Two-car crash kills one, shuts down I 275 at 54th Avenue

ST. PETERSBURG — A two-car collision Friday evening left one person dead and shut down the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 for several hours, authorities said.

The crash occurred at 6:42 p.m. near the 54th Avenue North exit, bringing traffic to a standstill. The person killed was not identified late Friday and the circumstances of the crash were not available.

Florida Highway Patrol investigators were still on scene at 10:30 p.m. The crash overturned one vehicle and trapped a person in the second car, officials said.

-- Jacob H. Fries, Times staff writer

[Photo: Traffic is exiting off I-275 at 62nd Ave. N. Scott Keeler | Times]

One person flown to TGH after Plant City crash

PLANT CITY -- At least one person was flown to Tampa General Hospital late Friday following a crash at James L. Redman Parkway and Holloway Road.

The accident happened shortly before 8:15 p.m. and involved two or three vehicles, an official said. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. M.D. Hensley said early reports indicated one person was ejected and one entrapped.

James L. Redman Parkway, which is also State Road 39, was closed in both directions.

--Times staff writer

Crash ties up Interstate 75 southbound

GIBSONTON -- Florida Highway Patrol is working a crash at Interstate 75 southbound and mile marker 250, near Gibsonton. An FHP spokesman said initial reports stated that the accident happened between a Corolla and an unknown car. Troopers have initiated a roadblock, and traffic is delayed.

USF students' explosives trial date moved

TAMPA -- Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed won't stand trial on federal explosives charges until at least March, a federal judge ruled today.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors indicated they weren't prepared to go to trial on Monday, the date U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday had it scheduled.

John Fitzgibbons, who represents Mohamed, 26, said he participated in a telephone conference today with U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pizzo who granted a request to have the trial date moved.

An official order from the court setting a new date has yet to be entered.

On Thursday, Merryday denied a request from Megahed, 21, who wanted his trial apart from Mohamed's.

Assistant federal public defender Adam Allen, who represents Megahed, argued that an Aug. 29 indictment against the men did not charge them with a conspiracy. Both men are accused of illegally transporting explosive materials.

The suspended University of South Florida students were arrested Aug. 4 after a deputy stopped them for speeding near a South Carolina naval base. He searched their car after deciding that they were suspicious.

Only Mohamed faces an additional charge of demonstrating how to make or use a destructive device. Prosecutors said they found a video on his laptop, narrated by Mohamed, where he shows how to make a remote control detonator.

Allen said that the terrorism implications in the second charge that Mohamed faces could prejudice Megahed's case. A jury might convict Megahed for his mere association with Mohamed, Allen said.

Also today, Allen filed a motion with the court asking Merryday to reconsider his ruling that the two men stand trial together.

Megahed and Mohamed remain in jail with no bond.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Legendary daredevil Evel Knievel dead at 69

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, the world famous motorcycle stunt rider who lived in the Clearwater area, died today at 69.

Knievel's death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.

Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, likely contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills.

Immortalized in the Washington's Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," Knievel was best known for a failed 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon on a rocket-powered cycle and a spectacular crash at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He suffered nearly 40 broken bones before he retired in 1980.

Although he dropped off the pop culture radar in the '80s, Knievel always had fans and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years. In later years he still made a good living selling his autographs and endorsing products. Thousands came to Butte, Mont., every year as his legend was celebrated during the "Evel Knievel Days" festival.

"They started out watching me bust my ass, and I became part of their lives," Knievel said. "People wanted to associate with a winner, not a loser. They wanted to associate with someone who kept trying to be a winner."

His death came just two days after it was announced that he and rapper Kanye West had settled a federal lawsuit over the use of Knievel's trademarked image in a popular West music video.

Knievel spoke with a St. Petersburg Times reporter this week about that settlement, saying he was pleased and praising West as "a congenial gentleman."

Please monitor www.tampabay.com for further details.

--- Times staff and wire reports

Ex-PSC Commissioner Rudy Bradley accepts fine and censure

Former Public Service Commission member Rudy Bradley’s long-running encounter with the Florida Commission on Ethics ended Friday. In his second ethics case in five months, the former St. Petersburg lawmaker accepted a public censure and reprimand and a fine of $1,270 for being wined and dined twice by utilities he regulated as a state official, in violation of Florida law.

Bradley reimbursed his hosts for the dinners at the Palm restaurant in Miami and the Blue Door in Miami Beach, but an investigation concluded that he was short $270 of their true cost. The commission also fined Bradley $1,000.

In a case decided in July, Bradley was fined $5,000 for reading from a Verizon memo as part of a rate hearing, in violation of a law that bans ex parte communication between PSC members and the utilities they regulate.

-- Steve Bousquet, Times staff writer

Man dies in U.S. 19 crash

NEW PORT RICHEY — A 41-year-old Port Richey man died Thursday night in a crash on U.S. 19.

New Port Richey police say Kevin M. Osborne, of Port Richey, was southbound in a 1999 Ford Explorer about 5 p.m. when he collided with a 1997 Jeep Cherokee driven by Tyler Buchholtz, 23 of Spring Hill, also driving south.

Osborne lost control, crossed the center median and was ejected as his SUV rolled over. He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

The investigation is continuing.

-- Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

Owner jailed after puppy dangled, kicked

An arrest report shows Chucho, a 6-month-old black Labrador, was dangled and "brutally kicked" by his owner early Friday. Currently in the care of Hillsborough County Animal Services, Chucho's injuries are not severe. [Courtesy Hillsborough County Animal Services]

BRANDON -- For about four minutes, the black puppy's paws touched the ground only once while his owner dangled him by a leash and kicked the 6-month-old pooch several times in what deputies describe as a "brutal" act of animal cruelty, according to an arrest report.

Pedro L. Rodriguez, 3808 Treadway Dr. in Valrico, left, was walking along Parsons Road just before 1 a.m. when a patrolling Hillsborough Sheriff's deputy spotted the 24-year-old holding Chucho, a mixed Labrador, off the ground and "brutally kicking" him several times.

Confronted by the deputy, Rodriguez told her "it was his dog and he could do whatever he wanted and he did it because the dog ran away," according the report.

Rodriguez was arrested on felony animal cruelty charge. He was also charged for violation of probation stemming from a previous drug charge. Bail has not been set.

Chucho, meanwhile, was treated overnight at a veterinary clinic for his injuries. Despite the attack, Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said the injuries were "not severe."

"He's recovering nicely from the inexplicable abuse from his owner," she said. "He is young and very happy."

Ryan said Animal Services hopes Rodriguez will hand over permanent custody of Chucho to the department.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Booking photo of Rodriguez courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Man gets 1 year in jail in 4-year-old crash death

TAMPA -- Maurice Ronald Batts was having a bad day four years ago when he sped down Hillsborough Avenue and slammed into the back of a car that had stopped at a red light.

He had argued with his mother earlier that evening and had gone out for dinner and drinks with a friend to clear his mind.

But his 3 a.m. drive home on Oct. 28, 2003, turned deadly when Batts crashed into the back of Sarabjeet Singh, killing him instantly.

Batts left the scene. Prosecutors said he hid in nearby Al Lopez Park.

This morning, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Debra Behnke sentenced Batts, 26, to one year in the county jail and 10 years of probation.

He faced a maximum of 15 years in prison, which Singh's widow and two adult children asked the judge to give.

Behnke said she gave him a lesser sentence because he appeared genuinely remorseful, was well liked in his community and had something to contribute to society through his work at a dialysis facility.

"I've always believed that we all make mistakes, some worse than others," Behnke said. "It seems that it happened in one day for Mr. Batts. It was a bad day for Mr. Batts, and it was a horrible day for the Singh family."

Defense attorney William Welter asked if Batts could serve his time on house arrest or some other form of alternative confinement that would allow him to continue working to provide for his family.

Behnke said that would be up to the jail. If Batts qualifies, the judge said she won't oppose it.

After being sentenced, court bailiffs took Batts into custody.

At the request of Hamoutie Singh, Sarabjeet Singh's widow, the judge allowed the handcuffs to be removed so that Batts could hug his two small boys and kiss them goodbye.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer   

Deputies union loses labor appeal

The state board that rules in union disputes sided with Pasco Sheriff Bob White in an unfair labor practice filed by the deputies union earlier this year.

In an order issued late Thursday, the Public Employees Relations commission dismissed the Fraternal Order of Police's charge that White's policy barring the use of interoffice mail and agency e-mail for distributing union literature amounted to a violation of state statute.

The matter went before a hearing officer, who recommended the claim be dismissed and that no attorney's fees be awarded to either side. Both sides filed objections -- White arguing for attorney's fees. Thursday's order allows his agency to collect fees only on the issue of the use of e-mail.

Another hearing will be held to determine the dollar amount.

Pasco deputies voted in 2006 to form a collective bargaining unit. Union and agency representatives have met numerous times this year to reach an initial contract. At the onset, 30 different issues were on the table. After Thursday's ruling dismissing the mail issue, the sides are down to two.

Deputies are seeking gap medical coverage for retirees and a more liberal demotion appeal process.

-- Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

Land O'Lakes schools on lockdown

Pine View elementary and middle schools are both under a modified lockdown this morning. A possibly suicidal and armed woman fled her home on Pennington Lane, about 2 miles north of the school through the Big Cypress Swamp, according to Pasco sheriff’s deputies. Modified lockdown means the schools have contained students and adults inside the main building, said Pine View Middle School principal Kim Anderson.

- Helen Anne Travis, Times staff writer

Bolin gets death sentence for third time in 1986 murder

For the third time, Oscar Ray Bolin was sentenced to death for the 1986 murder of Stephanie Collins.

Hillsborough Circuit judge Barbara Fleischer issued Bolin's death sentence Friday morning. Bolin was convicted last year of first-degree murder. It was the third time he was convicted for killing the 17-year-old Collins.

He also has been convicted three times each for the 1986 deaths of Teri Lynn Matthews and Natalie Blanche Holley. Six of the convictions and death sentences were vacated on appeal. Three years ago, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Bolin's death sentence for murdering Matthews in Pasco County. In 2005, a judge sentenced him to life in prison after his second-degree murder conviction in Holley's case.

The cases had united the mothers of the victims, who frequently attended the trials sitting side by side.

On Friday, however, Donna Witmer, the mother of Stephanie Collins, was absent.

Pasco's first mosque to open Saturday

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco County's first mosque will open this weekend, replacing a strip mall off State Road 54 where Muslims had been having prayer.

The Islamic Center of New Port Richey will have a grand opening at 10 a.m. Saturday at its new building at 4715 Grand Blvd. The event will include a ribbon cutting and interfaith service. Local officials scheduled to attend include New Port Richey Mayor Dan Tipton, police Chief Martin Rickus and Pasco Sheriff Bob White.

Until now, local Muslims have been worshiping in various places, first in three doctors' offices, later in the home of a pharmacist, which they quickly outgrew. They rented one office in a strip mall off State Road 54 and then a second office for the women. Today, about 100 families come for prayers.

- Lisa Buie, Times staff writer

Brant sentenced to death for 2004 murder

Charles Brant stood expressionless Friday morning when he was told by Hillsborough Circuit Judge William Fuente that he was sentenced to death.

"This is never easy and is never pleasant," Fuente said.

Brant pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery in May. He was arrested in July 2004 after his 21-year-old neighbor, Sara Radfar, was raped and strangled.

Despite Brant's guilty plea, prosecutors refused any punishment short of the death penalty.

Previous coverage:

Killer's jury pool tossed (Aug. 22)

Disney employee dies five days after fall from ride platform

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- A Disney employee died Thursday, five days after falling from a ride platform and hitting her head, park officials and Orange County authorities said.

Karen Price, 63, was hit by one of the moving vehicles and fell from a platform Saturday while working as a ride attendant on the roller coaster Primeval Whirl in Animal Kingdom, officials said.

Price was conscious, alert, and talking at the time of the injury, but her condition deteriorated Wednesday, sheriff spokesman Jim Solomons said.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the ride was operating normally Saturday at the time of the accident. The ride was closed for the remainder of the day Saturday and reopened Sunday.

"Our sympathies are with the family, and we have offered our support through this very difficult time," she said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the ride Thursday, Polak said. The sheriff's office was not contacted until Price's condition worsened, which is standard procedure, Solomons said.

Their office also was investigating, but "there's absolutely no indication there was a criminal act that precipitated the injury," he said.

Primeval Whirl is a dinosaur-themed ride, where spinning vehicles zip through a roller coaster track, according to Disney's Web site.

Disney has reported nine deaths to the state since 2001.

In June 2006, Michael Russell, 12, of Fort Campbell, Ky., went limp and later died after riding MGM's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

Hiltrud Bluemel, a 49-year-old German tourist died in April 2006 one day after riding on Epcot's Mission: Space. A preliminary medical examiner's report showed she died of brain bleeding.

Four-year-old Daudi Bamuwamye, of Sellersville, Pa., died after riding Epcot's Mission: Space in June 2005. An autopsy determined he died of an irregular heartbeat.

Associated Press

Foggy morning slows commute

Runners make their way down Bayshore Boulevard in the dense fog early Friday morning. [Carrie Pratt | Times] View more fog photos

With visibility reportedly down to less than a quarter of a mile, here are some tips for navigating the foggy roads, courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol:

• Drive with lights on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off the fog and actually impair visibility even more. Your lights help other drivers see your vehicle, so be sure they all work. Keep your windshield and headlights clean, to reduce the glare and increase visibility.


• Slow down - and watch your speedometer - before you enter a patch of fog. Be sure that you can stop within the distance that you can see. Fog creates a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding. Speed is a major factor in fog-related crashes.


• Watch out for slow-moving and parked vehicles. Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little, to hear better.


• Use wipers and defrosters liberally for maximum visibility. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether poor visibility is due to fog or moisture on the windshield.


• Do not stop on a freeway or heavily traveled road. You could become the first link in a chain-reaction collision. If you must pull off the road, signal (people tend to follow tail lights when driving in fog), then carefully pull off as far as possible. After pulling off the road, turn on your hazard flashers (hazard lights should only be used when you pull over to show that you are parked on the side of the road). Move away from the vehicle.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Scrap metal fire at Port of Tampa

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TAMPA -- Investigators believe scrap metal making its way through a shredder caught fire about 6:30 a.m. today, prompting a response from Tampa Fire Rescue crews to a Port of Tampa metal recycling plant.

No injuries have been reported as firefighters continue to contain a pile of burning scrap metal inside Trademark Metal Recycling at 4201 Maritime Blvd., within the Port of Tampa. On-scene firefighters likened the pile, reportedly 150 feet around and 50 feet high, to a "volcano of scrap metal rising up from the ground." Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Bill Wade said in a statement.

Tons of  water, streaming from two large hoselines, continue to be poured on the pile. Officials expect the blaze may take a total of two to three hours to fully extinguish.

With the exception of the recycling plant, business at the port should not be affected today, Wade said.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Armed standoff ends in Largo

LARGO -- A man who fired shots inside his home is in the custody of Pinellas County sheriff's deputies after a four-hour standoff with a SWAT team early Friday morning.

Pinellas County sheriff's Sgt. Jim Bordner said the incident began about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, when deputies were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 9300 block of 89th Avenue in Largo.

Once there, deputies took cover when Dennis Pestka, 32, fired the weapon from within his home, Bordner said, prompting the evacuation of nearby homes. A SWAT team was dispatched. During the standoff, Pestka broke windows and furniture and punched holes in the walls of the home he shares with his mother.

About 1:45 a.m. Friday, Bordner said, SWAT team members approached the home in an armored rescue vehicle and ordered Pestka to surrender. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Bordner said residents from five nearby homes were evacuated, and parts of two streets were closed during the standoff. No injuries were reported.

- Ken Walker, Times staff writer

Port of Tampa fire expected to burn through the night

Large plumes of smoke billow from a pile of scrap metal that caught fire this morning. This view is from Davis Islands. [Chris Zuppa | Times]

Update: Firefighters expect a large scrap metal fire at the Port of Tampa to continue burning "well into tonight and maybe into tomorrow," a Tampa Fire spokesman said.

That could be bad news for people living in the county's south coastal areas, where northwest winds have been pushing the heavy plumes of smoke since early this morning.

The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission issued a warning this afternoon that elevated levels of air pollution in those areas could affect those with pre-existing or sensitive respiratory problems. The agency said those people should "take into account the smoke from this fire as they plan the rest of their activities."

Tampa firefighters are spraying the fire with a foam product mixed with water, which Capt. Bill Wade said would allow the water to penetrate deeper into the scrap metal pile as Trademark employees continue to use large equipment to spread the burning pile and pull nonburning material from the fire.

TAMPA -- No injuries have been reported as firefighters continue to contain a pile of burning scrap metal at Trademark Metal Recycling at 4201 Maritime Blvd., within the Port of Tampa.

On-scene firefighters likened the pile, reportedly 150 feet around and 50 feet high, to a "volcano of scrap metal rising up from the ground," Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Bill Wade said in a statement.

Tons of  water, streaming from two large hoselines, continue to be poured on the pile. Officials expect the blaze may take a total of two to three hours to fully extinguish. Meanwhile, a large crane is separating what's burning and what's not.

Investigators initially believed scrap metal making its way through a shredder may have caused the early-morning fire. But Trademark president Ron Laker said the fire likely started inside a large pile of miscellaneous scrap metal about 5 a.m., an hour or two before the plant began any shredding operations.

With the exception of the recycling plant, business at the port should not be affected today, Wade said.

Friday's fire marks the second industrial fire at the port since September, when flames erupted inside a boiler room at the Amalie Oil Co., across the channel of the southern tip of Harbour Island at 1601 McClaskey Blvd. That blaze caused an estimated $2-million in damage.

- Casey Cora and Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writers

Body of man who attempted Clearwater causeway jump found

CLEARWATER -- On Thursday afternoon, a crabber found the body of Craig Hill, the 25-year-old man who jumped off Memorial Causeway Bridge on Sunday.

A family member identified the body at the Coast Guard station at Sand Key, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Bridgett Wells.

The shirtless body was discovered about 4 p.m. a mile north of Clearwater Pass.

Hill, 25, and his friend, Todd Payne Jr., made a pact to be the first ones to jump from the top of the bridge which links downtown Clearwater to the beach.

But Payne decided against leaping after watching Hill disappear into the darkness. Upset and intoxicated, he dialed 911 at 2:36 a.m.

Authorities believe Hill fell about 74 feet to his death.

Eileen Schulte, Times staff writer

Former USF Athletics director Dick Bowers dies

TAMPA -- Richard "Dick" Bowers, former University of South Florida athletics director, died suddenly Thursday at age 77.

Bowers oversaw USF's fledgling sports program through its early years, joining the physical education staff in 1963 and becoming athletics director from 1966 until 1983, when he became director of development for the university's College of Business Administration.

