Discovery headed to space station with 2 gifts

CAPE CANAVERAL - Shuttle Discovery left Earth Saturday evening carrying two very different gifts to the International Space Station: a $1-billion research laboratory and a part for a broken toilet.

The shuttle began its 14-day mission on time and in what mission control called a "perfect ascent" on a sunny evening, just after 5 p.m.

Discovery's crew will attach Japan's giant science laboratory to the space station, which it is expected to reach Monday. The laboratory is the centerpiece of a Japanese research complex called Kibo, which will give the country its first manned facility where astronauts can conduct experiments for a long period of time.

The 37-foot, 32,000-pound Kibo workshop – about the length of a tour bus – will be the largest room at the space station.

Kibo, which means “hope,” is a historic step forward for Japan, which is gaining a foothold at the International Space Station alongside the United States, Russia and Europe.

Also on the Discovery's crew's to-do list is cleaning a troubled gear that is part of the station's power supply.

And there is the matter of the broken toilet on the space station.For more than a week, the three astonauts aboard the station have had to manually flush the toilet with extra water several times a day, a time-consuming job.

NASA and Russian space officials are hoping that a pump — which was rushed to Kennedy Space Center from Moscow this week — gets the toilet back in normal working order.

A mission scheduled for next year will install Kibo’s third and final piece, an exterior platform where outside experiments can take place.

--Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer

Baby boy dropped off at Oldsmar fire station

OLDSMAR -- A woman who said she had just given birth earlier today dropped off a newborn baby boy at an Oldsmar fire station this evening.

Firefighters took the infant, who was wrapped in a towel, and called the sheriff's office. The baby was left at Eastlake Fire Rescue Station #56 at 1933 Eastlake Road in Oldsmar.

The woman declined medical attention, and the baby was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Missing woman found

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police have found a mentally ill woman who went missing from an adult living facility yesterday.

Jean Ellen Anderson, 61, left, has glaucoma but can see enough to walk, police say. She suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Workers reported her missing because of her health conditions.

She was found at a hotel near the facility at 8087 25th Ave. N. Police say she is in good health and can care for herself.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Free Looper shuttle for Saturday's Rays game

Want to catch a free ride to the Rays game Saturday? The Baseball Looper Trolley will pick you up in downtown St. Petersburg and take you to the stadium.

With a winning baseball team and country musician Trace Adkins playing a concert after the game, the city is bracing for an influx of fans. 

The shuttle will start at 4:40 p.m., 90 minutes before the game against the Chicago White Sox. Fans can park on downtown streets or for $5 at the city garage at First Avenue South just east of Second Street. The trolley pickup spot is Central Avenue and Second Street. The trolley will run for an hour after the end of the game.

If you carpool, parking at Tropicana Field is free for vehicles with four or more passengers.

For a map of the trolley route, got to http://loopertrolley.com/

Traffic re-opened on Tom Stuart Causeway

MADEIRA BEACH -- The Tom Stuart Causeway has re-opened this afternoon after a head-on collision shut down traffic for about two hours.

Four people were hospitalized with minor injuries after the 1 p.m. crash. Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies say Jamaal Miles, 19, was driving an Oldsmobile westbound when he lost control, veering across the median into oncoming traffic.

He was cited with failure to use due care, not having a valid driver's license, not having proof of insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.

He and his passenger, along with the driver and passenger of the other vehicle, suffered minor injuries.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

$22-million Civil War era claim abandoned

TAMPA -- She had hoped to get more than $22-million from the city of Tampa for payment on a Civil War-era debt.

Instead, Joan Kennedy Biddle and her family have agreed to pay the city $4,000 in attorney's fees and hand over to the city the original copy of the 147-year-old promissory note. Biddle today dropped her lawsuit, which she filed in March.

She claimed that the city owed her $299.58 plus 8 percent annual interest for military supplies purchased on loan from her great-grandfather's store in 1861to defend the city against Union troops during the Civil War. Biddle has said the old promissory note was a family heirloom.

City attorneys argued the claim was invalid, saying, among other things, that the 14th amendment to the Consitution prohibits payments on debts incurred to assist in "rebellion against the United States. Jerry Gewirtz, chief assistant city attorney, said he delivered hundreds of pages of back-up material to support the city's arguments to Jim Purdy, Biddle's attorney, on Tuesday.

Several hours later, Gewirtz said, Purdy called and said he wanted to withdraw his complaint.

Janet Zink, Times staff writer

Deputies investigate inmate's suicide

  TAMPA -- A man accused in an armed robbery died Thursday at Tampa General Hospital, about 11 hours after an inmate discovered him hanging from a makeshift noose fashioned from jail bed sheets, deputies said.

Harold Drier, 42, was arrested Wednesday on a robbery with a deadly weapon charge after holding up Vince's Grocery at 7215 Rome Ave., police said. The store's surveillance video helped put him behind bars, police said.

Shortly after leaving a first appearance hearing at the jail Thursday morning, Drier returned to a cell in the jail's intake housing section, a pod where inmates are held for their first 24 hours after being jailed, said Hillsborough Sheriff's Office spokesman Debbie Carter.

Within six minutes, Carter said, an inmate found Drier hanging by a bed sheet from the top portion of a bunk bed. He had "apparently taken a bed sheet off his bed, tied it around his neck and leaned forward," Carter said.

The jail's nursing staff helped get him to Tampa General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 9 p.m. Thursday.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

[Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]

New hurricane generator will be available in Pinellas

   Pinellas County officials said today a powerful new generator has been installed at Dunedin Highlands Middle School, which is designated as a special needs shelter in case of hurricanes. The new generator can provide enough power for the whole school building and can run the air conditioning system. Previously, the generator only provided enough power for lights, fans and a few other uses. And that's still the situation at the two other special needs shelters in Pinellas County, which are at Johns Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg and Oak Grove Middle School in Clearwater.

Special needs shelters are for disabled or elderly residents who need extra help with daily tasks. Pinellas residents who think they might need to use such a shelter in case of hurricanes are encouraged to pre-register by calling 464-3800 or visit the county Web site.

The announcement about the generator came during the county's annual emergency management "media day," designed to remind people that the 6-month hurricane season begins on Sunday. Emergency Management Director Sally Bishop urged residents to learn if they live in an evacuation zone and to plan for what they would do if a hurricane hits.

Tampabay.com Hurricane Guide:  Find resources, tips and evacuation maps.

-- Curtis Krueger, Times Staff Writer

Defense accuses judge of bias in porn trial

TAMPA -- Tensions ran high this morning in the obscenity trial of a porn film-maker, with defense attorneys accusing the judge of favoring the prosecution and asking that she recuse herself or declare a mistrial.

