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Briefs

Patient can't remember who she is

By Times Staff
Published November 1, 2005

TAMPA - Police and hospital officials were looking for family and friends of a patient who doesn't remember who she is, where she lives or why she is in the hospital.

The woman - 5-foot-4, 115 pounds and 35 to 45 years old - was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 6 after she tried to cross Hillsborough Avenue near Lois Avenue and was struck by a car, according to hospital officials.

The woman is recovering well, but authorities hope a relative or friend can help identify her. She arrived in blue jeans and a T-shirt. A run of her fingerprints through a law enforcement database yielded no clues. Tampa police think she could have family or friends in the area.

Anyone with information was asked to call St. Joseph's Hospital social work office at (813) 870-4762.

Drug bust yields cocaine, cash

Hillsborough sheriff's investigators knew their monthlong undercover drug operation was a success when they searched air conditioning vents inside the home of a northwest Hillsborough man and found 11/2 kilos of cocaine worth $83,500 and nearly $40,000 in cash.

But it wasn't until they went inside the man's attic this past weekend that they found the mother lode: about $500,000 cash.

Detectives seized the money while searching the residence of Abraham Rolon, 41, on Saturday and Sunday, according to sheriff's officials.

The find came two days after Rolon and Jair Romero, 41, were arrested on charges of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. The arrests were part of an undercover drug bust at Waters Avenue and Hanley Road by sheriff's and Tampa police detectives.

Investigators had already searched Romero's home, at 7610 Pinery Way, Apt. D, after his arrest Thursday. That's when they found 1 ounce of cocaine. That day they also arrested Rolon, searched his home at 5001 Aberdeen Court, and found the cocaine and cash in his air conditioning vents, according to a sheriff's report.

Romero was held in the county jail in lieu of $450,000 bail. Rolon was held in lieu of $300,000 bail.

Man dies after car turns in front of him

TAMPA - A 41-year-old motorcyclist from Venice, Fla., died Sunday when he hit the back of a 2003 Toyota as the car's driver made a U-turn on State Road 60 in Brandon.

The Toyota driver, 37-year-old Adrian P. Young of Brandon, was not injured. His car caught fire and had about $8,000 in damage, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash happened at 8:46 p.m., as Brian L. Auger was driving a 2003 Yamaha motorcycle east on S.R. 60 west of Falkenburg Road. Young was driving west but made a U-turn in front of Auger, according to an FHP report. The front of the motorcycle hit the back of the Toyota and the impact sent Auger flying off the motorcycle. He wasn't wearing a helmet.

He died at the scene, the FHP said.

Charges have not been filed, but the crash is under investigation.

Guard's car stolen by robbery suspect

TAMPA - A parking lot guard who confronted a man trying to take a shopping cart full of stolen goods from Wal-Mart ended up a victim himself Saturday night, when the suspect took off with his company car.

Police say a man walked out of the Wal-Mart, 1505 N Dale Mabry Highway, at 11:10 p.m. with a cart containing more than $1,000 in merchandise. When the store manager demanded the suspect show a receipt for the goods, he fled into the parking lot.

That's when security guard Carlherbe Monfleury, 23, got out of his black, company-owned 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt. He ordered the suspect to stop. Instead, the man assaulted Monfleury and took off in the Cobalt, according to a police report.

Monfleury suffered minor injuries. The suspect is described as a tall black man in his 30s, bald with no facial hair and a large, muscular build. He wore dark jeans and a dirty white T-shirt, according to police.

[Last modified November 1, 2005, 12:31:59]