His Web site helped authorities arrest a suspect in his brother-in-law's death. Now he wants to find a Seminole woman's killers in another hit-and-run.
By RODNEY THRASH
Published May 17, 2004
TAMPA - Rolando Pozo doesn't need to be convinced that miracles happen.
Within three days of creating a Web site (www.bringcarlosgiddingstojustice.com) to find his brother-in-law's killer, Pozo had an address and authorities were taking a suspect - Carlos Giddings - to the Orient Road Jail.
Since then, Pozo has been swamped with requests for interviews from television networks. Hundreds of people from around the world, many of whom also lost relatives in traffic accidents, e-mailed or called. All the while, his mind was on another hit-and-run victim: Sarah Landry.
Landry is the 21-year-old Seminole woman struck and killed by two vehicles as she crossed Seminole Boulevard on April 18. One vehicle knocked her to the pavement. Another ran over her. Both vehicles drove off.
It was the day after Giddings' arrest that Pozo typed in the phrase "hit-and-run Tampa," and the story of Landry's death appeared on the computer.Pozo never met Landry. He can't even recall hearing about the hit-and-run on the news. But something about her story compelled him to act. Perhaps it was the fact that not one, but two cars hit Landry and left her to die. Maybe it was the fuzzy photograph. Whatever it was, Pozo is on a crusade to help find the drivers who killed Landry. A link, "Help Find Sarah Landrys Killers," now appears on his Web site.
"I just felt compelled to do it," he said. "I don't know why. . . . It's not like there's a plan going on here. It seems like I'm not in control."
Today, Pozo will appear on the Fox network. He'll talk about his brother-in-law, James Burton, and Landry. He said he hopes the "long shot" that led authorities to Giddings will also bring closure for Landry's family.
"I can't do any more for Jim other than keep his memory alive," Pozo said. "If I can help somebody else, maybe we'll get lucky and have another miracle. You never know."
Meanwhile, Giddings has been scheduled to appear in Hillsborough County court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"I'm a firm believer that people can make a difference," Pozo said. "Anything you can do is certainly better than nothing at all.
"My situation was the longest of long shots, and we hit the nail right on the head."