Defense attorneys complained that U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew didn't allow them to question a juror who sent a note Thursday asking to watch less pornography in court. They wanted to know whether his note represented only his views and whether he had discussed the case with other jurors.

The defense also accused the judge of unfairly questioning why they insisted on playing all 8-1/2 hours of violent and graphic pornography and other DVD extras in the case against Paul F. Little and his company, MaxWorld Entertainment Inc., while prosecutors only intended to show a sampling.

"This is an open trial, and we felt that the court has taken that away from us," MaxWorld attorney Louis Sirkin told the judge.

Sirkin has argued all week that the law requires jurors to view the materials in their entirety to accurately and fairly judge whether the movies are obscene.

In his films, Little goes by the name Max Hardcore. He creates scenes that show him inflicting pain and humiliation on female actors. His movies include vomiting and urinating, often on adult women made up to look like young girls.

Bucklew denied defense attorneys' request to recuse herself or declare a mistrial.

"The fact that you may be dissatisfied with my ruling ... that's not a reason to disqualify," Bucklew said. "You may not be happy in the future with some of my rulings. That is still not a reason to disqualify."

Bucklew then chastised defense attorneys for including the name of the male juror who sent the note in their motion, which was available on an electronic filing system accessible to the public. By law, federal jurors' names are kept secret, unless they decide to reveal their identities after a trial.

Defense attorneys said it was an inadvertent mistake. The judge ordered the filing immediately sealed.

Amid the day's legal arguing came a comedic moment.

Jurors snickered when at the start of one of the pornographic DVDs, a recording of Max Hardcore's voicemail begins to play. A man leaves a message telling Max Hardcore that he is a sick and crazy individual for what he does to women in his films and that he should stop.

It's these kinds of DVDs extras and clips that defense attorneys say are important for jurors to view.

Jeffrey Douglas, Little's lead attorney, pointed to the cartoonish music playing at the start of some of the DVDs and the fast-forwarding and repetition that give some parts of the DVDs a "substantially more light-hearted" feel than the features.

MaxWorld attorney Jennifer Kinsley said it's also important for jurors to see advertisements on some of the DVDs directing viewers to Jaded Video, a company that sells Max Hardcore films. She contends that prosecutors purchased the five DVDs they're using at trial from Jaded Video, not Little or MaxWorld.

"These defendants did not sell this material to Tampa," Kinsley said.

Jurors will be asked to decide whether the films meet the local community's obscenity standards. 

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

[Carrie Pratt, Times files]

Zephryhills couple victims of home invasion

ZEPHYRHILLS - The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is investigating a home invasion robbery at an elderly couple's home on Thursday night.

Around 10:30 p.m., authorities say two men approached 5351 Ixora Street in the Sandlewood Mobile Home Park.

Ralph Prezioso, 86, answered his door, and the two men pointed handguns at him and entered the home. They led Prezioso to the living room, where his wife, Virginia, was sleeping in a recliner. The suspects put masking tape over both victims' mouths and hands and told them to keep quiet.

The suspects took cash and and jewelry, then fled.

The couple was not injured.

Anyone with information on the case should call Det. Jennifer Christensen at 1-800-854-2862 ext. 5019.

--Camille C. Spencer, Times Staff Writer

Times deliveryman robbed of cash, van in morning attack

Update: The following story contains updated information released by the St. Petersburg Police Department this morning. Yesterday's account did not contain information on the armed kidnapping of Desmond Lee.

ST. PETERSBURG -- One man was robbed and another kidnapped at gunpoint early Thursday in separate attacks by the same trio of suspects, police said.

The first incident took place around 5 a.m., when Charlie Mack Eastman, an independent contractor who delivers the St. Petersburg Times, was putting copies of the paper into his car at at Fourth Avenue South and Fourth Street. Police say he was approached by an armed man, then robbed of his cash and car at gunpoint.

After dumping the papers to the ground, the driver sped away, later ditching Eastman's blue Chevrolet Cavalier at Third Avenue South and Sixth Street. Police would later return the car to the 21-year-old Eastman, who finished delivering the estimated 100 newspapers to downtown buildings.

After ditching the car, police said the armed man joined two others in a stolen red minivan.

About the same time, Desmond Lee visited an ATM and was waiting for his bus on the 2200 block of Fourth Street North when the van approached him. Someone in the van rolled down a window, slid the side door open and ordered Lee into the van at gunpoint. He complied, and police said Lee was robbed while the van sped away with the side door still open.

A patrolling squad car spotted the van a short time later. Police spokesman George Kajtsa said Lee had been in the back, praying the police would pull the van over.

When officers initiated the stop, the stolen van's driver sped away on Interstate 275, prompting a police chase that ended when the van crashed into a poll at  14th Avenue North and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street. No one was hurt in the crash, police said.

Dontrel Nelson, 20, Resnick Hampton, 16, and Brian Richardson, 17, were arrested at the scene. Nelson and Hampton were charged with armed carjacking, armed kidnapping, armed robbery and auto theft. Richardson was charged with armed kidnapping, armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, Kajtsa said.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Hillsborough man gets death for two killings

TAMPA -- A man accused of killing his wife and her daughter received two death sentences today.

Hillsborough Circuit Judge William Fuente handed down the punishment.

Khalid Ali Pasha (left), 64, was convicted last fall on two counts of first-degree murder. Jurors found him guilty of killing Robin Canady, 43, his wife of less than one month, and her daughter, Ranesha Singleton, 20, on Aug. 23, 2002. He stabbed and beat them in a cul-de-sac in the Woodlands Corporate Center on Waters Avenue, west of Dale Mabry Highway.

A witness saw a man wearing a bloody white hazmat jumpsuit. Detectives found the suit, a knife and a club in Pasha's van.

In November, jurors recommended the death penalty for Pasha in two narrow 7-5 votes.

Fuente said today that the brutality of the killings weighed heavily on his decision. Though Pasha had lived for many years as a quiet, polite and religious person, the judge also noted that Pasha was on parole for a previous conviction at the time of the killings.

The judge said that the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating circumstances.

"The scale tilts," the judge said, "to a sentence of death."

Pasha had no reaction. He shook his attorney's hand and went to be fingerprinted.

"We all lose in these things," prosecutor Jalal Harb said. "This is an old man who lived a life of crimes."

-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer

[Chris Zuppa, Times]

2 bodies found in Zephyrhills home

The bodies of a 47-year-old woman and 38-year-old man were found dead in their Zephyrhills home late Thursday, authorities said.