His contributions included spearheading the development of the school's baseball field, golf course and the SunDome. Former USF President Betty Castor said Bowers, who played basketball at the University of Tennessee in the 1950s, was responsible for bringing basketball to USF.

After retiring in 2003, Bowers went on to work for the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa. He served since 1981 in a leadership role for the Gold Shield Foundation, which raises money for families of police officers and firefighters injured or killed on the job.

But those who knew him well said Bowers was best known for his easygoing manner, friendly demeanor and unforgettable smile.

"He had a twinkle," said Castor. "You really felt that when you were talking to him that he was totally interested in you."

Bowers is survived by Madge, his wife of 48 years, son Rick, daughter Delisa and two grandchildren.

Madge Bowers said she believes her husband suffered an aneurysm.

Click here to sign a guest book and browse comments and memories left by other readers.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Explosives suspects to have joint trial

TAMPA -- A federal judge ruled today that two suspended University of South Florida students will stand trial together on explosives charges.

An attorney for Youssef Megahed, 21, filed a motion earlier this month asking that his trial be separate from that of Ahmed Mohamed.

Defense attorney Adam Allen, who represents Megahed, argued that the indictment against the pair never charged them with conspiracy. Allen also argued that Megahed's case would be prejudiced by Mohamed, 26, who faces an additional charge.

An indictment charged both men with illegally transporting explosive materials. It also charged Mohamed with demonstrating how to make and use a destructive device.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hoffer responded in court papers, insisting that the men stand trial at the same time.

"He has made little or no showing that such prejudice is likely to occur or that appropriate judicial instructions can not negate or prevent such prejudice at trial," Hoffer wrote.

U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday, who denied Megahed's request, has set the case to go to trial as early as Dec. 3.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Wesley Chapel 'holiday tree' irks some

WESLEY CHAPEL -- All Jason Wilson wanted to do, he said, was build community spirit in a place occupied mainly by newcomers who travel somewhere else to work.

What better way to do that, he and his colleagues at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce thought, than to sponsor a tree lighting during December? The committee pictured families circling the tree, oohing and ahhing as it illuminated the new county park.

But the chamber is a business organization open to members of all religious faiths or no faith. And the park is supported by taxpayers. Chamber members wanted to be inclusive. They billed the event as a holiday tree lighting. Santa was in; Jesus was out. However, their effort to please everyone has backfired with some Christians who feel miffed that their religion is being censored.

"Why call it a holiday tree in a town named after a historic British evangelist?" asked the Rev. Paul Burdick, a reference to John Wesley. Burdick, pastor of Wesley Chapel Church of the Nazarene called a couple of his fellow chamber members. He said he was told it was to be a nonfaith-based event.

Burdick compared the event to an auto show that doesn't mention certain models of cars.

Lisa Buie, Times staff writer

State suspends investment fund withdrawals

As cities, counties and school boards withdraw billions of dollars from a shaky state investment fund, Gov. Charlie Crist and two other top state officials voted Thursday to suspend all future withdrawals from the fund, pending a review by an independent adviser.

The action, in an atmosphere of crisis, came at a special meeting of the State Board of Administration, which consists of Crist, CFO Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum -- the three officials with the responsibility of overseeing the state's investments.

"Let's stop the bleeding," Crist said, echoing Sink's proposal to suspend all withdrawals from the fund.

The withdrawals -- at least $3.5-billion Thursday alone before the vote, and $10-billion over the past two weeks -- has come from a fund known as the local government investment pool, managed by the state. The 25-year-old fund has a solid track record of producing healthy rates of return.

Read more of Steve Bousquet's report here.

Read Helen Huntley's original report here.

Pinellas Park man charged in dating service robberies

A Pinellas Park man has been charged with robbing two people he met through a telephone dating service, according to Largo police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Mark Joseph Scott (above left), 44, of 6543 68th Ave., was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on two counts of armed robbery and one count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

On Sunday, the Sheriff's Office responded to a home off Indian Rocks Road, where a 50-year-old man told deputies he met another man through a dating service and arranged a meeting Saturday night at his home. There, the man pulled a knife, tied up the resident and stole cash, credit cards and other items from his home.

On Monday, Largo police responded to a similar incident at a home off Rosemary Lane. The second victim also described meeting a man through a dating service, being robbed at knifepoint and suffering a cut on the hand while being robbed, police said.

Sheriff's and police investigators began comparing notes Tuesday and had developed Scott as a suspect by Wednesday. They found him hiding in a closet at an apartment on 41st Street in St. Petersburg about 8 p.m. Wednesday. He struggled while being arrested, and several of the things stolen were recovered, officials said.

Scott was being held today in lieu of $210,000 bail.

- Jonathan Abel, Times staff writer

Hogan: Wife can support herself

Terry Bollea, widely known as wrestler Hulk Hogan, filed a counter-petition to his wife's divorce suit Thursday, contesting his wife's custody and alimony claims.

The high-profile couple have been married for 23 years. But newly released court documents said they separated a month after their son Nick Bollea's Aug. 26 car wreck, which left his passenger, John Graziano, critically injured.

Hogan's attorney, Ann Loughridge Kerr in Clearwater, declined to comment.

In her divorce petition, Linda Bollea seeks an unspecified amount of alimony and child support. She also is seeking custody of their 17-year-old son, subject to "liberal visitation" with his father. Terry Bollea countered that his wife is capable of supporting herself and helping to support their son. He also said Nick Bollea is old enough to decide with whom he wants to live.

New court documents were were released in Bollea's criminal case, including an interview with Debra Graziano, John Graziano's mother. In a deposition, she said Nick Bollea told her he lost control of the car when he hit a puddle and hydroplaned.

- Tamara El-Khoury, Times staff writer

Bank robbery suspect caught in Pennsylvania

A suspect in a spate of Pasco County bank robberies is in custody in Allegheny County, Pa.

Kenneth Wayne Benzo, 48, (left) a Pittsburgh native, is believed to have robbed three west Pasco banks during a single week in October, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Following the same general pattern -- robber walks in, flashes the teller a note and walks out with cash -- authorities think Benzo hit a Wachovia on State Road 52 in Port Richey on Oct. 16, a Crown Bank on Mile Stretch Road in Holiday on Oct. 18 and a U.S. 19 SunTrust in Holiday on Oct. 22. No one was hurt in the incidents.

Pasco authorities arrested Benzo on Oct. 16 -- the afternoon of the first robbery -- on charges of burglary of a house in 2005. He posted bail and was released the next day.

