Police reports

Deputies seek teens in assault case

WESLEY CHAPEL -- Two teenagers threw punches and a partly full beer bottle Sunday afternoon at a man who confronted one of them for cutting through his yard.

Kenneth W. Powell, 34, of 6429 Woodsman Drive told deputies he stopped a teenage boy who climbed his back fence about 4 p.m. to cut to Mangrove Drive. After exchanging words, the teen punched Powell, and Powell escorted the boy back to the road, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.

The teen returned at Powell's back fence 10 minutes later with three friends, the report said. The teen punched Powell in the forehead again, and Powell sat on him until he agreed to calm down, the report said.

When the teen got up, he hurled a beer bottle at Powell, who ducked. The bottle hit Powell's 10-year-old son in the chest but did not injure him, the report said.

Powell started to walk away, but a second boy jumped the fence and tackled him from behind, the report said. The boy punched, kicked and scratched him several times until Powell gained control of the struggle, the report said. Then Powell let the teen go.

All four boys were about 15 to 17 years old, the report said. Deputies searched the neighborhood but did not find them. Anyone with information may call the Pasco County Sheriff's Office at toll-free 1-800-854-2862.

3 sought in robbery of laborer

DADE CITY -- Authorities are looking for three men who robbed a 43-year-old laborer Sunday morning.

Juan Sanchez Delgado was sitting on the curb outside SAA Beauty Supply at 37330 Lock St., according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report. A woman walked up with three men about 9:10 a.m. and offered Delgado an alcoholic drink, which he declined, the report said.

Two of the men grabbed Delgado and picked him up from the curb, the report said. The third man punched him in the face several times, while one of the men holding Delgado removed his wallet, the report said.

Deputies later found Delgado's blue vinyl wallet, but his driver's license, Social Security card, immigration card and $250 were missing, the report said.

The person who punched Delgado was a 6-foot-1 black man with an afro, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans, the report said. The person who took his wallet was a 5-foot-2, 100-pound black man with short dreadlocks, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans shorts, the report said.

The third man was a 5-foot-8, 270-pound black man with a crew cut, wearing a green shirt and Levi's pants. The white woman who accompanied them was 5-foot-6, 175 pounds, with blond hair, wearing black pants and a green T-shirt. Anyone with information is asked to call the Pasco County Sheriff's Office at toll-free 1-800-854-2862.

Man accused of attacking woman

TRILBY -- A 35-year-old man was arrested Sunday afternoon after witnesses said he attacked a pregnant woman.

Clay Wideman of 20513 Trilby Cutoff Road was having an argument about 2 p.m. with a 61/2-month pregnant woman, according to a report from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office withheld the names of the pregnant woman and another witness. According to their accounts, Wideman punched and kicked the pregnant woman.

Wideman then picked up a piece of broken glass and swung it at the woman, saying, "I am going to cut that baby out of you," the report said.

When the witness stepped in to protect the pregnant woman, Wideman punched him, the report said.

Wideman faces charges of aggravated battery on a pregnant person and aggravated assault. He remains at the county jail in Land O'Lakes in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Garage fire under investigation

DADE CITY -- The state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating a fire Saturday that damaged a detached two-car garage on the northeast end of town.

The fire was reported about 1:44 p.m. at the garage adjoining Steven Collura's home at 38719 River Road. Dade City Fire Rescue responders had to force their way through a locked fence to get to the blaze, Capt. Joey Wubbena said.

The fire caused about $40,000 in damage to the garage and the lumber, paints and other home remodeling materials stored inside, Wubbena said. There were no cars in the garage, and the fire did not spread to Collura's home, he said.

Illegal burn scorches yards

DADE CITY -- Fanned by strong winds Saturday morning, an illegal burn turned into a brush fire that singed several neighbors' yards but left their homes untouched.

It started at 36442 Audrey Lane, where Alan Struble was burning yard waste without a permit, Dade City Fire Rescue Capt. Joey Wubbena said. The flames quickly spread to four other properties in this rural neighborhood west of town, he said.

"Nobody got burned or hurt," Wubbena said. "It just scared a lot of people because that wind Saturday was blowing pretty good."

Firefighters were called about 11:30 a.m., and the blaze was extinguished by 2 p.m., Wubbena said. Struble was not cited for the illegal burn because the damage was minor, he said.

Man faces counterfeiting charge

DADE CITY -- A Gibsonton man was arrested Sunday afternoon at the Pasco County Fair after a booth worker told deputies he received a counterfeit $20 bill.

Joseph Michael Darst, 21, of 11326 Spivey Lane in Gibsonton initially told deputies he got the $20 bill from an ATM, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report. Later he said the bill and another $20 in his wallet were "gag gifts" from a friend, the report said.

Both bills had the same serial number, and neither had the water mark or security strip found in genuine currency, the report said. Darst faces a charge of counterfeiting and remains at the county jail in Land O'Lakes in lieu of $5,000 bail.

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