Couple surrenders, ending armed standoff peacefully

By DEMORRIS LEE
Published May 7, 2005

TAMPA - A gun-wielding disabled man and his girlfriend were arrested Friday after holding police at bay from their home for more than hour. The standoff forced Tampa police to evacuate two streets and lock down a neighboring school.

David Harrington, 61, and his live-in girlfriend, Gloria Ranae Allen, 42, surrendered peacefully about noon, said Laura McElroy, a police spokeswoman.

"We were negotiating with him and the girlfriend came to the door with her hands up," McElroy said. "He came behind her to the door in his wheelchair and was arrested."

Police were called to 3403 Caracas St. after another man living there called and said Harrington had threatened him with a gun.

"He said he was going to kill me and my son and went and got his 9 millimeter," said George Makas, who had been rooming with Harrington for a few months. "I heard him cock the gun, so I told my son to get out, and I ran across the street and called the police."

Makas said Harrington was upset because on Thursday night, he called Allen a "drunk lush."

"He agreed with me last night, but they kept drinking vodka, and the next thing you know, he's getting his gun," Makas, 46, said.

According to Makas, Harrington broke his hip trying to stand on a piano stool.

"They drink two 1.7 liters of vodka a day," Makas said. "And Harrington uses just a little cranberry juice with it."

Tampa police arrived with their SWAT and hostage negotiating teams. They evacuated homes along Caracas and Ellicott streets and didn't allow any traffic in or out of St. Lawrence Catholic School on Himes Avenue for about an hour.

McElroy said Harrington and Allen were "very intoxicated" when they surrendered Friday.

Allen was charged with resisting arrest without violence, and served with previous warrants of driving with a revoked license and leaving the scene of a crash.

Demorris Lee can be reached at 813 269-5312 or dalee@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 7, 2005, 01:01:10]