The day after that, the Crown Bank was robbed.

Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

Man faces burglary charges

TAMPA -- First, Reinaldo Figueroa cut a hole in the fence surrounding Bond Auto Sales, police said.

Next, he found a car on the sales lot at 7901 N Florida Ave., forced his way into that vehicle's trunk and snatched a jack before heading to the dealership's garage door, and he then propped the door open and sneaked inside, police said.

Turns out, a witness watched it all go down and called Tampa Police. Figueroa, 26, tried to run, police said. Now, he faces three felony burglary charges and one felony grand theft auto charge.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

A dozen apartments damaged in North Tampa fire

Fire  crews this morning were battling this fire at the Lakeshore Club apartments. It is unclear how the blaze started. [Courtesy Capt. Bill Wade, Tampa Fire Rescue]

TAMPA -- An early morning fire damaged about a dozen apartments at the Lakeshore Club complex on Himes Avenue south of Busch Boulevard, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials said.

The fire broke out about 7:50 a.m., said Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Bruce Delk, whose agency upgraded the event to a three-alarm fire shortly after arriving. More than 50 firefighters were dispatched. Late in the morning, officials had not identified the cause and were still investigating. Workers had difficulty opening one of the fire hydrants, but Delk said that did not affect their work.

No injuries were reported, Delk said, but 12 units have been damaged. Forty-three residents were affected, according to Red Cross case work supervisor Kathy McNabb. "They lost everything,'' she said, describing the scene as "total destruction.''

"When you see what they've lost, it is truly amazing," she added.

The complex has made other apartments available to everyone affected by the fire, McNabb said.

The complex's fire hydrants were inspected in January by a private contractor, and no problems were found, Deputy Fire Marshal Steve Kaplan said. Fire officials reviewed the contractor's inspection reports on April 20 and had no issues. A main cap on one hydrant got stuck this morning, but firefighters were able to get water flowing through its side caps, Kaplan said.

The entire complex passed the April fire inspection, and no troubles were noted then in the building that caught fire today, Kaplan said. Only minor fire violations were found in some of the complex's other buildings, he added.

There are no fire sprinklers at the complex, and they aren't required by the county's fire code, Kaplan said.

Please return to tampabay.com for updates as they become available.

- Casey Cora, Jared Leone, Times staff writers

Three protesters arrested outside Mahaffey

[Some protesters, who wanted to get into the CNN/YouTube debate, were arrested Wednesday night after they walked across the street from the Mahaffey Theater and started shouting. View more photos from the scene outside the debate. Willie J. Allen Jr.]

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police arrested three protesters outside the Mahaffey Theater on Wednesday.

Police say Mark Runge refused four police requests ordering him to quit sitting in a traffic lane.  Runge, 37, 1425 Temple St., Clearwater, was charged with failure to obey a lawful command. 

Also arrested were Kacy Cunningham, pictured above, and an unidentified 17-year-old boy. Police spokesman George Kajtsa said in a statement that Cunningham, 19, and the boy crossed a police line, prompting officers to chase them in the Mahaffey Theater parking lot, where they were caught and arrested.

Jail records show Cunningham, 5300 Fourth St. N, Apt. 403, was charged with resisting an officer without violence. It is unclear what charges were brought against the 17-year-old, but Kajta said in the statement the boy was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Booking photos of Runge, far right, and Cunningham, courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. A booking photo of the 17-year-old was not available.

Sheriff's deputy dies of apparent self-inflicted gunshot, officials say

PALM HARBOR -- Pinellas County sheriff's officials say a deputy died Wednesday of a gunshot wound that was apparently self-inflicted.

The incident occurred just after 5 p.m. at Wallsprings Park, 3725 Desoto Blvd., in Palm Harbor.

Detectives say several witnesses reported hearing what sounded like a gunshot within the park. Deputies found a body in a wooded area behind a park shelter with what appeared to be a head wound.

The body was identified as that of Deputy Clouster Bryant II, 43.

Bryant, a 16-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, was assigned to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Civil Unit. He was off duty at the time of his death.

An investigation is under way. Bryant's body was transported by the Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Bryant is survived by his parents and two children.

- Ken Walker, Times staff writer

Deputies search for attacker after man stabbed in Wesley Chapel

WESLEY CHAPEL -- The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is investigating a stabbing that happened after 10 p.m. tonight near 26103 Day Flower Blvd. in Wesley Chapel.

Early reports are that two men, both 29 years old, got into an argument and one stabbed the other. Sheriff's deputies were called at 10:22 p.m.

The victim was flown to a Tampa-area hospital with multiple stab wounds to his upper body. Sheriff's officials did not identify the hospital because the attacker, believed to be known to the victim, was still at large.

Ken Walker, Times staff writer

Parents of strangled teenager file lawsuit

TAMPA -- The parents of a teenager killed at Logan Gate Park two years ago have filed a lawsuit claiming the park was "a magnet for criminal activity.''

Ron Tomlinson and Loralie Gallagher have sued Hillsborough County, the Logan Gate Home Owner's Association and the Zion Pentecostal Church For All People in the death of their son, Stephen Tomlinson.

Stephen was 13 at the time his strangled body was found in the park on Monterey Boulevard in Logan Gate. His neighbor, Joshua Rosa, then 21, was charged with his murder.

Rosa remains in the Hillsbough County Jail awaiting trial.

Rosa was a youth leader at the Zion Pentecostal Church For All People at the time of Stephen's death.  Its pastor, the Rev. Richard Guzman, referred questions to his attorney.

The lawsuit, filed Nov. 16 by Tampa attorney David Tirella, claims the county and the Logan Gate community were negligent by failing to provide adequate lighting and security at the park.

Ron Tomlinson fought for improvements to the park shortly after his son's death.

The county recently spent $150,000 making changes to the park, including a dog park, fencing and security lighting.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $15,000.

-- Jackie Ripley, Times staff writer

Gas leak in Ybor City capped after forcing evacuation

Tampa Fire Capt. Bill Wade walks across the street of a secure area where about 25 people were evacuated from nearby apartments after a gas leak Wednesday. While installing telephone poles, workers hit a pipe, resulting in a leak that sent a cloud of gas up over 50 feet at Central and Seventh avenues near Ybor City, Wade said. [Melissa Lyttle | Times]

TAMPA -- An 8-inch-diameter natural gas line began spewing fumes at Central Avenue and Seventh Avenue in Ybor City late this afternoon, and officials ordered an evacuation of nearby apartments.

Gas fumes could be noticed in downtown Tampa.

The leak was reported about 4 p.m. Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade said there were no injuries. He said the fumes aren't toxic but they are flammable.

A Tampa Electric Co. subcontractor ruptured the line while installing a telephone pole, Wade said.

Gas in the line is typically under 40 pounds of pressure. Wade said fire crews tried to cap the broken line but there was "so much gas escaping under so much pressure and so much debris was being kicked up the firefighters could not find the pipe in the hole.''

Workers from People's Gas arrived, and sealed the line by installing clamps on both sides of the break.

By about 6 p.m., the leak was under control.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Body found near Al Lopez Park was that of missing man

TAMPA -- More than a month after he was reported missing from a mental health facility, 49-year-old Gary Fields was found dead in a ditch near Al Lopez Park, police say.

Tampa police confirmed that the man discovered by an inmate cleanup crew Tuesday was Fields, who was reported missing Oct. 24 after leaving Mental Health Care Inc., 1411 W Waters Ave. He was considered endangered, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said, because he was diagnosed schizophrenic and did not have his medication.

Police said an autopsy showed no signs of trauma, and Fields' cause of death is pending further testing by the Medical Examiner.

Inmates with the Department of Corrections discovered Fields' body Tuesday while picking up trash along the perimeter of the park. Fields was lying in a ditch holding 2 feet of water, just off N Dale Mabry Highway between Hillsborough Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Ex-Certegy worker pleads guilty to stealing 8.4-million consumer records

William G. Sullivan, a former database administrator at Certegy Check Services in St. Petersburg, pleaded guilty this morning to stealing 8.4-million consumer financial records from the company's database and selling them for a total of $580,000.

The 54-year-old Largo man could receive up to 10 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties when he is sentenced early next year. Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a reduced sentence if Sullivan provides meaningful assistance with their ongoing investigation of the theft.

- Scott Barancik, Times staff writer

Pippin's attorney demands that police release dig results

Download sisco_letter.pdf

TAMPA -- An attorney for contractor Earl C. Pippin III is demanding that Temple Terrace police release results of a five-day dig beneath a South Tampa house in search of a missing woman.

On Oct. 17, investigators executed a search warrant on a house at 3908 W Vasconia St. in relation to the disappearance of Sandra Hamby Prince, co-founder of the Agency for Community Treatment Services, who was first reported missing Jan. 3, 2006.

Records show the Vasconia Street address was built by Pippin, whom police have called a "person of interest" in Prince's disappearance, saying he dated Prince for five years and was the sole beneficiary to her estate. A city inspector approved a newly laid concrete slab at the Vasconia address days after Prince vanished.

Pippin's attorney, Paul Sisco, wrote in a letter dated today to lead Detective Michael Pridemore, saying that it's time to share the results of the dig with the media. Initially, police said the soil samples revealed no immediate signs of suspicious activity at the site.

"As you now well know," Sisco wrote, "not only was the dig not 'inconclusive,' it was conclusively without merit. The soil analysis revealed not a shred of evidence related to the presence or deterioration of human remains or other evidence in any way related to this woman's case."

Temple Terrace spokesman Michael Dunn said he doesn't know where Sisco is getting his information.

"I would call this letter preposterous," Dunn said. The agency hasn't received lab results from the dig, he said. And whether police will release the results, he said, depends on whether investigators believe it will hurt or harm the investigation, he said.

Sisco said he is simply responding to the time-frame police gave when they concluded the Vasconia Street dig. "They said it would be four to five weeks," he said. "It's been six."

Dunn said the agency does not plan to respond to the letter.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Wesley Chapel mall announces tenant line-up

WESLEY CHAPEL -- The biggest mall under construction in the Tampa Bay area released its line-up of tenants Wednesday, saying it’s about three-quarters of the final list.

The Richard E. Jacobs Group, developer of the 1-million-square-foot Cypress Creek Town Center, listed 42 business names, led by a SuperTarget, Kohl’s, AMC Theatres cinema, Linens-N-Things, Books-A-Million and Circuit City. The mall is due to open in fall 2008, and mall officials say more names will be announced in coming months.

Here is its who's who list, so far:

AMC Theatres
Akaya Japanese Steak House
Asphalt
Bamboo Creek Asian Bistro
Books-A-Million
Caribbean Adventures Travel
Circuit City
Claire’s Boutique
Coldstone Creamery
Dress Barn
Family Christian Bookstore
Famous Footwear
Fish City
5 Guys Original Hamburgers
Game Stop
Hair Matrix
Hallmark
Jamba Juice
Justice for Girls
Kohl’s
Linens-N-Things
MacDill Federal Credit Union
Matoi Sushi
Mattress Firm
Motherhood Maternity
Movie Stop
Nail Trix
Old Navy
P.F. Changs
Panera Bread
Payless Shoe Source
Picture Factory
Red Brick Pizza
Soccer Corner
Sports Authority
Staples
SuperTarget
T-Mobile
TGI Friday’s
Urban Flats
Vitamin Stop
Yankee Candle

Apathy, the homeless, and not much else outside Mahaffey Theater

ST. PETERSBURG -- A few detours, a large police presence and thousands of feet of barricade surrounding the newly renovated Mahaffey Theater have interrupted daily life in the downtown area as preparations continue for tonight's presidential debate.

Joggers and cyclists, forced away from the waterfront, are now sharing a stretch of road with the homeless as they continue their ongoing sidewalk protest.

Well-groomed reporters have begun to funnel from the arriving local news vans.

Hundreds of people, many displaying national media credentials around their necks, usher to and from the theater, thumbing feverishly at BlackBerrys and cell phones, maintaining constant contact as showtime draws near.

Citizens, meanwhile, are relegated to outside the barricades, where a small smattering has started to arrive on the corner of First Street and Fourth Avenue S. Some are curiosity seekers. They don't have to look far.

On the corner, a man dressed as Abraham Lincoln slips a business card in his jacket, behind the "Vote for Lincoln" button pinned to his black topcoat. The same man exchanges business cards and debates the meaning of faith with an older man dressed in a blue blazer and khaki pants.

"I know you sir," he tells the fake Abe. "I know your background."

Down the street and clad in her trademark white-and-silver sequins, local protester "Princess Yahweh" tows a toy unicorn atop a makeshift skateboard, campaigning against balding men and dark forces. News crews, approaching her for an interview, quickly retreat.

