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Week in review

FATAL FIRE IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY: A 48-year-old man died Thursday in an early morning apartment fire that rousted residents from their beds and sent them fleeing for safety.

By Times Staff Writer
Published September 11, 2005

Hayden Clarke died from apparent smoke inhalation after being airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, according to a Hillsborough County sheriff's report.

Screams, alarms and fire engine sirens replaced the predawn quiet about 5:30 a.m. at Parker's Landing Apartment Homes, witnesses said.

The fire was contained in Clarke's second-floor apartment, 5330 Baywater Drive in Building 52, not spreading to the building's other 15 units.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue controlled the blaze within 15 minutes, according to fire department reports.

SWAMP LAND IN LIVE OAK: The School Board learned that it has purchased what is essentially a bunch of swampland for an $18.5-million middle school in the Live Oak neighborhood of New Tampa. The school, still unnamed, is to open next August. The school district bought land for the school in December 2004 from Live Oak School Park company for $1-million, but must spend an extra $554,000 filling in swampland and a "wetlands flooded area."

"How did we get into a situation where we're stuck with swampland?" School Board member Jennifer Faliero asked at the board's Tuesday meeting. Chief of staff Jim Hamilton said the district was not happy with the deal struck with the developer and that the developer's engineer and the school district's engineer butted heads about where to locate the school.

Superintendent MaryEllen Elia said the district has had similar difficulties before and thinks it will become more common as the school system's need for land for new schools continues.

KIDNAPPING ALLEGED IN TIMBERLANE: Based on a tip, police raided a Town 'N Country home Thursday and found a kidnapping suspect with his alleged victim, ending a two-day search that began when a gunman shot up a car and took off with the screaming woman inside. Willie James Pettermon, 36, was arrested on outstanding warrants and taken into custody before he could put up any resistance, Durkin said. His ex-girlfriend and alleged victim, Michelle Dashia White, 25, was found safe, although with a black eye, said Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin.

About 4 p.m. Thursday, Tampa police detectives, with the help of Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies, entered the home at 10202 Dove Meadow Court, Durkin said. Investigators found a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol under the bed in one of the rooms, he said. Police found White as she was walking out of one of the back rooms. The resident of the home, 35-year-old Antonio Hugee, also was taken into custody for questioning about what he knew about the alleged kidnapping, Durkin said.

[Last modified September 10, 2005, 09:32:05]