New Port Richey officer shoots, kills knife-wielding man

NEW PORT RICHEY — A man was shot and killed at an apartment complex Friday night after he charged at two police officers with a large knife, according to the New Port Richey Police Department.

Two New Port Richey police officers responded to a domestic disturbance call around 7:30 p.m. at 6130 Corson Avenue, according to Lt. Jeffrey Harrington. A man there ran at them with a knife and that the officers then "defended themselves," Harrington said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement identified the man with the knife as Mark Brooks Lee. But the state would not release any other information about him. Harrington also would not release the names of the officers involved in the shooting.

FDLE and the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office are both conducting parallel investigations of the incident. Harrington said New Port Richey police also is doing its own internal investigation.

The officer who shot the man was put on paid administrative leave while the incident is reviewed.

Erin Sullivan, Jamal Thalji, Times staff writers

Man accused of robbing Land O'Lakes bank with rifle

LAND O’LAKES — A man walked into Heritage Bank about 2:30 p.m. Friday, pointed a .22-caliber rifle at the teller and demanded money.

He escaped with an undisclosed amount, but the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office says he didn’t get far.

About 10 minutes later, Mark Anthony Thomson was arrested about a mile away from the bank at 23300 State Road 54. The car he was driving became disabled after he ran over a barrel-type barricade at State Road 54 and Livingston  Road, the Sheriff’s Office said.

He fled into some nearby woods, where he was apprehended.

Deputies found the gun from the robbery and discovered the Dodge Intrepid that Thomson was driving had been stolen in Hillsborough County.

Thomson, 35, of 18830 Carr Drive, Lutz, was charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft auto. He remained Friday night at the Land O’Lakes jail in lieu of $155,000 bail.

-- Times staff writer

A picture-perfect shuttle launch

The view from atop the St. Petersburg Times building. Click image to enlarge. [SHERMAN ZENT | Times]

By The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL  -- Space shuttle Endeavour and a crew of seven blasted into the night sky Friday, bound for the international space station and the most extreme home makeover project ever attempted by astronauts. The shuttle rose off its launch pad at 7:55 p.m. EST, right on time, in a brilliant flash of light visible for miles around.

"We're about to get an extreme home makeover. It's an exciting day," space station commander Mike Fincke radioed to Mission Control. "It doesn't get better than this, my friends."

Endeavour's astronauts will double as kitchen and bathroom installers once they arrive at the space station Sunday, hooking up extra cooking and sleeping equipment so the space station's crew can expand next year. They will deliver a new refrigerator as well, giving station residents much-desired cold drinks for a change.

The nighttime launch was a special treat for onlookers. Only about a quarter of all shuttle flights begin in darkness, and this one made for a spectacular show. The moonrise that preceded the launch was an extra touch; the nearly full moon provided a breathtaking backdrop.

The launch as seen from North Shore Park in St. Petersburg. Click image to enlarge. [EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN | Times]

Look to the east sky at 7:55 p.m., see the shuttle

If you are a Tampa Bay area resident and have an unobstructed view of the sky, you may want to look to the east or northeast just before 8 p.m. You’ll likely catch quite a sight: Space shuttle Endeavor streaking to the heavens.

Endeavour stood poised with its crew at the launch pad Friday for an evening flight from Cape Canaveral to the international space station and a home remodeling project by astronauts doubling as kitchen and bathroom installers. The weather was promising: Forecasters said there was just a 30 percent chance that rain or clouds would interfere with the 7:55 p.m. liftoff.

Radar showed only a few passing showers in the Tampa Bay area at 7 p.m., so the skies should be clear enough for most residents to see Endeavor shoot toward space.

Two more suspects arrested in counterfeit ring

TAMPA -- Authorities arrested three more suspects in a counterfeit check cashing ring that investigators say cost Florida banks millions of dollars.

Maurice Jackson, 32, Darris Washington, 28, and Tony K. Grooms, 47, all of Tampa, were charged with racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office had already arrested nine people in the case. They expect a second phase of arrests in the next couple of weeks.

In October, the sheriff's office announced its two-year investigation into the ring, in which there are about 100 suspects. To learn more about the case, read the Times' previous coverage here.

Teacher charged with delivering heroin, crack to deputies

TAMPA -- A second-grade teacher from Ruskin was arrested this afternoon, accused of possessing heroin and crack cocaine and delivering them to undercover deputies.

