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He ran from the law, but the law had help

A defendant dashes from a courtroom, but a retiree tackles him.

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS
Published March 22, 2006

TAMPA - Antonio Lamar Brown found himself facing a possible 15-year sentence after a jury convicted him of robbery in Hillsborough Circuit Court early Tuesday afternoon. He also found himself in the courtroom with just one guard.

So he ran - out of Judge William Fuente's courtroom, down the hall, out the door and across the street.

Dozens of Hillsborough sheriff's deputies chased after him, charging past the shiny brown loafers the former fry cook left behind in the hallway.

Frank Valero, an 84-year-old World War II veteran, saw him coming and knew something wasn't right, even though Brown was wearing street clothes. He saw deputies running after Brown and tried to grab him.

Valero toppled over in the scuffle, and Brown headed down the street.

About this time, John Patrick Martin happened to be driving toward the courthouse. He said Brown came running toward him on Jefferson Street, a swarm of deputies trailing.

His wife warned him not to, but he jumped out of his red Dodge pickup truck and tackled Brown. Then, the deputies took over.

Brown, 27, now faces a charge of escape from confinement.

"Tried to give him 15 years," wailed a woman who had been at the trial, as friends helped her across the street and into a gold Acura Legend. "He should've ran to the g--d----- Bahamas."

At the scene, Martin, a 58-year-old retiree from Brooksville, sported a bloody hand and a smile.

"It was worth it," Martin said.

Sheriff's Lt. Terry Griffiths said escape attempts happen rarely at court. He commended Martin and Valero for their help in slowing Brown down.

Valero rubbed his sore shoulder.

Didn't he stop to think it could be dangerous to try to tackle a man one-third his age? Valero said there was no time to think.

"You don't think about that," Valero said. "You think about trying to do something right."

Alexandra Zayas can be reached at 813 226-3354 or azayas@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 22, 2006, 01:57:08]