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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 11, 2002
More charges possible in dike removal
INVERNESS -- State officials have said they might seek additional charges against Chester Bradshaw, the Dade City man who removed a dike from Potts Preserve in May. Robert Diemer of the Department of Environmental Protection, would not discuss the new charges because they are pending. Bradshaw faced a misdemeanor charge after acknowledging he removed a 6-foot-high, 225-foot-long berm with a bulldozer. The DEP said Bradshaw did not have a permit to do the work; he says the Southwest Florida Water Management District had a permit but dragged its heels. Bradshaw said he removed the berm to restore natural water flows.
FLORAL CITY -- The Tampa man who led deputies on a chase through three counties before killing himself in Bushnell on Wednesday had no known ties to Citrus, officials said. John Gambardella, 37, left a suicide note at his home, where police found his female housemate dead Wednesday. The murder-suicide began to unfold about 11:30 a.m. when Citrus sheriff's deputies called Tampa police to report that a 911 caller had said there was a dead body at 3614 North B St., where Gambardella lived with Jill Thomas, 38. A Citrus deputy saw Gambardella in Floral City and began to follow after seeing the man holding a rifle. With deputies following, Gambardella drove his pickup through Citrus and Hernando and then into Sumter County. He shot himself in Bushnell.
HOMOSASSA SPRINGS -- A dead manatee was found at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park early Wednesday. A necropsy revealed the young 6-foot male manatee had swallowed a fish hook and tackle line that an official said may have caused an infection.