Northpinellas: Pinellas digest

CLEARWATER -- Police have issued a photo of a truck that is similar in appearance to a pickup used in the New Year's Eve abduction of a 5-year-old boy at the Savannah Trace Apartment complex, 2690 Drew St. Police say the dirty, white pickup had ice cream stickers or decals on the side and letters spelling Stone Cold Steve Austin along the rear quarter panels. The truck has an extended cab and is smaller than a full-size, though larger than a compact. The windows are lightly tinted, the interior is gray and the truck held a silver or gray box in the bed. The box, which may be a toolbox, was as wide as the bed. After abducting the boy New Year's Eve, the kidnapper placed him in a trash bin near Bushnell. They boy suffered no major physical injuries, but police think he may have been assaulted. Anyone with information can call Clearwater police at 562-4422.

Worker shoots self in nail gun accident

CLEARWATER -- A construction worker accidentally shot himself in the chest with a nail gun Wednesday morning. Orlando Valasquez, 21, was taken by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center after the 11:15 a.m. accident. He was listed in fair condition Wednesday afternoon. Clearwater police said the incident happened as Valasquez was working alone on scaffolding outside a business at 2701 Via Cipriani, which is near Belleair Road and U.S. 19. Valasquez was installing windows when a 3-inch long nail pierced his chest, police said.

Man accused of sexually abusing boy 7 years ago

TARPON SPRINGS -- A 37-year-old Tarpon Springs man was arrested Wednesday on charges that he sexually abused a young boy seven years ago. Gerald P. Warner was charged with capital sexual battery and performing lewd and lascivious acts on a child. Warner is accused of abusing the boy, who was under age 10, from 1994 to 1995, police said. Warner, a friend of the boy's family, stayed with the family then. Police said the family allowed Warner to stay in the boy's room, though in a different bed. The abuse occurred after Warner and the boy went to bed, arrest reports state. Police said Warner told the boy not to talk about the abuse because it would get Warner in trouble and would look bad for his family, reports state. The boy told his mother about the abuse on Sunday, and police launched an investigation. The boy told police the abuse occurred almost every night during that period, arrest reports state. Police said Warner admitted that he abused the boy, though he said it occurred only weekly. More charges are possible, though police said they have no evidence of other victims. Warner, whom arrest reports list as an employee at Westlake Animal Hospital, was being held at the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday evening in lieu of $600,000 bail.

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