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Tampa police to decide fate of arrested officer Wednesday

By Times Staff
Published March 8, 2005

TAMPA - Tampa police administrators will wait until Wednesday to decide on disciplinary action for an officer arrested last week amid allegations he molested two 9-year-old girls in Pinellas County.

"By then we should have all the facts, and staff will have had time to review the case," Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin said Monday.

Pinellas County sheriff's investigators Friday arrested Ernesto F. Hedges, 49, on two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation. He posted $50,000 bail, Durkin said.

Hedges was not at work Monday and won't work for the next couple of days.

Tarpon Springs officer

apparently kills herself

PALM HARBOR - A Tarpon Springs police officer apparently committed suicide Sunday, authorities said.

Authorities received a call from Tarpon Springs police Officer John Spatz about 9:05 p.m. Sunday asking them to check on his former girlfriend and fellow officer, Michelle R. Hayward, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies found Hayward, 26, in her apartment at 2350 Cypress Pond Road in Palm Harbor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, sheriff's Sgt. Tim Goodman said.

ST. PETERSBURG - A Seminole man remained hospitalized Monday after he was involved in a fight at Eckerd College over the weekend.

At 12:55 a.m. Sunday, Christopher A. Nuzzo, 29, was walking across campus when he apparently bumped someone, St. Petersburg police said.

Nuzzo allegedly grabbed the man by the throat, and someone punched Nuzzo in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head, said police spokesman George Kajtsa. Someone then threw a beer bottle at Nuzzo.

Nuzzo was in fair condition Monday at Bayfront Medical Center.

TAMPA - Tampa Museum of Art leaders say they have cleared a major hurdle in their quest to build a new museum.

The museum's lender, JPMorgan Chase, said Monday it would remove from its financing agreement a clause that would have required the city to guarantee repayment of the $37.8-million loan. The condition would have been a deal breaker because Mayor Pam Iorio has said she doesn't want taxpayers to bear any burden if the museum can't meet its financial obligations.

"It's been a very good day," said Cornelia Corbett, president of the museum's board. "We're all just really pleased. The bank is really working with us. It's a milestone. The taxpayers are protected." City and museum officials can now move forward with negotiations, Corbett said.

"We believe we are approaching the finish line," she said.

But city officials say there's still much work to be done.

[Last modified March 8, 2005, 16:52:55]