Pasco County Sheriff's officials are ruling out foul play, but called the deaths suspicious. Both bodies were found in a bathroom at the home, 38749 Minnesota Ave., at 9:24 p.m. Sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said in a written statement. Their names have not been released.

The bodies were turned over to the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiners Office to determine the cause of death. Doll said toxicology could take up to six months.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Pedestrian dies in Hillsborough Ave. crash

Update: Police say the man has no relatives in the Tampa Bay area, so his identity has not been released. Investigators say releasing the victim's name could take some time, because his family lives in France.

TAMPA -- A 24-year-old man died Thursday evening after police say he stepped into the path of a Honda.

The accident happened just after 6 p.m. at E Hillsborough Avenue and N 47th Street as Katrina E. Williams was driving her 1995 Honda westbound at 40 MPH in a 45 MPH zone, police say.

The victim, a white male, was pronounced dead at the scene, Tampa Police Lt. William Ferguson said. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Williams, 24, of Tampa, was not cited.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Woman killed after being hit by HART bus

Update: Police say the woman has no local relatives. Her name will not be released until investigators reach her family in Cuba.

TAMPA -- A 60-year-old woman is dead after she was hit by the HART bus she'd just been riding in, Tampa Police said.

The accident happened at N Howard Avenue and W Main Street in west Tampa around 5:44 p.m. The woman stepped off the bus at the stop, but as she crossed Howard Avenue, the bus was turning right and struck her, Tampa Police Lt. Donny Peters said.

Bus driver William Dudley Leduc, 64, of Riverview was cited for failing to yield right of way to a pedestrian.

An attempt to reach HART spokesman Ed Crawford for comment this evening was unsuccessful.

The victim, who police are not naming pending notification of next of kin, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The investigation continues.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Two charged in Riverview homicide

TAMPA -- Two Riverview men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 21-year-old man from Michigan.

Labronx Louis Bailey, 18, and Heavy Patrell Shavers, 17, are accused of teaming up to kill Michael Denhof, who was found dead inside his 13524 Prestwick Dr. house on May 16.

Denhof was identified three days afterward by relatives from his native Grand Rapids, Mich.

Shavers, top, of 11168 Creek Haven Dr., is charged with first degree murder and robbery with a firearm. Labronx Louis Bailey, bottom, of 12201 Creighton Pl., is charged with two counts of accessory after the fact, one for murder and one for armed robbery.

A minor, Shavers has been taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center. Bailey is being held without bail at Orient Road Jail.

Debbie Carter, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, said she couldn't release additional details about the shooting at this time.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Three arrested in illegal gambling investigation

Pinellas County deputies raided three gaming rooms Wednesday in north Pinellas county, netting three arrests, more than 100 computers and $14,000 in cash.

Three men were arrested after the eight-month investigation. Each man was charged with one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and multiple misdemeanor counts of possessing a coin-operated device.

The men are:

• Owner Zbigniew Skwara (left in photos), 50, of Tarpon Springs faces 21 charges for the Cyber Pal Cafe on US Highway 19 North in Palm Harbor.

• Regional manager James Michael Hill (center), 29, of Davenport faces 61 charges for the Spot Cyber Center on Bayshore Boulevard in Dunedin.

• Manager Steven George Duke (right), 52, of Largo faces 56 charges for the Mike's Internet Cafe on Seminole Boulevard in Largo.

Each business was in operation for at least 6 months, according to arrest reports. Detectives from the narcotics division also seized 139 computers and more than $14,000.

Customers could buy telephone cards or Internet service time which, after being converted into points, could be used to play Vegas-style computer games, according to law officials. One dollar bought 100 points to play about a dozen bingo, keno or slot games. Points won were redeemed for cash on site.

--Jackie Alexander, Times Staff Writer

Fire damages Plant City apartment building

PLANT CITY -- A fire early this morning caused more than $100,000 of damage to a three-unit apartment building in Plant City, according to Hillsborough Fire Rescue officials.

Fire crews were called to the fire at 4 a.m. at 800 Sundial Loop.

It took 38 firefighters nearly an hour to extinguish the fire. Two residents were home at the time, and both made it out safely, said Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley.

Fire crews contacted the Red Cross to assist the residents. It appears the fire was an accident, but the cause is still under investigation, fire officials say.

-- Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer

St. Petersburg: Police investigating driver who hit 5-year-old boy

ST. PETERSBURG -- A 14-year-old girl who killed a 5-year-old boy while driving her mother's car in the parking lot of the Pinellas Point apartment complex Wednesday night is under investigation.

Police say the girl got keys to her mother's car because she said she wanted to get some books. Instead, she used the keys to start the car and backed out of the parking spot while a friend was in the passenger seat. Two boys were standing between the car and the wall, Kevon Wilson, 5, and Jacquez Dawson, 8. 

Police say the girl then shifted into drive and suddenly accelerated into the parking space, striking the boys. Dawson was pushed to the side, and Wilson was pinned between the car and the wall and killed.

Police say the girl then panicked, put the car in reverse and sped backward across the parking lot until the car, a Volkswagen Cabrio, came to rest on top of a planter. Witnesses said the girl's 13-year-old passenger ran away.

Police are not releasing the girl's name because they say doing so could hinder the investigation. The girl is too young for a driver's license or learner's permit.

"She was driving a vehicle without a driver's license and she was in a crash that resulted in a death," police spokesman Bill Proffitt said. "We have to investigate that."

-- Abhi Raghunathan, Times staff writer

[Lara Cerri, Times]

Juror asks to watch less porn in obscenity trial

TAMPA -- A juror serving in the obscenity trial of a Hollywood producer asked today if shorter portions of pornographic movies could be shown in court as evidence.

"Your Honor, would it be at all possible for clips to be shown to the jury instead of the movie in its entirety?" the male juror wrote during a morning break.

Just before receiving the note, U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew decided to let the prosecution and defense play as much or as little of the five pornographic films in the case as they deemed necessary. Jurors weren't in the courtroom when the judge ruled.

Cold case murderer sentenced to life in prison

LARGO -- A man arrested last year and charged with murdering an elderly woman in 1976 pleaded guilty Thursday morning and was sentenced to life in prison.

St. Petersburg police arrested Alphonso Austin, 59, last year after DNA matched him to the September 1976, murder of Mary Jane Barth. The 85-year-old retiree was found face down inside the Greenwood Cemetery. She had been raped and stabbed 27 times.

The case went unsolved for 31 years until an investigator submitted evidence from the case to the state's crime lab. DNA taken from semen found on Barth's clothing was matched to Austin, who has previous arrests for rape, child molestation and burglary.

