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Deputies say man shot looking for mother's car

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 25, 2006

DADE CITY - The 19-year-old thought he saw his mother's car, which was reported stolen Friday morning. But when he confronted the two men inside they shot him in the arm, authorities say.

Now the Pasco County Sheriff's Office is looking for the two men and the stolen black Lincoln LS.

"Anyone who has information on this, given the violence that occurred, should not approach the vehicle or the individuals," said sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin, "but should contact the Sheriff's Office immediately."

The shooting took place at 5:02 p.m. at Lock and 17th streets. The victim, shot once in the left arm, was flown to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Tobin said. He was not identified by the Sheriff's Office.

The victim saw the car and approached it, Tobin said. "The victim said, "This looks like my mom's car,' " Tobin said. "That's when they shot several times."

The Lincoln was last seen northbound on 17th. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Sheriff's Office Crime Tips Line toll free at 1-800-706-2488.

DADE CITY - Year eight of Thomas Wayne Patterson's quest for a new trial began in Circuit Judge Linda Babb's courtroom Friday. Patterson, 37, is serving a life sentence for the 1997 drug-related shooting death of James "Mechanic" Dunn, 38.

The last appellate issue left in the case is whether Patterson's lawyer represented him effectively. Was Patterson's former lawyer, Michael Tewell, wrong not to call a witness the defendant's new lawyer said could have affected the jury's decision back in 1998?

Lawyer Scott McCluskey then called that witness, Richard Spriggs, to the stand Friday. Spriggs implicated the state's key witness in the original trial, David "Boomer" Long, in Dunn's death. Spriggs testified that Long and Dunn were feuding at the time over drug debts, that he saw Long with a firearm and that when he asked Long if he killed Dunn, the man just walked away from him.

"I think a judge should let the jury decide the credibility of this witness," McCluskey said. Assistant State Attorney Phil Van Allen said Tewell could have called Spriggs during the first trial but chose not to for tactical reasons. Spriggs' statements would have been inadmissible in the first trial, the prosecutor said, and added that there was more evidence against Patterson than just Long's testimony.

Long testified in 1998 that he saw Patterson with the same caliber weapon that killed Dunn, accompanied Patterson to an argument with Dunn, then heard gunshots.

The judge said she would issue a ruling later.

[Last modified March 25, 2006, 01:51:17]