The loss of their truck has disrupted their livelihood and has made them feel unsafe.
By MYDRIA CLARK
Published June 1, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG - While Danny and Brenda Bannon were sleeping, their prized green and silver Dodge pickup truck went for a joyride. At 3:30 a.m., a deputy knocked on their door to tell them the details.
Earlier that night, police said, three young men had stolen the 1998 Dodge from in front of their home at 2400 15th Ave. N. After a high speed chase, the truck crashed and flipped, leaving one suspect in intensive care, one with a dog bite and another with minor injuries.
The Bannons changed out of their pajamas, bundled into their van and drove down Interstate 275 to the Gandy Boulevard exit ramp - the scene of the accident. It was blocked off. The police let the Bannons venture as far as the police tape.
"They recommended that we didn't go out there, but we did," said Mrs. Bannon, 48.
"All it took was one look at the truck and then came the tears," she said, fighting them back one more time as she recounted the moment.
The truck was totaled. The front windshield was smashed in. The bumper was coming off and the hood was crunched. All that was left was a handheld vacuum, a car seat cover, an umbrella and a jack. The rest of the Bannons' possessions, including a toolbox, a compact disc player and $100 in loose change, were stolen.
Both Bannon, 58, and his wife receive disability, and they live on $1,300 each month. They bought the truck, used, six months ago. Bannon paid $11,000 for it, and he recently repaired the air conditioning and put on new tires. According to the Kelley Blue Book, the car is worth a little under $7,000, but Bannon guesses the insurance company may give him less, even though he has full-coverage automobile insurance.
Losing a truck is a major hardship, and the Bannons want the thieves to know how their actions hurt others.
"Believe it or not, it changes your life," Mrs. Bannon said. She complained that having only one car has prevented her from making her weekly trip to the flea market, where she sells fabric to make extra money.
More important, the loss of their truck has made the Bannons feel unsafe. The Bannons have lived in their home since 1988, but in the past few years, they said they've noticed a rise in crime. Two years ago, Mrs. Bannon's previous car, a Dodge Shadow, was broken into. Bannon has also had a few bicycles stolen from the front of his home.
The Police Department reports that car thefts are down. An annual figure is not yet available, but the number of car thefts for March has gone down 28 percent, from 210 in 2002 to 151 this year. The number of car thefts for April has also decreased by 21 percent, from 200 in 2002 to 157 this year.
The police say the Bannons' truck was not the only car the three young men had stolen that night. They had been stealing cars in different towns, Sheriff's Office spokesman Detective Tim Goodman said.
The driver, Jeremiah A. Johnson, 18, of 2401 22nd Ave. S, was charged with driving without a valid driver's license, fleeing and eluding arrest, burglary of a vehicle, possession of burglary tools, grand theft auto and aggravated assault. Johnson has a history of car theft. He is being held at the Pinellas County Jail and is going to court on Tuesday for a bail reduction hearing.
Darrell D. Williams, 16, of 715 29th Ave. S was charged with burglary of a vehicle. Williams was taken to the intensive care unit at Bayfront Medical Center, where he is currently in stable condition.
Marquel Clarkson, 16, of 1510 21st Ave. S was charged with burglary of a vehicle, possession of burglary tools and resisting arrest without violence. Officials say Clarkson ran from the police and was bitten by Titan, a sheriff's dog. After being treated for the dog bite, he was sent to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center. It is unknown if he was released to his parents.
The Bannons plan to attend Johnson's bail reduction hearing on Tuesday. The couple have mixed feelings about how to react to the suspects. Bannon feels that the parents should have been watching their children more carefully. However, Mrs. Bannon believes the suspects should be responsible for their own actions.