Police arrested Austin at an apartment where he was living in the Panhandle. He also made incriminating statements about the murder of Ester Greene, a 67-year-old woman who was stabbed to death in the Jordan Park housing complex just four months before Barth was killed.

Police tried to link Austin to that murder with DNA, but the physical evidence was too degraded, said police Lt. Mike Kovacsev.

Since being arrested, Austin had written letters in which he admitted to murdering Barth and saying he wanted to be sentenced. Because the crime occurred before parole was eliminated as an option for people convicted of first-degree murder, Austin will be eligible for parole when he is 84 years old.

Though Barth has no surviving family members, Greene does. They attended the sentencing hearing Wednesday morning to represent both women. Greene's granddaughter, Kimberly Greene, said she believes Austin killed both women and is pleased Austin is off to prison.

"I'm relieved. My family is relieved," said Greene, 42, of St. Petersburg. "It pretty much brings closure. It's just sad that Mrs. Barth's relatives couldn't see that. We wanted to be there for her family, too."

--Chris Tisch, Times Staff Writer

[Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]

Bail denied in Chasco Fiesta shooting

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Two fathers scuffled on a crowded downtown street during Chasco Fiesta. One man pulled out a gun and shot the other man dead the night of March 29, police say, then was tackled by bystanders when he tried to escape.

The families of both men assembled in Courtroom 3A today to debate whether Max Wesley Horn Jr., left, who faces life in prison in the second-degree murder of Joe Martell, should be freed on bail pending trial.

Circuit Judge Thane Covert ruled that no bail should be set for Horn, 46, and that he should remain in jail. But at the hearing new details about the case were revealed, and the state and defense offered previews of the cases they're preparing for trial:

Family loses cat, belongings to fire

A firefighter documents inside the garage of a home severely damaged in Northdale. [Kathleen Flynn, Times]

NORTHDALE--  Flames cut huge holes in the roof of a man's home this morning, charring some of his belongings and killing a family cat.

Nick Grecco, 34, was at work at GE Healthcare when a next door neighbor called to tell him his home on Gardenside Lane was burning.

"My first thought was about my aunt," Grecco said. "She has MS and I wanted to know she was safe."

When he got home, his aunt was safe outside and engines had already put out the fire, said Capt. Ray Yeakley, spokesman for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. Yeakley explained that flames had damaged the kitchen and living room areas but with proper construction the house could be habitable again in a month.

Debbie Ford, 50, had come to live with her nephew in February because she does not receive enough in Social Security to live on her own, she said.

Her 13-year-old mixed breed cat Tippy had been her companion through some of the worst times in her illness.

"I lay down a lot," she said. "And when I was feeling my worst, she would come nd lay on top of me and try to comfort me."

Grecco, who is also a single father of an 8-year-old girl, said he's just glad that his aunt and daughter are OK.

Ford agrees. She had just taken her granddaughter home to Ocala Wednesday.

"I'm glad this happened today and not yesterday," she said. "We're very lucky."

Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer

Police capture suspect who jumped off bridge

Police and fire personnel search beneath the Brorein street bridge in Tampa for a man suspected of burglarizing cars. [Stephen J. Coddington, Times]

TAMPA -- Police have captured a suspect who jumped off the Brorein Street bridge into the Hillsborough River, according to police spokeswoman Andrea Davis.

Police say a security guard saw Donald Roberts, 41, break into a vehicle at the Fort Brooke parking garage. The guard then chased Roberts down the street toward the Hillsborough River.

Police say Roberts then jumped into the water. After searching with boats and helicopters for 45 minutes, police found him hiding in the bridge's rafters, police say.

Roberts faces charges of burglary, theft and possession of burglary tools, police say.

-- Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer

Shovel attack lands man in jail, friend in hospital

A Tampa man was arrested early this morning after breaking his friend's nose with a shovel, police said.

Police said Eric Ernsberger, 35, left, picked up his friend Jonathan Horne, 25, from Horne's mother's house. From there, the pair went to Ernsberger's house at 10706 N Central Ave., where police say the two began arguing about money, and Ernsberger "hit the victim multiple times in the face with a shovel."

After the attack, Ernsberger rummaged through Horne's pockets and took a cell phone and cash, police said.

Horne was later taken to University Community Hospital for treatment of a broken nose and other minor injuries, police said. Jail records show Ernsberger was charged with robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and an unrelated traffic charge.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

[Booking photo courtesy Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]

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Motorcyclist killed in Palm Harbor wreck

A Holiday man was killed late Wednesday after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a car on U.S. 19, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

Justin M. Harris, 29, 5545 Riddle Road, was driving a motorcycle north on U.S. 19 around 11:40 p.m. when the bike struck the left side of a two-door Volkswagen that had just turned right onto the highway from County Road 95, troopers said.

Witnesses told investigators Harris was speeding.

The impact threw Harris from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Palm Harbor
Fire Rescue personnel. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Harold Frear said Harris was not wearing a helmet.

The car's driver, 43-year-old Nada Duheric, was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital. Her condition was not immediately available. Frear said her injuries were not serious. Four of the Volkswagen's other occupants were not hurt, according to an FHP news release.

No charges have been filed.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Watch video report from the scene

Child killed in crash

A witness said the car came to rest pressed against an apartment building, its rear wheels off the ground. [LARA CERRI | Times]

ST. PETERSBURG -- A 14-year-old driver hit and killed a 5-year-old boy Wednesday evening at the Pinellas Point Apartments in St. Petersburg.

Carlita Davis, 43, who lives in the apartment complex with her four sons, was sitting on her porch just after 7 p.m. when she heard the crash. She ran down to the scene and saw a blue Volkswagen Cabrio hit a concrete block wall for a second time, pinning the boy and causing the wall to collapse.

Davis tried to get the girl driving the Cabrio to put it in park, but instead the girl put it in reverse and hit the accelerator, backing the car up into an apartment building. The car came to rest pressed up against the building, its rear wheels off the ground.

Davis ran to the boy, who she knew from the apartment complex in the 2100 block of 62nd Place S. His head was injured and he wasn't moving, Davis said. The driver of the car was a 14-year-old girl whose relatives live in the apartment complex, Davis said.

St. Petersburg Police confirmed that a 14-year-old girl obtained the keys to a car to retrieve some of her school books. It appears she decided to take the car for a drive back and forth in the parking lot, police said.

The name of the boy and the driver had not been released late Wednesday night.

"It's tragic time and a sad time for both families," Davis said. "A mother lost a child and a child's heart is heavy."

Davis said children like to play near the wall, often jumping over it. The wall was significantly damaged.

Check back with tampabay.com. More details will be posted as they come available.

