NEW PORT RICHEY - A 47-year-old man, registered as a sex offender because of a sexual assault in New Jersey, was arrested Wednesday after being accused of molesting a boy younger than 12 years old, police reported.
Thomas Aloysius Elwell was accused of putting his hands inside the boy's bathing suit while in a swimming pool last week and of telling the boy he wanted to touch his genitals and rub lotion and oil on him.
New Port Richey police detectives investigating the incident said that just before his arrest, Elwell had packed his belongings and was planning to move to New Jersey.
Elwell of 3909 Ford St. was being held in the county jail Thursday in lieu of $45,500 bail. He faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child under 12 and luring or enticing a child.
Woman arrested in theft from Dillard's
PORT RICHEY - A 22-year-old woman caught on a Dillard's surveillance camera last month was arrested Wednesday on charges of strong-arm robbery and grand theft.
Pasco sheriff's detectives say it is Cortney LeAnn Hall whose picture appeared in the Times last week. She had been caught on video shoving more than $400 worth of watches and another $45 in key chains into her jeans pockets, detectives said.
When accosted by Dillard's security on April 29, Hall ran out of the store, sheriff's reports said. She broke free of one manager and pushed several sales clerks on her way out of Gulf View Square mall to a waiting cab, reports said.
Once arrested, Hall admitted taking one watch from Dillard's, but denied pushing anyone, detectives reported.
Hall of 6645 Congress St. was being held in the county jail Thursday on more than $30,000 bail. In addition to strong-arm robbery and grand theft, she faces several previous charges, including violating probation, battery on a law enforcement officer and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Deputies: Chase ends in crash, man's arrest
HUDSON - A Port Richey man led deputies on a high-speed chase early Thursday that ended when he lost control and slid into a power pole near Omaha Street, the Sheriff's Office reported.
Deputies reported spotting an empty car parked near the corner of Ranch and Jason roads in Port Richey. Deputies ran the car's license tag and found it belonged to another car. As deputies watched, Daniel Eugene Gilman, 24, and Sonia Annette Melvin, 29, got into the car and began to leave with Gilman driving, Lt. Skip Stone reported.
When a deputy tried to pull the car over, Gilman fled, turning onto U.S. 19 and reaching speeds of more than 85 mph, Stone said.
In their eventual crash in Hudson, Gilman was injured and flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. He was arrested on charges of fleeing to elude, violating probation and cocaine possession for trace amounts deputies said were found in a vial in the car. Melvin was not charged.
Gilman of 7224 Wescott Drive was being held Thursday in the county jail in lieu of $35,000 bail.
The chase was the third in three days in west Pasco County. A Hudson man led deputies on a chase Monday evening that reached speeds of 80 mph and ended in his collision with a patrol car. Early Tuesday, a New Port Richey man led police there in a chase that reached 100 mph and ended with his crash into two parked cars.
Woman, 80, hurt when she is pushed to floor
HOLIDAY - A 19-year-old woman was arrested Wednesday, accused of pushing an 80-year-old woman and fracturing her hip.
Kimberly Lee, 19, was involved in an argument in her home Wednesday morning with the older woman, the Pasco Sheriff's Office reported. Lee's relationship to the woman was withheld.
Lee pushed the woman, causing her to fall to the floor, the report said. The woman was taken to Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, and doctors there said she had fractured her hip.
An emergency room nurse reported the incident.
Lee of 1129 Springtime Drive was released from the county jail Wednesday on $5,000 bail. She faces a charge of battery on a person 65 years old or older.
