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Police reports
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 3, 2003
DADE CITY -- Vandals fired shots early Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 14838 Ramsey Road, causing $6,600 worth of damage to the building.
Neighbors told Pasco County Sheriff's deputies they were awakened twice, about 2 a.m. and again at 5:20 a.m., by gunshots coming from the grounds.
Deputies found spent bullet casings and holes in the doors, walls and lights, the sheriff's report said.
Deputies are searching for a white pickup truck, low to the ground, with an extended cab and blue stripes.
SHADY HILLS -- A 48-year-old Spring Hill man died Sunday morning when the pickup truck he was riding in flipped over and he was ejected.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident might be alcohol related.
The truck's driver, George C. Germain, 45, of Spring Hill suffered minor injuries and went home after voluntarily giving a blood sample, patrol Sgt. Eric Madill said.
Germain was driving a brown 1982 GMC pickup truck northbound on Lawless Road about 10:15 a.m. Sunday. As he rounded the sharp curve at Rogerland Road, he lost control, the patrol report said. The truck overturned into a yard, crushing the roof and throwing the passenger out.
The passenger's name is being withheld until his relatives are notified. Madill said Pasco County paramedics treated the passenger at the scene, but his condition "wasn't good at that point."
He was taken by ambulance to Spring Hill Regional Hospital, where he died.
HUDSON -- A 65-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after authorities said she shoplifted from a Kash n' Karry grocery store, fled from an officer and hit a store employee with her car.
Elizabeth L. Gesmondi of Aripeka was being held Sunday in lieu of $16,500 bail, charged with aggravated battery, felony fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, retail theft and resisting arrest without violence. While Pasco County Sheriff's deputies were transporting her to jail Saturday, she complained of chest pain and was taken to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. Her condition was not available.
Her arrest report said Gesmondi went into the store on State Road 52 in Hudson about 5:15 p.m. Saturday and began putting items, including film, ointment and protein bars, in her purse. Store managers were following her around and watching her to see if she would pay for the items.
But Gesmondi walked out without paying, and a deputy approached her at her car, the report said. She refused to get out and began backing up.
The store's assistant manager, 29-year-old Job Levesque, approached her car and yelled to her to stop. But Gesmondi kept moving and hit Levesque with her car, the report said.
Gesmondi drove her 1998 Chevrolet Prism onto Little Road with a deputy in pursuit. But she did not pull over until a second cruiser got in front of her, the report said.
The total value of the stolen items was $28.
A 56-year-old hiker was found unharmed early Sunday after her husband reported her missing overnight, Pasco County Sheriff's officials said.
Judy Bradley's husband dropped her off Saturday morning at Withlacoochee State Forest near State Road 50 in Hernando County. The plan was for her to hike through the forest, and her husband would pick her up about 6 p.m. at County Road 471 in Pasco County, said sheriff's Lt. Skip Stone. But she didn't show up.
Forest officials, search dogs, a helicopter and a dozen sheriff's deputies fanned out to search through the night. Bradley was found in the forest about 9:45 a.m. Sunday, Stone said.
She had apparently become disoriented during the hike, he said.