Watch video from the scene

Raytheon launches website to address plume concerns

ST. PETERSBURG - Raytheon Co. launched a website to address the concerns of nearby residents regarding the toxic plume migrating off its west St. Petersburg facility.

In a news release sent Wednesday afternoon, the company said the site provides timely information on the assessment report due this weekend to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Information on water use, community outreach and facility history are also explored on the site. The site can be found at http://www.raytheonstpetersburg.com

The launch of the site comes in advance of the community meeting Raytheon is hosting at its facility this Friday at 7 p.m. to discuss the key findings of the report. Located at 1501 72nd St. North, Raytheon also plans a "open house" at 6 p.m. where residents can speak to Raytheon and DEP officials one on one.

--Dagny Salas, Times staff writer

Tampa General starts procedure on wrong patient

TAMPA -- Staff at Tampa General Hospital mistakenly started performing a cardiac catheterization last week on the wrong patient, hospital officials said Wednesday evening.

The man was not harmed, and the hospital is conducting an internal investigation. Staff members failed to follow proper hospital protocol to identify the patient before the medical procedure, said hospital spokesman John Dunn.

A doctor "had inserted a catheter and was taking readings, but they hadn't injected any dye," Dunn said. "It was very early in the procedure." In a cardiac catheterization, a thin tube is inserted in an artery and dye is injected to view blood flow in coronary arteries.

Personnel made the mistake after asking the patient his identity, without checking his wristband. Dunn could not say what the patient said or how he identified himself.

"Ultimately, it's our responsibility, not the patient's," he said.

Tampa General would not identify the patient or medical staff involved.

Lisa Greene, Times staff writer

Firefighters respond to brush fire in south Hillsborough

TAMPA -- Hillsborough firefighters are responding to a 30-plus acre brush fire in the area of County Roads 39 and 640 in the Lithia area.

Hillsborough Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said firefighters and the Division of Forestry were just arriving at the blaze around 5:45 p.m. No homes or buildings appeared to be threatened, but some worried about horses grazing in the area.

Information on the fire will be updated as it becomes available.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Pregnant woman beaten during breakup ritual, deputies say

TAMPA — A common break-up ritual — the retrieval of belongings from the ex’s house — turned particularly violent Tuesday for one couple.

Deputies say Sharon Arlene Jackson, 41, and three others were arrested after they attacked Mary Margaret Tadder, Jackson’s pregnant ex-girlfriend, leaving her bruised and bleeding.

The incident happened at 11310 U.S. Highway 41, Lot 6, in Gibsonton, a home Jackson shared with Tadder, 39, until May 1, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Jackson, left in photos, arrived at the house with the intent to retrieve her clothes, Carter said. Accompanying her were three others: Johnny Williams, 33, of 11325 Ekker Road; Williams’ sister, Iris Williams, 36, of 11310 U.S. Highway 41, Lot 19; and a 14-year-old whose name was not released.

But what happened was a melee of hair pulling, punching, baseball bat wielding and kicking, deputies said.

According to Carter, Jackson pushed Tadder, who is six months pregnant, out of the residence, then hit her head with a baseball bat.

Iris Williams, center, is accused of breaking a window out of the mobile home door, pulling Tadder through its doorway, then grabbing Tadder by the inside of her upper lip, causing soreness and bleeding, deputies say. Deputies say Johnny Williams, punched Tadder twice in her stomach, then tossed her phone into a creek. And the 14-year-old is accused of kicking Tadder in the left side of her stomach and hitting her in the nose.

All of the suspects told deputies they knew Tadder was pregnant.

Jackson and Iris Williams are both charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and criminal mischief less than $200. Jackson is being held without bail. Williams is in jail in lieu of $7,750 bail.

Johnny Williams, right, is charged with aggravated battery on a female and petty theft, and is being held in lieu of $8,000 bail. The 14-year-old was taken to Juvenile Assessment Center.

Carter said paramedics treated Jackson’s injuries at the scene.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

[Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]

St. Petersburg: After-school program, parks maintenance, library hours on chopping block

ST. PETERSBURG -- The city needs to cut $5-million out of its budget to make up for Amendment 1 revenue shortfalls.

Now, everyone from the city's police officers to youth athletic groups might have to pay up.

No final decisions have been made, but here are some of the reductions city officials have come up with so far and how much they would save:

• Eliminate staff positions or continued savings from 2007 staff reductions: $514,300
• Reduce civilian activities in police and fire departments: $384,600
• Savings from new energy efficient traffic and street lights: $320,000
• Increase or implement fees for Fire Department services such as false alarms, inspections and plans review: $276,400
• Eliminate recreation services at Rio Vista after-school program: $262,000
• Reduce parks maintenance: $249,300
• Increase activity and participation fees related to Teen Arts, Sports & Cultural Opportunities program: $185,200
• Increase existing or create new athletic field rental fees: $116,000
• Reduce greenscape budget: $100,000
• Reduce library hours: $93,300
• Charge police officers for driving squad vehicles to an out-of-city address: $85,000
• Reduce travel, training and memberships expenditures: $37,100
• Reduce City Council expenditures: $10,000
• Eliminate weekend supervision at Fossil Skate Park: $4,600
• Eliminate flu shots: $4,200

-- Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Gibbs High student charged with having firearm on school grounds

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police arrested a 21-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl after they say the older woman gave the girl a gun, which she forgot about and took to school.

Shaneka R. Jackson, of 524 27th Ave. S, put the gun in the backpack of the Gibbs High student at a sleepover, police said. Both forgot about it, according to St. Petersburg police.

This morning, the 15-year-old reached into her backpack in class and her ninth-grade teacher saw the gun.

She was charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds and taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center. Jackson was charged with furnishing a firearm to a minor and booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Both charges are felonies.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Man steals cash register from grocery store

Tampa -- A man armed with a knife threatened a clerk at Vince's Grocery, 7215 N. Rome Ave., on Tuesday afternoon and stole the store's cash register, Tampa police said. The man fled the store in a pickup truck.

Police describe the suspect as a white man, about 32 years old, weighing 190 pounds, with a muscular build. He was last seen wearing a blue tank top and jeans.

He drove a late 90s GMC pickup with an extended cab and stainless running boards.

Watch video here.

-- Times staff

McHale was using drugs when he died, authorities say

WESLEY CHAPEL -- Thomas McHale, who played six seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was using antianxiety medicine and cocaine the night before he died, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.

McHale, 45, was found dead Sunday morning at a friend's home in the Delano apartment complex off State Road 56. The friend, Martin Jackson, told deputies that he and McHale had met at a rehab center in Tampa.

McHale showed up at his apartment Saturday night. He looked drunk, Jackson told deputies.

