to hospital officials. Paramedics also took the dead snake to the hospital, where it will be examined.

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While searching for a rat, St. Petersburg woman finds a bazooka shell

ST. PETERSBURG — An elderly woman's search for a rodent in her garage Thursday afternoon instead led to the discovery of a bazooka shell, authorities said.

Police say Jeanne Tipton called authorities shortly after 3 p.m. to pick up the projectile, which she had found while trying to locate a rat she'd heard.

Before police arrived, the 81-year-old moved the shell from the attic, which was above the garage, to her backyard.

Officers from the Tampa Police Department's bomb squad removed the item, determined to be an inert practice round. St. Petersburg officers asked neighbors to remain inside and blocked traffic in the Shore Acres neighborhood while they worked.

The projectile is believed to be at least 40 years old. Tipton told police her brother had been a Marine in World War II and had stored several things in the attic before moving in 1969.

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At least 40 neglected cats found in Valrico home of ailing senior

VALRICO — Neighbors said the smell of cat urine permeated the air.

The sharp ammonia stung neighbors' noses when they sat poolside. Cats were everywhere, they said. In the yards, on the roofs. They defecated in front yards and screeched through the night.

"We would walk out and smell the cat urine," said James Hancock, 17.

The cats came from 516 Crowned Eagle Court, where Alice Santy lives next door to Hancock and his family. After trying to resolve the issue themselves for more than a year, James' family called Hillsborough County Animal Services for help. Around 8:30 a.m., animal services concluded a two-week investigation and removed 15 cats from the house — 10 in poor health and five dead.

Santy, 74, was taken to the Baylife Crisis Center. Officials said she was found in poor physical and mental health and was emaciated. She persisted in acquiring things and keeping them in her house, including cats. There was no apparent food, and if there was, there was no way to cook it, said animal services investigator Ken Vetzel.

"She's just a rack of bones," said Pat Perry, describing Santy. Perry is the investigations manager.

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Treasurer, 80, accused of stealing $44,000 from church group

NEW PORT RICHEY - An 80-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on charges she stole more than $44,000 from a church group while serving as its treasurer.

According to authorities, Earla B. Ferguson, of 10740 Central Park Ave., in New Port Richey, had been treasurer of a woman’s group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church since March of 2000.

The New Port Richey Police say a church member noticed missing funds and contacted authorities. The investigation revealed Ferguson wrote church checks out to “cash” and kept the money, police said.

According to her arrest report, Ferguson admitted the thefts and said she did it because she came into “financial difficulty.” She said “she knew what she did was wrong and that the money belonged to the church,” the report said.

Ferguson is charged with scheme to defraud and was released from the county jail Thursday on $10,000 bail.

People at the New Port Richey church, at 5326 Charles St., are stunned, said Jim DeLa, director of communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida.

“A trust has been violated,” he said.

Erin Sullivan, Times staff writer

NEW PORT RICHEY - An 80-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on charges she stole more than $44,000 from a church group while serving as its treasurer.

According to authorities, Earla B. Ferguson, of 10740 Central Park Ave., in New Port Richey, had been treasurer of a woman’s group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church since March of 2000.

The New Port Richey Police say a church member noticed missing funds and contacted authorities. The investigation revealed Ferguson wrote church checks out to “cash” and kept the money, police said.

Man exits phone booth after world record attempt

NEW PORT RICHEY - The day after his 72nd birthday, Otok Ben-Hvar walked out of the phone booth he'd been living in for the past 30 days.

At 1:05 p.m., before a dozen well-wishers, Otok grabbed two friends' hands and dramatically collapsed onto the black tarp behind The Market On Main, where he had been parked since April to draw attention to his efforts to have America's First National Tree planted on the White House lawn and for coursework at Pasco-Hernando Community College.

"I am h-a-p-p-y," the white-haired Otok exclaimed after exiting the 1940s-era phone booth.

The latest feat adds to a list of others Otok has accomlished, including getting married in an ambulance and crashing his plane during the Great Atlantic Air Race.

So what now?

"A diuretic, a shower and a blow dryer on these bug bites on my back," Otok said, smiling.

--Camille C. Spencer, Times Staff Writer

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Slow-speed chase of 77-year-old wreaks havoc

Pedestrians ran in every direction and a woman and her dogs jumped into a lake as a 77-year-old motorist led officers on a wild, yet slow, ride through the hub of Port Orange near City Hall, according to news-journalonline.com.

The police report prepared by Port Orange officers involved in pursuing Hollifield — at 10 to 15 mph — reads like the plot of a zany movie.

At a church, she knocked over chairs and a table, and ripped a painting off the wall, according to the police report. Then she headed outside, climbed into her 1999 Toyota and began driving in circles in the church’s parking lot, police said.

When officers arrived at the church, Hollifield took off for the sidewalk at City Center Circle, where she weaved in and out of trees, the report states.

At one point, a policeman ran alongside her car and was able to open the door and grab Hollifield’s arm. But she put the car in reverse, revved the engine and rammed into the officer’s squad car before roaring off, police said. She slammed into another police cruiser moments later.

She continued even after stop sticks flattened three of her tires.

Finally, she crashed into a tree.

Hollifield was taken into custody under the state’s Baker Act.

1 dead after apparent retirement center fight

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say a 72-year-old Fort Myers man is dead after an apparent fight at a retirement center.

According to a police report, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department responded to a possible assault at the Hidden Oaks Retirement Center on Sunday night.

Witnesses told investigators that medical services were needed after a fight broke out between two men.

Chrisanto Beltran had already died by the time police arrived at the center. Another man, Kenneth Knauf, 87, of Fort Myers was taken to a hospital.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of death.

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Information from: The News-Press, http://www.news-press.com

© 2009 The Associated Press.  All rights reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Woman hits man on scooter, keeps right on going to beauty parlour

She told police she thought she'd hit a curb, according to the Palm Beach Post.  But what 77-year old Louise Davidson did, in fact, hit was 25-year old Matthew Clark, riding to work on his scooter.

"She rolled right through the red light making the right hand turn, and either didn't look or didn't see me," Clark told the newspaper.  "I had no time to react and plowed right into her."  Clark was ejected from the scooter, over the windshield and onto the onto the roadway, according to police.  Paramedics transported him to a local hospital, with injuries deemed not to be life-threatening.

In the meantime, Davidson continued on to her original destination -- a beauty salon, where she kept her appointment to have her hair done.  Police eventually tracked her down to the subdivision where she lives and arrested her for leaving the scene of an inury crash after questioning her about the damage to her car.  She promptly bonded out of the Palm Beach County Jail. 

Said Clark, the injured scooter rider, "She said she thought she hit a curb, which I guess, if she is old and senile that's possible.  But there was significant damage to her car. I'm sure she knew what happened and just took off. I have no problem with elderly people in general, but they should be a little more careful on the road and be honest with themselves about whether or not they should be driving."  He told the newspaper he wasn't going to ride his scooter any more.

You just can't trust other people on the road."

(Image:  Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office)

AK-47 stolen from car

Weapons thefts from police cards have become fairly common lately, but thieves rarely get a haul like this from a civilian's car.

An 75-year-old man reported having his AK-47 assault rifle stolen from his parked vehicle Tuesday night, according to a Palmetto Police Department report.

The thief also got 200 rounds of ammunition, according to BradentonHerald.com.