One dead, three injured in Zephyrhills accident

ZEPHYRHILLS — One man died and three people were seriously injured after a car accident about 2:30 a.m. Saturday on U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

According to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, Christopher Boyette, 23 and of Zephyrhills, was driving his 1998 Chevrolet sedan westbound on Daughtery Road, approaching U.S. 301.

He had two passengers in his car, Joseph Brown, 22, of Zephyrhills, and Maria Friet­chen, 45, of Dade City.
The Highway Patrol said Boyette ran a red light and was struck by another car traveling northbound on U.S. 301.

That car — a 1998 Oldsmobile sedan — was driven by James Wigfall, 18, of Dade City.

Boyette died at the scene. Brown, Frietchen and Wigfall were taken to area hospitals in serious condition.

Erin Sullivan, Times staff writer

Pedestrian injured in Central Avenue hit-and-run

ST. PETERSBURG -- A pedestrian was struck and injured early this morning by a mini-van that sped off without stopping, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Now officers are looking for help finding the driver.

Eddie Teartt Jr., 21, was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where he was reported in stable condition, police say. He was crossing the 2300 block of Central Avenue about 1:49 a.m. when he was hit, according to police.

The pedestrian was standing in the center of the road and waiting for westbound traffic to clear, according to police, when an eastbound blue mini-van approached.

The minivan passed another vehicle in the eastbound lane, crossed the solid yellow line dividing the lanes, and hit Teartt. The unidentified male driver of the minivan did not stop.

Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Department at (727) 893-7780.

Jamal Thalji, Times staff writer

Two men arrested in Seminole nightclub shooting

ST. PETERSBURG -- Pinellas County detectives arrested two men Friday in connection with a Seminole nightclub shooting that left one man with serious injuries.

Anthony Edinger, 26, and Toby Denio, 29, both of St. Petersburg, were arrested on three counts of attempted murder and one count each of armed home invasion robbery, and armed kidnapping.  Edinger was also arrested on an outstanding warrant from Colorado on unrelated charges of robbery, aggravated assault with a firearm, and escape.

The shooting took place at Boomerz, a popular Seminole nightclub, at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Two suspects arrested in Pasco purse-snatch killing

HUDSON — Deputies this afternoon arrested the two suspects in Wednesday's purse snatching-turned-homicide of 62-year-old Linda Roma.

And one of them, Steve Anthony Cruz, was arrested on a charge of murder, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Cruz, 38, and Lisa Michelle Dillard, 39, were arrested near the 7-11 convenience store on U.S. 19 near the Pasco-Hernando county line around 3 p.m. today, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

According to witnesses, Cruz was lurking outside the doors of the Hudson T.J. Maxx when Roma and her daughter Jenifer walked outside at 8:53 p.m. He went for Roma's purse, witnesses said, and in the ensuing struggle she fell to the ground and hit her head.

Roma, who took care of her 78-year-old husband Ralph, died the next day in a Tampa hospital from bleeding in the brain, according to the family.

Intense publicity surrounding the case helped deputies track the suspects down, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Dillard was arrested on an outstanding warrant for violation of probation. Both will be booked into the Land O'Lakes jail within the next few hours.

Deputies believe Cruz escaped in a pearl or gray 90's Buick Regal driven by a female accomplice. Both suspects were later seen an hour later on a Wal-Mart Supercenter surveillance video trying to buy jewelry with Roma's credit card, deputies say.

The status of a third possible suspect is unknown at this time.

Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer

Fiery crash leaves Plant High School senior dead

TAMPA -- A Plant High School senior died in a fiery crash Friday night that left one passenger in serious condition and two with minor injuries.

Allyson Marie Faulk, 17, was driving north on Interstate 75 near Micanopy with three others teens when she lost control of the Ford SUV for an unknown reason, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

The vehicle went into the median and hit several trees. It then erupted into flames, FHP reported.

Faulk was declared dead at the scene. She was wearing a seat belt, the report states.

Kristen Hurst, 17, was taken to Shands the the University of Florida in Gainesville in serious condition. Elizabeth Mischo, 18, and Karlyn McKell, 17, suffered minor injuries, the FHP reported.

Plant High School's principal, Rob Nelson, alerted students and faculty through an automated phone messaging system Friday about Faulk's death. The family gave him permission, school district spokesman Steve Hegarty said, and students were already text messaging each other about it, he said.

Faulk was a 12th grade student who took honors courses and was the leader of a service club, Hegarty said. Counselors will be available for students at the school on Monday.

-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer