Pasco: Taking fliers leads to scolding

Taking fliers leads to scolding

Pulling controversial fliers from parked cars was wrong, a supervisor tells a lieutenant and a deputy.

By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET, Times Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Don't do it again.

That was the lesson for a lieutenant and a sheriff's deputy involved in removing controversial fliers Tuesday from cars parked outside the Kash n' Karry on Gall Boulevard.

After reviewing the incident, a supervisor gave an oral warning of sorts to Lt. Joe Frontz and Deputy Jim Kelly, telling both men their actions that day were inappropriate, said Pasco County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jon Powers.

"They both have been told that their reaction was understandable but not acceptable," Powers said Friday.

A written summary of the incident will be included in Frontz's performance file, but not in Kelly's.

"Kelly was just following his lieutenant's orders," Powers said.

The fliers, which appeared Tuesday morning on cars outside two Zephyrhills grocery stores, said a sheriff's deputy had "murdered" Sharleen "Sally" Jones in a May 22 shooting at Dan's Fine Jewelry.

Jones' father, Larry Hayner, circulated the fliers with the hope of prompting a new inquiry into his 39-year-old daughter's death.

Although Deputy Erica Fernandez has been cleared in the shooting -- authorities say she fired in self-defense as Jones raised a gun toward her -- the flier's accusations touched a nerve.

Several residents called the Sheriff's Office to complain about the flier, Powers said.

Word of the fliers reached Frontz, the shift lieutenant, who heard an exaggerated description that "made (the flier) sound worse than it was," Powers said. Frontz ordered the patrol deputy in the area, Kelly, to remove the fliers from the cars outside Kash n' Karry.

Kelly collected about 15 or 20 fliers before a supervisor, Capt. Pete Petrosky, heard about it and told him to stop, Powers said.

Petrosky told both men that day their actions were inappropriate, Powers said. He further "counseled" Kelly on Thursday and Frontz on Friday, Powers said.

"Both of them fully realize that their actions were unacceptable," Powers said.

-- Bridget Hall Grumet covers crime in east Pasco. She can be reached at (352) 521-5757, ext. 23, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6108, then 23. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com .