Florida

TAMPA — A robber ended up on the other side of his gun Saturday night when one of his victims seized the weapon and held the man until police arrived.

Tampa Police say Jerome Haggins, 42, walked into the house at 1801 1/2 N Nebraska Ave at 11 p.m. and ordered six men to the ground, and to give up their wallets and jewelry. Then, he asked them to disrobe.

Police say Haggins noticed one of the men had not handed over his bracelet, so he threatened to kill him. He put his pistol on a table, walked over to the man and snatched his bracelet.

Meanwhile, police say, another victim took advantage of the moment and picked up the gun, turning it on the robber.

(Read the full post about ‘Victim turns gun on Tampa robber’…)

LUTZ — A family of five lost a dog and pet rabbit when their home caught fire Saturday afternoon, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. The fire at 2009 Wallace Road also destroyed family keepsakes, clothing and important paperwork, said Abi Weaver of the American Red Cross Tampa Bay chapter, which is providing aid to the family. Fire Rescue arrived at the home just after 2 p.m. The home was nearly engulfed in flames and firefighters tried to subdue the fire with water from tankers because there were no hydrants nearby. No one was in the house at the time of the fire, but the couple who owns the house, and their sons, ages 22 and 7, and daughter age 10 arrived as firefighters were dealing with the blaze, Weaver said. (Read the full post about ‘Dog, rabbit die in Lutz house fire’…)

[Police investigate a suspicious death at the corner of Manatee and Bayview in Bellair. Atoyia Deans, Times] BELLEAIR — BELLEAIR — A Belleair man is suspected of killing his wife and traveling across the country to elude arrest. Sheriff’s detectives say Ryan Cataneo, 40, murdered his wife, 39-year-old Deana Cataneo. Her body was found in a pricey home at 7 Baybrook Place on Friday after relatives visiting for Thanksgiving couldn’t reach the couple. By that time, her husband was across the country, detectives say. He was last seen on Tuesday in Marrero, Louisiana. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said late Saturday that the medical examiner determined the cause of death was homicidal violence. (Read the full post about ‘Suspicious death is murder, detectives say’…)

BEALSVILLE — A Riverview man died and three companions were severely injured early this morning after their car went into a spin at nearly 100 miles an hour on State Road 60, hit a street sign and chain link fence, then rolled over and over, throwing everyone out as it tumbled.

The Florida Highway Patrol says Christopher Ramos, 33, of Riverview had been behind the wheel of the decade-old Dodge Stratus, and died at he scene. The injured were identified as Estanislao Vela, 36, and David Vela, 32, both of Plant City, and David Alan Jones, 21, of Lithia.   

The wreck occurred around 2:30 a.m. just west of the Polk-Hillsborough county line.

(Read the full post about ‘One dead, three badly injured in high-speed crash’…)

“God bless Bim on Independence day!” I hope that you enjoy your celebrations today and tomorrow.

Yes, Monday is a bank holiday. Why not work this in with your celebrations:

December 1st Last Chance To See Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary For Free

Turks & Caicos-based Co. Settles with Needhams Point Holdings Ltd.

Dr. David Estwick has called the previous Barbados Government “project bunglers”, according to the Nation News. Turks & Caicos-based Johnston International Ltd has sued Needhams Point Holdings Ltd., (Barbados Hilton hotel). Here is a Barbados Supreme Court ruling on the matter. Note that the judge is the Hon. Sir David Simmons K.A., B.C.H. Simmons is viewed by many as a consumnate politician with a history of strong support for the former regime, the Barbados Labour Party.

Johnston International Ltd was originally asking for $166 million from Needhams Point Holdings Ltd.

(Read the full post about ‘Foreign Investors Settle with Barbadian Government Co. - ‘BUNGLERS’ according to Dr. David Estwick’…)

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.

(Read the full post about ‘Troopers ID pedestrian hit, killed crossing I-4′…)

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. (Read the full post about ‘Being thankful for sunsets like this’…)

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.

(Read the full post about ‘Elderly woman in hospital after house fire’…)

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. Leaving for New York Flights left at 8:00, 9:00 and 10:00 from the St Pete/CLW airport Tuesday morning, the atmosphere was festive as the 18 months of work, practice and preparation were about to become a reality.  New York here we come! The Rounder’s are staying at the Newark Airport Marriott so the trip from the plane to hotel was short. (Read the full post about ‘“Rounders” experience marching in Macys Parade’…)