He did not make suicidal threats and told Martin he was looking forward to returning to rehab the next day, the report said. But that night Martin saw him take several Xanax pills and use cocaine.

Martin told deputies he found McHale drinking soda and eating leftover pie Sunday morning before going back to sleep. Martin went to check on him about 9:30 a.m. and realized his friend wasn't breathing.

Martin dragged McHale onto the floor and started CPR. McHale woke up and vomited, the report said. Martin continued CPR until paramedics arrived.

The medical examiner's office will determine the cause of death. That report is not expected until August.

McHale, who was married with three children, was with Tampa Bay from 1987 to 1992.

--Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

[Skip O'Rourke, Times files]

Onstott won't face death penalty

TAMPA -- The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office is no longer seeking the death penalty against David Lee Onstott.

Onstott (left), 39, is expected to stand trial this summer on a first-degree murder charge. He is accused of killing 13-year-old Sarah Lunde in April 2005.

Last month, the 2nd District Court of Appeal affirmed a lower court's decision to throw out Onstott's confession because law enforcement ignored his requests for an attorney. Prosecutors have no physical or forensic evidence tying Onstott to the crime.

They say he made potentially damaging statements to his mother, a jail nurse and detention deputy but the contents of those remarks have not been made public.

Prosecutors withdrew their notice of intent to seek the death penalty on Friday.

-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer

[Chris Zuppa, Times files]

Gov signs insurance bill, Citizens keeps its money

Gov. Charlie Crist signed the insurance bill (SB 2860) championed by Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, that gets a bit tougher on insurers. But he vetoed the effort to remove the $250 million from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to fund a program for start-up insurers.

--Jennifer Liberto, Times Staff Writer

Jury watches porn preview

TAMPA -- Jurors sat red-faced in federal court today as they watched previews of graphic and violent pornography in the obscenity trial of a Hollywood filmmaker and his company.

They could begin watching hours of full-length scenes as early as this afternoon.

U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has said she will take frequent breaks once the films begin playing in their entirety.

Producer and director Paul F. Little, also known as Max Hardcore, and MaxWorld Entertainment Inc. are facing five counts of using a computer server to sell obscene matter and five counts of delivering obscene matter through the U.S. mail. The Justice Department, which announced its case against Little in May 2007, won't say why it decided to try the case in Tampa.

But prosecutors said today in court that Little's Web site was hosted on a server in Tampa and investigators purchased MaxWorld DVDs and had them sent to a Tampa post office box.

In his films, Little inflicts pain or humiliation on women. Movie scenes include urinating, vomiting and defecating, often on adult actresses made up to look like young girls.

The judge spent Tuesday night watching portions of the films before requesting that prosecutors display the entire 8-1/2 hours of five pornographic DVDs prosecutors plan to use as evidence against Little and MaxWorld.

Defense attorneys objected to prosecutors' intent to only show 2-1/2 hours of the DVDs, saying the law required jurors to view the material as a whole in order to fairly decide if it's obscene by contemporary community standards.

The defense was concerned that jurors wouldn't watch the entire films on their own during deliberations and said that if prosecutors didn't show all 8-1/2 hours, the defense would. Bucklew asked prosecutors to show the films in their entirety so jurors would only have to see them once.

The judge also has placed a security officer outside the courtroom to keep juveniles out and stop anyone else from entering the courtroom once the DVDs begin playing.

"The tapes are graphic," Bucklew said.

About 15 minutes of previews were shown in court before the lunch recess. In them, Little is seen often wearing a white cowboy hat. He urinates on women, slaps them and calls them names.

James Fottrell, a Justice Department computer forensics specialist, navigated through Max Hardcore's Web site during his testimony. He read in court from a section on the site called, "Who the hell is Max Hardcore?"

In the description, Max Hardcore brags about his sexual exploits and how he "sexually sodomized" women.

The trial may last through the beginning of next week.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Council Member says city should run Pier, Mahaffey without outside help

ST. PETERSBURG -- City Council Member Wengay Newton said the city should consider getting rid of the handful of management companies it has hired to run its downtown facilities such as the Pier and the Mahaffey Theater.

Newton (left) threw out the idea during a budget meeting Tuesday, as Mayor Rick Baker presented his preliminary budget to the council.

Baker said the city might have to lay off some employees and reduce the city's general budget by $5-million. Staff members said they did not know how many of their colleagues would get the ax. The mayor creates the budget, but the council must approve it.

Newton said the city could probably do a better job of running the Pier and the Mahaffey than the current management companies. Both facilities are heavily subsidized by the city.

"If we are looking for millions...that's where it is at," said Newton.

City administrator Mike Connors said the city hires outside management companies because of their expertise.

"It's not that easy to have someone in a maintenance worker fashion all of a sudden jump into trying to book a Broadway series," he said.

-- Cristina Silva, Times staff writer

[Edmund D. Fountain, Times files]

Leslie Curran considers St. Pete mayoral bid

ST. PETERSBURG -- Add City Council Member Leslie Curran to the crowded list of potential mayoral candidates.

For weeks, the buzz at City Hall has been that Curran is stepping up her game and asking more questions at council meetings because she wants to be mayor.

When asked if she is considering a run, Curran said Tuesday, "Never say never."

If she runs, Curran would face off against at least one other council member.

Council Chairman Jamie Bennett also is vying for the top City Hall office.

Other possible contenders in the November 2009 race: attorney and former council member Bill Foster, former council member Rene Foster, Amscot Financial executive Deveron Gibbons, Baker campaign manager and close friend Terry Brett, Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis, Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch and construction worker Paul Congemi.

-Cristina Silva, Times staff writer

[Handout photo]

Price of gallon breaks $4

TAMPA -- Ouch.

For the first time, possibly ever, the cost for a gallon of gas broke the $4 mark in the Tampa Bay area.

A Web site tracking gas prices, gasbuddy.com, which relies on citizen contributions to record area prices, shows several stations with prices breaching $4 per gallon. A pair of Winter Haven BP stations are charging $4.03 and $4.07.

A gallon at a small, independently-owned Citgo gas station on State Road 54 and Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel will run you $4.19, according the site.

Prices in the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg area are averaging about $3.87 per gallon.

One month ago, Americans were paying an average of $3.60 per gallon. Last year, it was around $3.20 per gallon.

Nationwide and in Florida, motorists are paying $3.94 per gallon for regular unleaded and $4.77 for diesel, according to an AAA Web site. Both are record setting prices.

"This is no longer a rarity where we seem to be breaking record highs," said Randy Bly, a spokesman for AAA Auto Club South.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

The gas at the Texaco on Howard right next to the I-275 off ramp is at $4.01 today. [Carrie Pratt, Times]

2 hurt when wreck sends car airborne

TAMPA -- Two people were hospitalized early this morning after a single-vehicle wreck sent the car carrying them through a guardrail and airborne before it landed near the sidewalk on 21st Street between Interstate 4.

Natasha Wermuth, 21, of Valrico, was driving Joleen Brown, 18, in a 1993 Camaro east on I-4 around 2:15 a.m. when the Camaro veered from the eastbound lanes and onto a center grass median that splits the interstate's east and westbound lanes, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

Tire marks show the car continued for about 150 yards before blasting through a metal guardrail, sending the car vaulting over the grass embankment.

Airborne, the car traveled roughly 15 yards before striking an iron fence that runs parallel with 21st Street, situated about 25 feet below the interstate. Troopers said the front of the car smashed into the fence, while the car's undercarriage bit down on a red brick support wall.

The Camaro then busted through the iron fence and smashed into one of the large palm trees bordering the landscaping of 21st Street, troopers said.

After the crash, Wermuth and Brown were taken to Tampa General Hospital. A spokesman said Wermuth is in serious condition and Brown is in fair condition.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

One dead in Veterans crash

TAMPA -- A vehicle crash on the Veterans Expressway Tuesday claimed the life of a local woman and sent four others to the hospital, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

Marilyn Boneta, 34, was driving a 1999 Mitsubishi Galant south on the Veterans Expressway near Anderson Road around 7:30 p.m. when she lost control of the car, causing it to slam into a guardrail.

The impact caused the vehicle to flip over and Boneta was ejected. An FHP report shows she was not wearing a seat belt. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other occupants of the car, Jessica Sanchez, 23, Elvin Pimentel, 18, and 1-year-olds Ariana and Rudy Sanchez, were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. Their conditions were not immediately available. Highway patrol officials said the two children were not seriously injured.

- Rebecca Catalanello and Casey Cora, Times staff writers

Nude maid cleans Cheval house, including the jewelry

TAMPA — A 50-year-old Lutz man hired a nude maid to clean his 2,281-square foot home Friday.

The woman arrived at the Cheval home in a one-piece light colored dress. She took off the one-piece light colored dress. She cleaned the house per their $100-per-hour agreement. Four bedrooms, three baths.

She redressed and left.

Shortly after, the man’s wife came home from vacation to discover $40,000 in jewelry missing from their bedroom.

The man told Hillsborough Sheriff’s deputies he’d only left the maid alone in the bedroom a short while, spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Deputies are investigating. The nude maid, whom the man found on the Internet, is described as a white female, age 21 to 24.

-- Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer

Brush fire prompts road closure in Westchase

TAMPA -- Deputies have blocked a portion of Hillsborough Avenue in Westchase as firefighters try to contain a small brush fire in the area.

Hillsborough Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said Hillsborough is closed between Montague Street and Countryway Boulevard primarily due to visibility issues caused by smoke and wind.

The fire began about 4 p.m. and appears to have originated in a swampy wooded area. It does not pose a threat to nearby structures, Yeakley said.

He did say that elderly people and children who have respiratory issues should stay indoors for the time being.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Hillsborough detective cleared of forgery

TAMPA -- A judge has apologized to a Hillsborough sheriff's detective who was accused of forging the judge's initials on a search warrant.

In a sworn statement earlier this month, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe was adamant that he had not altered a search warrant that led to a man being arrested on drug charges. Ruskin defense attorney Paul S. Carr used the affidavit in court to argue that the charges should be dropped against his client.

But the Sheriff's Office today cleared Detective Ronnie Cooper of any wrongdoing.

A 109-page report released this afternoon contains transcripts of interviews with Tharpe, Cooper and other detectives involved with the search warrant.

Chief Deputy Jose Docobo said the agency's investigation ultimately verified Cooper's account of how the October 2006 search warrant was signed and then altered by the judge when it was determined that the warrant contained an inaccurate apartment number.

The Sheriff's Office checked Cooper's cell phone records. It also hired its own handwriting expert, who found that the initials on the search warrant "very probably" belonged to Tharpe. The expert found that Cooper had not written the initials.

Tharpe said that he had no recollection of the night in question and said he second-guessed himself about the handwriting after signing the affidavit. He said he was sorry Cooper had to experience what he did after the allegations became public.

Regarding Cooper, Docobo said this afternoon that "he has really been devastated. As a law enforcement officer, all you really have is your reputation."

"He really followed procedure to the letter only to have his integrity and reputation called into question," Docobo said.

Docobo said Tharpe made a mistake by signing the affidavit that accused Cooper or another detective of forgery.

"He's only human," Docobo said of the judge.

Tharpe could not be reached immediately for comment.

-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer

Tampa city workers douse motel flames

TAMPA -- A pair of quick-thinking city workers are credited with dousing flames that erupted in a Nebraska Avenue motel.

Around 10 a.m. today, Timothy E. Williams and Kendrick T. Atwood, two employees in Tampa's Clean City department, were driving a reclaimed water truck along Nebraska Avenue when they heard a woman's screams.

Smoke poured out of a unit at the Alamo Motel, 6110 N Nebraska Ave. Using a hose from the 2,500 gallon tank -- originally destined for watering plants at city intersections -- Williams and Atwood knocked down the flames until real fire crews arrived a short time later.

Fire Rescue officials say the pair kept the flames at bay long enough to stop the fire from spreading across the one-story motel. Both left before the motel owner could thank them.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Dunedin man hit by SUV after bar parking lot fight

A Dunedin man is hospitalized with severe injuries today after he was hit by an SUV following an argument in the parking lot of the Tumbleweeds bar in Dunedin.

Thomas Paul Stacey Jr., 31, was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital with serious head injuries following the 2 a.m. altercation.

The driver of the SUV, Wehner Lawrence Alfons (left), 47, of Largo, was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of driving with a suspended license.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, an on-duty deputy spotted two men arguing in parking lot at 424 Patricia Avenue in Dunedin. As the deputy drove closer to investigate, he saw one of the men and two passengers climb into a 2002 Suzuki SUV. The vehicle backed up and then drove forward toward Stacey, hitting him and throwing him over the front of the SUV.

The deputy stopped the SUV a few blocks away. Alfons told the deputy he didn't know why he didn't stop and said he didn't know what was happening until it was too late.

[Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]

Robbery suspect arrested in pawn shooting

Pinellas County Sheriff's officers investigate the scene of a shooting at the All American Pawn Shop, 5903 54th Avenue in Kenneth City, Tuesday.  [Scott Keeler, Times]

KENNETH CITY -- A man suffering from gunshot wounds was arrested this evening after deputies found him hiding out in his girlfriend's apartment several blocks from a robbed pawn shop, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities identified the man after his girlfriend and sisters called 911 after finding him in his girlfriend's apartment about 5 p.m. Detectives linked Willie Clarkson, 20, to the pawn shop robbery by matching a shoe he was wearing to one left near the crime scene.

Just after 1 p.m. today, a pawn shop owner fired at least three times with a 9 mm hand gun at a man who entered the store with an aluminum bat and started smashing cases.

The robber fled, leaving a short blood trail. Detectives recovered property that they believe was taken from All American Pawn, located at 5903 54th Ave N.

Bordner said the state attorney's office will determine whether to charge the pawn shop owner, David Gardner, 51, of Seminole.

"It appears he was defending himself and his business," Bordner said.

- Stephanie Garry and Abhi Raghunathan, Times Staff Writers

Man in jail, accused of running over wife

NEW PORT RICHEY -- A 63-year-old retired man is in jail after the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said he ran over his wife with his car during an argument.

Benjamin Franklin Lee (left) told a deputy he and his wife, Jennifer, were having an argument at their home on Gatun Street about 7:30 p.m. Monday night. He said he was trying to leave the house and Jennifer Lee wouldn't get out of the way of the car.

He pulled forward, according to the arrest report, and ran her over.

Then he backed up, he told a deputy, "and probably ran her over again."

He told the deputy he drank six beers.

He is charged with aggravated domestic battery and is being held with no bond.

Jennifer Lee was unresponsive at the accident scene, but a spokeswoman at Morton Plant North Bay Hospital said she is listed in good condition today.

--Molly Moorhead, Times Staff Writer

[Pasco County Sheriff's Office]

Filmmaker's obscenity trial under way

TAMPA -- Jurors selected in the obscenity trial of a California filmmaker and his company will be asked to judge the local community's standards and values when it comes to viewing certain types of pornography.

To do so, they'll likely watch several hours of what prosecutors described as violent pornographic movies that meet the U.S. Supreme Court's standards of obscenity.

Paul F. Little, also known as Max Hardcore, is on trial today in a Tampa courtroom facing five counts of mailing obscene matter and five counts of transporting obscene matter by use of an interactive computer service. The case is being prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida because Little and his company, Max World Entertainment Inc., are accused of mailing films to a post office box in Tampa.

Little's movies include footage of bodily functions and severe violence toward female actors.

Prosecutors say they intend to display several movie trailers in court that don't show explicit sexual acts. But Max World defense attorney H. Louis Sirkin said jurors should see the movies in their entirety to fairly decide if the depictions are obscene.

"The government must show the entire movie," Sirkin said while arguing several motions before jury selection began today. He said the defense can't rely on jurors viewing the entire movie or movies during deliberations, so he wants them to see the entire thing in open court.

U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew did not immediately issue a ruling.

As part of the legal definition for obscene, the law requires the material being judged to be looked at as a whole, Sirkin said.

Bucklew spent the morning questioning more than 30 members of a jury pool. That process was slightly delayed because several potential jurors and the courtroom deputy got stuck on an elevator.

Most of the jury questions so far have been routine, with responses about employment, spouses and prior jury service.

No one raised their hand when asked if they had -- or knew a close relative or friend who had -- ever been employed in the adult entertainment industry. One woman raised her hand when the judge asked if anyone belonged to an organization that has publicly taken a stance against the distribution of pornography. She asked to speak with the judge about it in private.

At least two members of the jury pool identified themselves as volunteer youth pastors.

Jury selection will resume this afternoon.

Return to tampabay.com for updates.

Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Pasco drowning victim identified

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco authorities identified the man who apparently drowned Monday in an apartment complex retention pond.

Johnathan D. Pierce, a 21-year-old from Daytona Beach, was found floating in a pond about noon at the Summer Trace apartments off Trouble Creek Road. Neighbors there said they had seen him fishing in the pond the night before.

He had about $15 cash in his pockets and his driver's license, the Sheriff's Office said.

--Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

Store owner says robber hit first

TAMPA -- A Seffner convenience store owner says he shot and killed a man Monday night in self defense. The man, who wore a mask, snuck up on him and hit him in the head with a can of green beans stuffed inside a sock, owner Cres Vigil said.

"I feel bad for the guy," Vigil said. "I didn't want to kill him but it's my life too. If he had a gun he would have got me."

The incident happened at C N K Beverage Pit Drive Thru, 12002 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Seffner, at 6:41 p.m.

Kenneth Charles Heidkamp, 19, walked into the store with a can of French cut green beans inside a sock, then took a swing at store owner Cres Vigil, striking the 46-year-old clerk in the head.

Vigil responded with gunfire and Heidkamp was shot in the side, deputies said. Heidkamp ran about 75 yards before collapsing. He was was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:10 p.m.

According to a news release, investigators with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office are reviewing the incident with the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office.

- Rebecca Catalanello, Casey Cora and Justin George, Times staff writers

Prosecutors to photograph accused killer's feet

TAMPA -- Prosecutors received permission today to make inked impressions and photographs of the feet of Edward Covington, the man accused of killing a Lutz woman and her two children earlier this month.

Authorities found the mutilated bodies on May 12, Mother's Day. They say Covington admitted to the triple homicide on May 14.

Crime scene technicians located a footprint in blood on the floor of the master bedroom in Lisa Freiberg's mobile home. They want to see if it matches one of Covington's feet, prosecutors said in a motion.

Judge Walter Heinrich said the impressions and photographs can be taken.

Previous coverage:

Lutz family shares grief over 3 lives taken

'Key players' identified

 

-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer

Teen apologizes for cemetery vandalism

TAMPA -- One of the boys accused of vandalizing two Riverview cemeteries overnight Sunday said today that he is sorry.

"I'm sorry to all of the families," said the 14-year-old Riverview boy, who was arrested late Monday.

A 15-year-old Tampa boy also was arrested. The Times is not naming them due to their ages.

The 14-year-old appeared in juvenile court this morning. A judge will hear the 15-year-old's case later. They both face juvenile sanctions for two felony charges of criminal mischief and damaging a tomb or gravestone.

Authorities say they upset dozens of graves at the Serenity Meadows and Hackney cemeteries, toppling tombstones and destroying personalized memorials just hours before a planned Memorial Day service.

Hillsborough Circuit Judge D. Michelle Sisco ordered the younger boy to be held on home detention until June 16. That means he can only leave home for school, work or church.

Officials said he also has a pending charge of resisting arrest without violence from a May 15 arrest