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A little levity among potential jurors; police dog makes visit memorable

By COLLEEN JENKINS and ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published August 3, 2006

Leave it to a wise guy for bringing comic relief to the often monotonous process of jury selection.

Potential jurors for the Lawrence Storer manslaughter trial this week were asked to introduce themselves: Name, marital status, kids, work, etc.

Robert Sundstrom, sitting in the back, broke the mold.

"I'm happily divorced," he said, then added tongue in cheek, "And I enjoy gardening and pottery."

The next guy over went for a more subtle explanation to describe his apparently recent re-entry into singledom. "Did you notice he said 'just single,' " prosecutor Jalal Harb teased Sundstrom.

Sundstrom glanced quickly at his neighbor. "He's not my type anyway," he said, straight-faced.

Everyone laughed. Harb looked slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean it that way," he said. 

When Jose L. Pacheco, 18, randomly chose Dolores and Frank Salabarria's home as a place to hide from men who had slain his roommate, he accidentally got the couple into some stinky business.

As part of the investigation, police brought a trained dog into the Salabarria home. Apparently, the dog really had to go potty.

He chose Mrs. Salabarria's blue-and-white dining room rug.

First, she covered it up with towels, trying to mop it away. But the unpleasant aroma got to her.

"I had the Stanley Steemer come and clean it because I wasn't going to be with that smell all day," she said.

Sometimes, accidents happen, said police spokesman Larry McKinnon.

Police officers carry city claims forms with them, he said, and Mrs. Salabarria can file a claim to have her fouled rug cleaned, he said. 

As a Hillsborough sheriff's deputy, Jasen Pask learned the best way to find out what's really going on in a community is to spend time with people.

Those same skills helped Pask when he went to Afghanistan with the National Guard.

There, Pask spent his days gathering information, trying to ensure the Afghan people live in freedom and peace.

For his efforts, he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Pask spent a year in Afghanistan, serving as a sergeant 1st class with the 53rd Infantry Brigade, based out of Pinellas Park.

"I think what we did, as a whole, was great," he said.

Pask is thrilled to be home, he said. He and his wife of eight years, Kera Pask, have a 5-year-old son, Jaden, and are expecting another son in November.

Times staff writer Carrie Weimar contributed to this report. Got a tip? For cops news, contact Abbie VanSickle at vansickle@sptimes.com or 813 226-3373. For courts news, contact Colleen Jenkins at cjenkins@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3337.

[Last modified August 3, 2006, 08:00:31]