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Briefs

Two teens arrested in car theft, chase

By Times Staff
Published December 20, 2005

Two teenagers accused of leading Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies on a chase were arrested Monday morning after the car they were driving crashed into a ditch.

Robert L. Coder and Robert J. Wilson, both 15, were spotted while driving a stolen 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche south on Interstate 275. Using Global Positioning System technology, deputies tracked the Avalanche and intercepted it at Busch Boulevard, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Wilson turned the Avalanche into a parking lot at 9309 N Florida Ave., where he traded places with Coder, deputies said. Coder, of 622 Lake Susan Road in Hawthorne, led deputies on a 21/2-mile chase until he crashed the Avalanche into a ditch at N Oregon Avenue and W Perdiz Street. Both ran from the Avalanche but were caught quickly, Carter said.

Deputies say the Avalanche was stolen in Putnam County during a burglary. The teens were taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center after the 7:25 a.m. arrest and face charges of grand theft, fleeing and eluding police and driving without a license. Wilson, of 147 Darby Drive in Hollister, was charged with resisting arrest.

Tampa man, 19, suffers serious injuries in wreck

TAMPA - A man suffered serious brain injuries Sunday when the sports utility vehicle he was riding in slid into a Tampa Electric Co. pole on N Rome Avenue, police said.

Joel Ferrer, 19, of 4426 Leto Lakes Blvd. was taken to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and remained in critical condition Monday, a hospital spokesman said. He was a passenger in a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo driven by Wilbert Rodriguez of 10040 Oasis Palm Drive. Rodriguez, 20, had tried to pass another vehicle on wet roads in a no-passing zone. He lost control and hit the pole and then a tree, police said.

Speed and weather conditions contributed to the accident, police said. Rodriguez was charged with reckless driving with serious injury. Neither man was wearing a seat belt.

Wimauma man, 28, still in critical condition

RUSKIN - A 28-year-old man remained in critical condition Monday after being thrown from his vehicle Saturday, a hospital spokesman said.

Jonathan Odessa Richards of 2120 Seventh St. in Wimauma was near Bill Tucker Road and West Lake Drive about 3:20 a.m. Saturday when his truck hit a tree, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

Richards was eastbound on Bill Tucker Road when he tried to slow down and lost control of his truck, deputies said.

The vehicle began to spin clockwise and then slid off the roadway and hit two trees. Richards was thrown from the truck and later flown to Tampa General Hospital.

[Last modified December 20, 2005, 01:49:07]