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Police reportsBy Times staff writer© St. Petersburg Times published March 15, 2002 Brush fire engulfs New Port Richey back yardNEW PORT RICHEY -- Qasem Abdel-Hadi saw fire on his way home Thursday. He figured it was workers clearing more land near his house, he said. When he got home and went to take out his dogs, he knew it was more than that. "I looked at my back yard, and it was all on fire," the 20-year-old substitute teacher said. A brush fire raged to within 10 feet of Abdel-Hadi's 9725 Hilltop Drive house Thursday afternoon, fire officials said. State forestry officials were investigating. Pasco County Fire Rescue battalion chief Cynthia O'Neal said the blaze apparently started as a controlled burn to clear land. Wind spread it from there, she said. Abdel-Hadi said he was already gathering his sister's hamster and his pet birds while getting ready to flee. He thought his house was going to burn down, he said. The fire was reported to firefighters at 2:10 p.m., O'Neal said. It was under control in 18 minutes. About a third of Abdel-Hadi's back yard turned to black grass and palmettos. Car rolls in accident, injuring 15-year-old girlPORT RICHEY -- A 15-year-old girl was injured Thursday afternoon during an accident at the entrance to Chasco Woods apartment complex, officials said. At 2:04 p.m., Thomas Penkal of Port Richey was driving west on Ridge Road in a white 1996 Geo Metro, Florida Highway Patrol troopers said. He turned left, trying to get into Chasco Woods, in front of an eastbound car driven by Jennifer Unger, troopers said. The two collided, and the Metro rolled three or four times, O'Neal said. Carly Newhart, 15, a passenger in Penkal's car, was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. She was going in and out of consciousness, O'Neal said. Her condition was not available Thursday. Penkal, 18, was taken to North Bay Hospital with minor injuries. Trooper Erik Hellstrom said he was investigating whether Penkal was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He was cited with violation of right of way, Hellstrom said. Unger, 25, the other car's driver, was sitting at the scene with an ice pack on her head but was not seriously injured.
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From today's Pasco Times |
