 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Police reports
By Times staff writer Pasco County Fire Rescue officials are conducting an internal investigation after $2,350 worth of fire equipment turned up missing last weekend at the San Antonio fire station. Between 8 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Sunday, someone took an air pack and bottle, a helmet and a nozzle from the station at 32829 Pennsylvania Ave., according to a Pasco County sheriff's report. The bottle was later found at a Lacoochee fire station. Assistant Chief Chris Alland said Thursday that the department is trying to narrow down exactly when the equipment was discovered missing and to determine whether it simply has been misplaced. "We don't know if somebody broke in and took this stuff or if somebody moved it," Alland said. "We're trying to cover all the bases." Evidence shows thefts at schools likely linkedWESLEY CHAPEL -- Burglaries at two schools this week probably are related, authorities say. Between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, burglars broke into Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road, and Wesley Chapel High School, next door at 30651 Wells Road, and stole an unknown amount of cash from the school safes, according to Pasco County sheriff's reports. "It seems pretty clear from reading the reports that they are probably going to be related," Sheriff's Office spokesman Jon Powers said. He said the timing of the incidents, the proximity of the two schools, the method of entry and the articles taken seem to link the two crimes. At each school, workers arrived Wednesday morning to find doors pried open, windows kicked in and money missing from the safes, the reports state. At the elementary school, money was taken from the safes for the cafeteria and the after-school program. No arrests had been made as of Thursday. Pedestrian killed along U.S. 19 worked for TimesThe pedestrian hit and killed Wednesday on U.S. 19 has been identified as Richard Thomas Pollard, 33, a district circulation manager for the St. Petersburg Times, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Pollard of New Port Richey was walking north on U.S. 19's east shoulder about 11:45 a.m. when he was hit 160 feet south of Elizabeth Avenue in Hudson, troopers said. Jack Long, 51, of 7510 Beacon Woods Drive was driving a Jeep that hit Pollard from behind, troopers said. Tanning salon owner accused of fondling clientHUDSON -- The owner of a tanning salon was arrested Wednesday after a client said the owner fondled him and grabbed his hand, according to a Pasco County sheriff's report. Camillo Carl Girardi, 32, who owns Tropic Island Tanning, faces a charge of simple battery, the report states. The state attorney's office is investigating possible charges of unnatural and lascivious acts and soliciting for prostitution charges against Girardi, the report states. The client, whose name was not released, told deputies that he went to the salon, 8923 State Road 52, about 5 p.m. Wednesday. He said Girardi fondled him while covering him with tanning lotion, the report states. The client said that when he got dressed and attempted to leave, Girardi grabbed his hand and "offered to provide him with sex through a female friend," the report states. Girardi of 525 Wood Landing Trail in Oldsmar posted $500 bail and was released Thursday from county jail in Land O'Lakes. Man, 70, accused of attack with axHUDSON -- A 70-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after two people, including his wife, said he attacked them with an ax, according to a Pasco sheriff's report. Joseph Ezekiel Lowe of 14601 Ivy Chase Lane in Hudson faces charges of aggravated assault and domestic aggravated assault, the report states. Lowe's wife, Angela, reported: She and Joseph Lowe got into a fight about 3:25 p.m. because he accepted a watch from another woman but will not accept gifts from her. During the argument, he picked up an ax and threatened her. When the boyfriend of Angela Lowe's daughter came over to make sure everything was okay, Lowe ran at Angela Lowe and her daughter's boyfriend with the ax. Before he could hit them, the boyfriend hit him over the head with a chair. Lowe suffered a minor cut on the arm, the report states. He was being held Thursday at county jail in Land O'Lakes in lieu of $5,000 bail. Impostor poses as officer to try to get free foodNEW PORT RICHEY -- A man pretending to be a Pasco County sheriff's lieutenant tried to get free food Monday night at the Dairy Queen drive-through, according to a sheriff's report. A Dairy Queen employee told deputies that the man said he had ordered $40 in food last week, didn't get it and had returned to get it, the report states. He told her his name was Lt. Chris Johnson of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Records show there is no Lt. Chris Johnson. No arrests had been made as of Thursday.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Pasco Times Editorial |
