Troopers ID pedestrian hit, killed crossing I-4

TAMPA -- Florida Highway Patrol officials have identified the man hit and killed crossing Interstate 4 as Kenneth Marvin Kellum, 56, of Lakeland.

Just before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, troopers said Marvin was hit by a vehicle while crossing the eastbound lanes on foot.

The accident, which occured just east of Interstate 75, caused I-4 to shut down for three hours while FHP and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue investigated.

Kellum died at the scene.

FHP spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins said Kellum had been driving a Ford F150 pickup truck southbound on I-75 near the I-4 interchange and ran out of gas.

Kellum left the truck to search for fuel and walked to I-4. Having obtained some gasoline, he was walking back to his truck when he tried to cross I-4 and was struck in the center of the eastbound lane. He was wearing dark clothes, Gaskins said.

Kellum was hit by a 2004 MinCooper driven by Caridad Canales, 53, of Orlando, Gaskins said. She suffered minor injuries, and was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital for treatment. Damage to her car was estimated at about $4,000.   

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Being thankful for sunsets like this

Click to enlarge photo a lot but not quite lifesize. [SHERMAN ZENT | Times]

On Thanksgiving day, Times photo editor Sherman Zent was camping with his family at Fort DeSoto Park. Shortly before 6 p.m. they were treated to one of Florida's glorious sunsets out over the Gulf of Mexico.

The popular campground has 85 tent sites and 151 RV / trailer sites. Fort DeSoto Park is on a spit of land in the mouth of Tampa Bay.

Its beaches are frequently ranked among the best in the nation, and even the world, by various travel and tourism rating services.

For Zent, whose extended family gathered for the holiday at the park, it was a favorite way to spend the day. Indeed, it was the Zents second year for a Fort DeSoto Thanksgiving.

--Times Staff Writer

Elderly woman in hospital after house fire

TAMPA -- An elderly woman was found unconscious inside a burning house just after 4 p.m. Thursday, according to Tampa Fire Rescue.

Frances Andrews Baker, 85, was found lying on the bathroom floor in her home at 1915 E. 18th Ave. by Fire Rescue officials after both a neighbor and a patrolling police officer were unable to find her in the smoky house, said Lt. C. A. Sawicki of the Tampa Police Department.

Officer Kenneth Fender, of Tampa Police, was the first person at her home at 1915 E. 18th Ave. He came in through a back door, and the smoke in the kitchen was so heavy he had to crawl into the living room, Sawicki said.
He explained that when Fender didn’t find her in the living room he left the house because the smoke became too much. A neighbor kicked in the front door but the smoke prevented him from entering the house as well.
It wasn’t until Tampa Fire Rescue arrived that they were able to pull Baker from the house and administer CPR. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition suffering from severe smoke inhalation, according to a release from fire rescue.
According to Fire Marshal Investigators, the fire was started by an electrical failure of a portable radio on the stove top. The radio’s plastic casing melted, filling the home with black smoke and causing $45,000 worth of smoke damage, the release said.
Baker had been living in the home for 44 years. 

--Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer

"Rounders" experience marching in Macys Parade

The Greater St. Petersburg Area Awesome Original Second Time Arounder Marching Band performs in this year's Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. More than 500  'Rounders' musicians and auxilliary will participate. Watch this post throughout the day on Thursday for updates about their experience.

Photos: Local band marches in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Greater St. Petersburg Area Awesome Original Second Time Arounders marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City this morning. [AP Photo]

Turkey Trot winners

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 More than 15,000 runners bundled up, then hustled out on a chilly morning for the 30th Times Turkey Trot this morning.

In the men's 5K Wingding (a 3.1-mile race), Florida Southern's Tyrone Bell won for the second straight year in 15 minutes, 6 seconds. Jacki Wachtel was a repeat winner in the women's 5K Wingding (17:38).

In the 10K Turkey Trot (a 6.2-mile race), Bell's teammate at Florida Southern, Scott Mackley, won in 31:37.

Former Keswick Christian and USF star Christa Benton won her fourth straight women's 10K in 36:27.

--Bob Putnam, Times staff writer

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Pedestrian critical after being hit crossing Gibsonton road

GIBSONTON -- A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle while crossing U.S. Highway 41, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Jose Angel Escobar, 41, was taken to Tampa General Hospital following the accident which took place about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to an FHP report.

Troopers said that Escobar, whose address is unknown to officials, wasn't in a crosswalk when he walked directly into the path of a vehicle near the intersection of Gibsonton Drive. Emma Davis Winters, 56, of Tampa, was behind the wheel of a Hyundai SUV that struck Escobar, troopers said.

Authorities said Winters was unable to avoid the collision.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer