Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 20, 2002
Plane crash victim fighting for his life
NEW PORT RICHEY -- The survivor of Thursday's ultralight plane crash in the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park remained in critical condition Friday at a St. Petersburg hospital.
Robert Grant, 52, of Brooksville was pulled from the wreckage of Lewis Marcus' SkyBoy after the ultralight dropped from the sky Thursday morning. Marcus, 37, the pilot, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Grant was in the intensive care unit at Bayfront Medical Center on Friday in critical condition, which means his heartbeat and breathing were unstable.
The Federal Aviation Administration does not investigate ultralight crashes, so the job of figuring out what happened to the plane goes to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers said investigators will question Grant as soon as his doctors give him medical clearance.
NEW PORT RICHEY -- A Sheriff's Office spokesman said the death of a 40-year-old woman whose body was discovered Thursday does not appear suspicious.
The body of Kim E. Vozda was found Thursday afternoon along Madison Avenue in New Port Richey. Investigators are awaiting autopsy results.
Vozda of New Port Richey was last seen alive by her husband about 11:30 Wednesday night.
NEW PORT RICHEY -- A New Port Richey woman was arrested on drunken driving charges early Friday morning after a collision in which a Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputy was injured.
Carol Ann Earls, 64, of 3233 Lenwood Drive was booked into the county jail on charges of DUI, DUI with personal injury and DUI with property damage. She was released after posting $3,000 bail.
According to reports, Earls was driving north on Seven Springs Boulevard about 10:30 p.m. Thursday when she suddenly turned into the path of a northbound Sheriff's Office cruiser at the intersection of Abington Avenue.
Deputy William Wood suffered minor injuries. He was treated at a local hospital and released, sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers said.
A passenger in Earls' car also was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. Earls was not injured.
Reports said Earls admitted to drinking about five screwdrivers -- orange juice mixed with vodka -- before the accident. Tests showed she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.108 percent, reports said. Florida law presumes impairment at a level of 0.08 percent or higher.