Curiously absent this afternoon, however, are protesters and college students, said 26-year-old Andrew Yadzyn, a recent University of South Florida graduate.

"To see the lack of young people really is a surprise," said Yadzyn, pointing toward the nearby USF St. Petersburg campus. "There's a college campus less than a mile away."

Fielding several calls while sipping a large coffee drink from a nearby Starbucks, Yadzyn is trying to get friends to join him for the scheduled Ron Paul rally later this afternoon. He's offering to by them dinner.

"I want people to get enlightened," he said. "Or, at least have an opinion."

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Home sales in October off nearly a third

Tampa Bay area existing home sales declined about 30 percent last month, from 2,419 in October 2006 to 1,700 in October 2007, the Florida Association of Realtors said.

The state's average home sales decline was 29 percent, and Orlando, Miami and Fort Myers suffered a greater drop than Tampa. Condo sales in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties declined about 17 percent  year over year, from 545 to 454.

Ocala, whose housing market thrived last year after Tampa's tanked, saw the greatest drop in October sales at 54 percent.

- James Thorner, Times staff writer

Man shot, then crashes car into tree

PLANT CITY -- Hillsborough Sheriff's deputies are on the scene of a shooting near Plant City.

Deputies say a man was driving in his car when someone shot him from a passing car. The injured man then crashed his car into a tree. The shooting happened at Joe King Road and Branchwood Place, which is southeast of Plant City.

No further information about the man or his condition was available. The man was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Investigators are searching for the shooter.

- Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer

Snipes wants Ocala jury stats

Actor Wesley Snipes' attorney filed a motion Tuesday asking for limited disclosure of statistical information from jury records at the Ocala federal courthouse.

Robert E. Barnes, Snipes' attorney, said the defense wants to know the demographics of the jury wheel for 2003 and 2005.

They may to use it to support a pretrial motion aimed at ensuring that a fair cross-section of possible jurors are called to Snipes' tax evasion trial in January.

In a Nov. 5 motion, Snipes' attorney called Ocala a "hotbed of Klan activity" and said the city is too racist to yield a fair jury for the trial.

Interim U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill responded in court documents by saying that Snipes' motion to have the trial moved because of race issues "hurls scurrilous and baseless accusations at the prosecution and citizenry of Ocala in an overwrought attempt to have this case dismissed or transferred to another venue."

The federal judge handling the case has not responded to either motion but set a hearing in Ocala on Dec. 11 for attorneys to address outstanding issues.

- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Road closures for tonight's debate

ST. PETERSBURG -- The city has closed the roads on either side of the Mahaffey Theater in preparation for tonight's CNN/YouTube Presidential Primary Debate.

Bayshore Drive from Fifth Avenue S to Fifth Avenue N and on First Street from First Avenue S to Fifth Avenue S closes at noon. They will remain closed until 10 p.m. Parking also will be limited on Fifth Avenue N near Vinoy Park and on Fifth Avenue S and Bayshore near Albert Whitted Airport.

Times staff writer

Teens killed Tuesday attended Land O'Lakes High

DADE CITY - Rebecca McCann, 16, and David Osteen, 18, met at the Land O’Lakes Sweetbay where he was a bagger and she was a cashier. They started dating three weeks ago and planned to have seven kids.
She wanted to be a nurse but didn’t think she was smart enough for college. He would have graduated this year and had made a few calls to art schools.

Yesterday, McCann and Osteen died on Handcart Road, south of Dade City, when Osteen tried to pass a vehicle. His tire blew as he tried to get back in the lane. His Honda spun and he hit a Kia Sedona coming from the opposite direction.

The Kia’s driver, Connie Johns of Dade City, was treated for mild injuries.

Today, the MCCann and Osteen familes prepared their homes for guests, made funeral arrangements and cried over photographs.

Rebecca liked to sing and write poems. David drew pictures of spaceships and war scenes.
They were both students at Land O’Lakes High School.

A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. today at Willow Bend Community Church,  2541 Henley Road, Lutz.

-- Helen Anne Travis, Times staff writer

Hernando deputies seek Warlocks leader in stabbing

BROOKSVILLE -- Hernando County sheriff's deputies are searching for the leader of the Warlocks motorcycle club in connection with a stabbing at a Brooksville home at 7:40 a.m. today. Michael E. Clements, 46, is wanted on a charge of attempted murder related to the incident at his house at 122 Lucas Drive.

The victim, a woman believed to be an acquaintance of Clements, was stabbed multiple times, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Black. She was airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, where her condition was unknown. The airlift took place at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville, which is near the Lucas Drive home.

A Sheriff's Office alert says that Clements, 6 feet 1 and 220 pounds, is considered armed and dangerous. He was last seen in the passenger seat of a white 1999 Ford F-150 with tinted windows, an extra cab and a black stripe down the sides, with a Florida license plate 130-VXA.

This is the second incident in recent days believed to involve the Warlocks. On Monday night, a fire severely damaged the club's headquarters at 2029 Ganz Drive in Brooksville. The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire, reported at 11:45 p.m., which officials say started in a pool room of the unoccupied building and spread to an adjacent office.

Black said that, so far, the two incidents appear to be unrelated.

- Erin Sullivan, Times staff writer

Ammonia pipe investigation turned over to prosecutors

TAMPA -- The Hillsborough Sheriff's Office has completed its investigation into a teen accused of drilling into an ammonia pipeline in Riverview, unleashing a cloud of ammonia over a neighborhood, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter.

The case will now go to the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office for review and to determine whether charges will be filed, Carter said.

On Nov. 12, a 16-year-old boy drilled into the pipeline that snakes beneath U.S. 301 in search of cash rumored to be hidden in the pipe, according to the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office. The drilled hole spewed ammonia into the air, burning the boy and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate their homes near the Alafia River.

- Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer

Fire destroys garage

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue firefighters battled a blaze at 10107 Tanner Road in Tampa.

The fire destroyed a garage at a mobile home. No one was hurt, but officials were concerned that the fire would spread to other nearby structures.

Falkenburg Road was closed because fire hoses were stretched across the road.

- Skip O'Rourke, Times staff writer

Two women ejected after car split in two

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two women were hospitalized after they were thrown from a car that split in two after a violent wreck on Interstate 275 early this morning, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

Investigators said Tiwanna Campbell was driving a Mazda 6 north on the interstate about 2:40 a.m. when she lost control coming out of a curve near Fifth Street N, sending the sports car into a center guardrail and concrete barrier.

Campbell, 39, of Largo, and her passenger Barbara Smith, 38, were ejected. Both were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in critical condition, but their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Investigators said neither was wearing a seat belt. Charges have not been filed.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Two fires now under control in east Hillsborough

BRANDON -- Hillsborough County firefighters say two structure fires that broke out about 9 a.m. are under control.

One fire is at 11100 Bessie Dix Road in Seffner. The other involves a storage shed and a workshop at 10109 Tanner Road, Hillsborough County Fire-Rescue Capt. Bruce Delk said.

The fire on Bessie Dix Road was extinguished by 10 a.m., and fire crews were checking for hot spots.

Fire officials were called to Tanner Road at 9:08 a.m. The building was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene south of East Hillsborough Avenue and just west of Interstate 75. The fire is now under control, Delk said. The cause is under investigation.

As of 9:15 a.m., southbound Falkenburg Road was closed at U.S. 92 due to the Tanner Road fire, the Sheriff's Office said.

- Skip O'Rourke, Doug Bennett and Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writers

McMullen-Booth Road reopened in Safety Harbor after construction accident

Update: Authorities say the road has reopened, but delays are still expected in the area. Damage to the car was reportedly minor and no injuries were reported, officials said

SAFETY HARBOR -- Both directions of McMullen-Booth Road near SR 590 are closed after a construction accident caused a cable to crash onto a car, Pinellas sheriff's officials said.

The car's occupant was not injured, officials said. Authorities expect traffic delays as deputies detour traffic around the accident scene.

Details are unclear, but officials believe a crane struck a cable, causing it to fall onto the car.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Hernando fire injures woman

Spring Hill firefighters remove debris from the patio area of a home at 1333 Salem Court in Spring Hill after a fire that was reported at 7:19 a.m.  An unidentified elderly woman was taken to an area hospital after being shaken up by the fire. She and her son were inside the house when a neighbor knocked on the door to tell them that smoke was coming from a pool screen enclosure.  The State Fire Marshall’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.  [MAURICE RIVENBARK | Times]

SPRING HILL -- One woman was injured after flames tore through a single-family home this morning, Spring Hill Fire Rescue officials said.

Fire crews arrived at 1333 Salem Court about 7:19 a.m. The extent of the woman's injuries were not immediately available. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Crash leaves motorcyclist dead; driver jailed

BRANDON -- A 24-year-old Gibsonton motorcyclist was killed late Tuesday after a pickup truck hit him, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

Investigators say Joshua Motsinger was driving west on Brandon Boulevard through the Providence Road intersection about 9:45 p.m. when the right side of his 2006 Suzuki motorcycle was clipped by a Ford F-150 pickup truck that had just made a U-Turn onto the same road.

The truck's driver, Jeffrey Freson, 42, of Deltona, "exhibited signs of alcohol impairment" after the crash, Highway Patrol officials said in a news release. Records show Freson was arrested on a DUI manslaughter charge and booked into the Orient Road jail. Bail was not set.

Motsinger, 10008 Prevatt St., was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he later died. A Highway Patrol report shows he was wearing a helmet.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

West Tampa office burns in late Tuesday fire

TAMPA -- Several businesses may have been damaged in a fire that broke out in a three-story office building late Tuesday, city Fire Rescue officials said.

Fire Rescue crews responded to 2942 W Columbus Drive about 11:40 p.m. It is unclear where the fire started. Property records show the building was built in 1971 and recently assessed at $884,500.

Officials said no one was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Fire ravages plumbing supply business; no one injured

St. Petersburg firefighters work to put out a fire at Banks Supply Co. on Tuesday evening. [Times | Willie Allen Jr.]

ST. PETERSBURG -– A three-alarm fire erupted in a plumbing supply business on this evening, collapsing the building's roof but injuring no one.

The fire broke out at Banks Supply Co., 222 22nd St. S, at 7:36 p.m., St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Rick Feinberg said. Engines arrived at 7:39 p.m., and the roof collapsed about three minutes later.

Firefighters expected to wet down hot spots through the night and would not enter the building until Wednesday.

In a statement issued about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feinberg said it had been determined that there was no electrical power to the building, and that "circumstances surrounding the fire are certainly suspicious at this time."

Feinberg cited reports from the building's owners that police had been called to the site Tuesday after a trespasser's personal property had been found inside the building, although he had not confirmed that report with police officials.

- Jacob H. Fries, Times staff writer

Prosecutors: 'Sex slave' is actually victim

PORT RICHEY -- "Master Drew's Slavery Contract" is a 10-page compact that defines two roles: master and sex slave.

"The slave agrees to obey her master in all respects," the contract says, "her mind, body, heart and time belong to Him."

Authorities say Andrew Kobak was "Master Drew." His role is self-explanatory and led to his arrest in July.

The role of "slave" fell to a 19-year-old bipolar and schizophrenic woman who met Kobak online.

Plan for environmental preserve praised, but access road draws fire

KEYSTONE -- Very few of the people who packed into the conference room at Austin Davis Library in Keystone Tuesday night thought that setting aside 1,000 acres in northwest Hillsborough as an environmental land preserve was a bad idea.

But many voiced concern about the county's plan to use Tyler Road for the public to get to the site.

"I love the idea of a preserve, but we can't handle the traffic,'' said Nadine Peterson, who lives nearby. "You have to stop on the road to let other cars pass as it is.''

Teens killed in wreck identified

DADE CITY -- The Florida Highway Patrol has identified the two teenagers killed in a Tuesday afternoon car accident. The driver was David B. Osteen, 18, of Land O'Lakes, and his passenger was 16-year-old Rebecca McCann, 16, also of Land O'Lakes.

The FHP says the two teenagers were killed in the accident, which happened near Prospect Road and Handcart Road.

Osteen was driving a 1996 Honda Accord and trying to pass traffic while traveling south on Handcart Road. As they were doing that, the tread on one of the Honda's rear tires separated and the car spun counterclockwise. A 2003 Kia Sedona minivan, driven by 41-year-old Connie Johns, was going north and hit the Honda.
 
Johns, of Dade City, was airlifted to a Tampa hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Times staff writer

Evel Knievel, Kanye West settle dispute

TAMPA -- Famed daredevil and Clearwater resident Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel and rapper Kanye West have settled a lawsuit, the parties announced today.

Knievel sued West for imitating him in the rap video for West's Touch the Sky.