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A shower of bullets before dawn

A woman is arrested after a series of early morning shootings in which a home was peppered with bullets.

By DEMORRIS A. LEE
Published September 9, 2006

CLEARWATER - Christina Lodrini stood on her front porch Friday afternoon, thankful that a series of early morning shootings may be over.

Mounted just above her right shoulder on a window was a small surveillance camera. The camera, investigators say, helped them catch a woman who fired 18 rounds from a .357-caliber handgun at Lodrini's property.

"We are all safe, and that's the main thing," Lodrini said. "The kids are safe, and someone has been arrested. That's all I can say."

On Thursday, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office arrested Courtenay H. Savage, a former law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, and charged her with two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling and one count of resisting arrest.

Savage was taken to jail, where she was being held Friday night in lieu of $70,500 bail.

"We've been investigating shootings at the house for three months," sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jim Bordner said. "Early in the mornings, someone would fire rounds into the home and driveway."

Sheriff detectives said they used the videotape to identify Savage.

Savage, 31, worked as a reserve officer at the Tampa Police Department from 2000 until March 20, 2003, said police spokesman Larry McKinnon.

As a volunteer officer, Savage's duties would have included working at public events such as parades. She would not have been allowed to work without another officer present, McKinnon said.

In 1998, Savage worked as a detention deputy in Hillsborough County, Bordner said.

Savage told investigators she drove to Lodrini's home at 6301 144th Ave. N three times and shot at the house, authorities said Friday. The first shooting occurred July 10. Lodrini installed the camera after the second shooting on Aug. 9.

Savage is seen on the tape parking in front of Lodrini's home about 4 a.m. Thursday and walking onto the driveway, sheriff's officials said. Using a two-handed grip, Savage then fired six rounds from a handgun and drove away, officials said.

Authorities said five rounds struck the beige home, and one round hit a van parked nearby. There were two adults and six children in the home.

Lodrini took the tape to the Sheriff's Office, and detectives decided to arrest Savage. As the detectives approached Savage, Bordner said, she tried to get into her car and "detectives had to use a Taser to subdue her."

Savage and Lodrini owned an aroma therapy business together near Dunedin. Savage told police the dispute stemmed from the business. Lodrini refused to comment about the business.

Times staff writer Abbie Vansickle contributed to this story. Demorris A. Lee can be reached at 445-4174 or dalee@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 9, 2006, 06:17:44]