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Jogger fights gator, pulls his puppy from its jaws

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 30, 2006

Michael Rubin took Jasmine, a 6-month-old golden retriever, and his border collie named Frisbee for a run near a construction site. The puppy ran ahead to the edge of a pond.

Rubin heard the dog cry. He went to check on her and saw the puppy's head inside an alligator's mouth. Rubin jumped in the water and started beating the gator with his fist.

The reptile refused to let go and started rolling in the water with the dog still in its mouth. Rubin estimated the gator was about 7 feet long.

"I thought she was dead," Rubin said. "But at that point I wasn't going to let him have my dog."

He eventually pried Jasmine loose and rushed her to an animal hospital, where she was treated for cuts and puncture wounds. The puppy is in good condition, Rubin said.

Search called off for girl pulled off raft by current

PANAMA CITY BEACH - The Coast Guard called off a search Monday for a missing 3-year-old Georgia girl who was caught by a strong current while swimming.

The girl was floating on a raft Sunday with an 18-year-old family friend in a shallow swimming area at St. Andrews State Park when a rough current flipped the raft and pulled both girls into the channel, Petty Officer Shawn McGivern said.

"(The older girl) was recovered by a good Samaritan, but they were unable to locate the child," McGivern said.

The 3-year-old girl's name was not released. Officials said she was from Morrow, Ga.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Navy divers and three helicopters joined the Coast Guard in the search, which extended as far as 11 miles out, before officials called it off around 1:30 p.m.

Man dies in violence at packed Miami nightclub

MIAMI - A man was fatally stabbed, another was shot and a third was trampled as revelers fled a fight at a packed downtown nightclub early on Memorial Day.

The three Miami men were brought to Jackson Memorial Hospital after police received reports of gunshots at the Metropolis nightclub shortly before 4 a.m., Miami police spokesman Delrish Moss said. Roger Hall, 22, died from stab wounds.

Another man was shot in a thigh and was in good condition after surgery. The third was only bruised and scraped when trampled as patrons tried to flee the club after the shots were fired, Moss said.

Police as yet had no suspects. They estimated more than 1,100 people were at the club.

The violence occurred during Urban Beach Week, which typically draws thousands of fans of hip-hop music and culture to South Florida and Miami Beach in particular over the Memorial Day weekend.

Police arrested 856 people from Thursday to Monday morning, compared with 571 for the entire weekend last year, Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said. Most arrests were for misdemeanors.

Donations for disabled vets stolen from WWII veteran

BOCA RATON - A thief stole a jug of donations from a World War II veteran who was collecting money for disabled veterans.

Alfred Ricco had been standing outside a Wal-Mart on Saturday for about two hours, selling plastic poppies, when a man in his 20s asked him about the fundraiser.

Ricco said he told the man he was a member of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and the money would go to a veterans hospital. The man promised to donate on his way out - then snatched the jug and ran.

"He grabs the whole jar and took off, ... I tried chasing him. But I'm 80 years old," Ricco said.

The thief made off with about $1,000, Ricco said.

The VFW uses the money to buy supplies for disabled veterans not covered by the government, such as underwear and candy.

"It hurts us two ways. It hurts financially. But it really hurts that somebody would have the nerve to take away something that's going to be used solely for veterans," said VFW commander Barry Goldin. "It just seems like that's pretty low."

Boater, 13, arrested after 6-year-old snorkeler killed

KEY WEST - A 13-year-old boater was arrested Monday after allegedly speeding away from a fatal collision with a 6-year-old snorkeler, authorities said.

The boy was snorkeling off Key West with his father and a sibling next to their 22-foot motorboat when he was struck, Lt. Steve Acton of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. The victim's name was not released.

An 18-foot skiff first sped over the boy, then crashed into his father's vessel, causing it to sink. The driver paused momentarily before taking off, Acton said.

Authorities found the skiff tied to a dock and arrested the 13-year-old. He will be charged with failing to report the accident and failure to remain on scene and may face vessel homicide charges, Acton said.

"It was obvious from what witnesses said that he knew he had run over a boat," Acton said. "It's possible he may not have known that he had run over the boy, but he should have stopped and checked."

Another teen aboard the skiff was injured in the wreck, authorities said. He checked into Lower Keys Medical Center, where the staff alerted investigators, Acton said.

Woman and 2-year-old survive lightning strike

DEBARY - A woman and her child are recovering after they were apparently struck by lightning during a fast-moving thunderstorm, authorities said.

Terri Hoag, 37, was in fair condition at a hospital north of Orlando. Her 2-year-old son, Logan, was not seriously injured.

Hoag was carrying her son home from a neighbor's house as the storm moved into her neighborhood. Neighbors saw a bright flash Friday and found Hoag crumpled on top of her son. She was not breathing.

Several residents resuscitated Hoag, and rescue crews took her and Logan to a hospital. Logan was released later that night.

Hoag's injuries are not life-threatening, her family said.

- TIMES WIRES

[Last modified May 30, 2006, 05:09:17]