Valerie Elaine Sabarese, 27, of 15528 Telford Springs Drive in Ruskin, was arrested at 3:45 p.m. as she left Summerfield Crossings Elementary School in Riverview.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's detectives began investigating Sabarese on Nov. 7 when Sabarese first sold .3 grams of heroin and .3 grams of crack cocaine to detectives for cash at a convenience store at 56th Street and Fowler Ave.

Deputies arrested Sabarese after she left school property and stopped her vehicle at U.S. 301 and County Road 672.

She will be booked into the Orient Road Jail later today, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Sabarese was hired in July of last year and first worked at Apollo Beach Elementary, but soon transferred to Summerfield Crossings.

Hillsborough County schools spokesman Stephen Hegarty said she will be sent a letter telling her not to return to the school, and likely be suspended pending further school board action.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Jury convicts man in attacks on in-laws

TAMPA -- A federal jury today convicted a Sarasota man accused of ordering three attacks against his in-laws after they refused to keep supporting his failing business ventures.

Alex Shevgert, 52, was found guilty of conspiracy to travel with the intent to kill, injure or harass another person and two counts of aiding and abetting another person to travel and carry out the attacks.

Sentencing is Feb. 20.

Shevgert's parents-in-law, Grigori and Galina Komissarchuk, had fractured skulls after separate attacks in Florida and New York between September 2006 and April 2007. Prosecutors said Shevgert asked a friend to recruit a hit man whom he would pay to beat the Komissarchuks.

They were each attacked twice, but in three incident. Two attacks took place in the couple's Brighton Beach neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y., where they own interests in the taxi cab business. One attack took place at their Sarasota home after they left a party hosted at the nearby home of Shevgert and their daughter.

Vets committee reneges on VA hearings

The chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs won't hold hearings as promised on a shredding controversy at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Instead of a formal hearing, the committee chairman will hold a two-hour "round table" discussion on Wednesday in Washington without sworn witnesses and no assurance the VA will even participate.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., who chairs the committee, could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday and no explanation about the change was provided by committee staff.

Last month, Filner told the St. Petersburg Times he was angered by reports that VA employees had improperly set aside for shredding crucial claims documents from veterans. A VA investigation found nearly 500 documents improperly set aside for shredding in most of the VA's 57 regional benefits offices.

About 13 documents were found at the VA's busiest benefits office -- Bay Pines in St. Petersburg.

Filner said he thought the VA needed new leadership. "These guys remind me of the Keystone Kops," Filner said last month. "This completely shatters confidence in the whole VA system. These documents are matters of life and death for some of these veterans."

Several major veterans service organizations have been invited to the round table discussion along with unnamed officials at the VA. On Friday, nobody had yet confirmed they would attend.

William R. Levesque, Times staff writer

Largo police seek 2 robbers

LARGO -- Police have asked for the public's help in identifying two suspects in a Nov. 5 armed robbery at a Largo bank's ATM.

At about 9:00 that night, two men wearing hoods and masks approached someone at the ATM outside the Fifth Third Bank, 12360 Indian Rocks Road, according to the Largo Police Department. One of the suspects  put his arm around the victim's neck and brandished a gun. The suspects then took personal property from the victim using physical force.

Anyone with information about the two men should call Largo Police Det. Scott Gore at 727-586-7436.

-- Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writer

Riverview man charged with assaulting roommate

RIVERVIEW -- A 37-year-old Riverview man was jailed early this morning after an apparently heated game of billiards.

Police said Richard Hutton, 8012-1/2 Mays Avenue, was arguing with his roommate when he armed himself with a pool cue. A few punches were thrown, and, according to an arrest affidavit, Hutton told his roommate he would beat him up with the cops left.

Police were told that Hutton threw the cue in a river behind Hutton's home, but it couldn't be found. Hutton was charged with aggravated assault and tampering with evidence, both felonies. He was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail, where he remains on $4,000 bail.

Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer

Robbery suspect charged with murder

TAMPA -- He didn't pull the trigger, but now he's charged with murdering his friend.

Ramon Antonio Varela, 34, (pictured) was one of two men who robbed a Tuscany Point Apartment resident on Nov. 6, according to the Tampa Police Department. Varela and another man, Christopher Sherman, 22, tied up 21-year-old Anthony Velez to rob him, but Velez broke out of his restraints and fatally shot Sherman. Varela got away.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies caught Varela Thursday night. He was charged with three felonies: armed robbery with a firearm, kidnapping and second degree murder. Florida law allows such prosecution if someone dies during the commission of a felony, regardless of the manner of death.

Varela was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail, where he remains without bail.

-- Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writer