911 call leads to man's own arrest

LARGO -- Police said Dana Shelton did all the right things when officers approached a quarrel outside the tavern around midnight Sunday.

Shelton, 38, kept his hands up when asked.  Police said a quick check revealed a clean record, and officers told the Largo man he was free to go.

Shelton, who police said had been intoxicated, could have walked right back into JJ's Sports Lounge on the corner of Clearwater Largo Road and Rosemary Blvd. NW.

So they were baffled when he dialed 911 and told a dispatcher he was surrounded by police with guns drawn and needed help.

"Our officers were standing there scratching their heads," said Largo Police Sgt. Melanie Holley. "He called, standing there in their presence."

Booked into the Pinellas County Jail, Shelton now faces a misdemeanor charge of misuse of 911.

"It's one of our truth is stranger than fiction cases," Holley said.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Comments

[kj]

This just goes to show: You can take the girl out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the girl! Some people get all the breaks and they still can't get it right.

[Kirk]

kj,

You need to read more closly, Dana is a man, not a girl!

[aaron]

...and some people from the hood, just cant read...

[John]

And the wonder why we can't stand them.......

[bobcatwelder]

Wow
you all seem to be illiterate fools the story inatails man being the culprit and he was free to go but the dumb drunk just couldnt get it he was free to go but he instigated the whole thing so being stupid and drunk in public not a good mix here and the cops tried to give him the benefit of doubt by letting him go ....he got what he wanted free taxi ride and room for the night and a nice breakfast to wake up too lmao

[mike]

bobcatwelder- you aren't as smart as you think you are...is inatails a new word you made up? Some people like to make up their own words...

[kelly]

Mike, thanks for putting a smile on my face. I don't understand the problem, a drunk individual get's a break and turns around and screws himself. Why are we surprised? Did we expect

[kelly]

Mike, thanks for putting a smile on my face. I don't understand the problem, a drunk individual get's a break and turns around and screws himself. Why are we surprised?

[Katey]

They should put a balloon by his is head that says "DOH!"
http://pcsoweb.com/Inmate/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1258202

[mattg00n]

I still don't understand why he went to jail. what is this world comming too. maybe a fine or something.

[CC]

Frankly I don't blame the guy one bit. In my opinion, only the naive amongst us would not feel that our lives are at risk when surrounded by Pinellas County Sheriffs Deputies. Something has to give in this county, the cops are way out of control. As someone said earlier, a fine would have been sufficient, apparently he ticked them off.