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Police arrest paraplegic in shooting

By MICHAEL A. MOHAMMED
Published October 4, 2006

TAMPA - Benjamin Rayburn, 31, is a paraplegic who uses a wheelchair. A habitual traffic offender, he's not supposed to drive in Florida.

Police say that didn't stop him from shooting a man in a Rocky Point hotel room early Tuesday morning and then driving off in a van.

Rayburn, who listed a Las Vegas address but also has lived in the bay area, had rented a room with his girlfriend at the Sailport Resort, police spokesman Larry McKinnon said.

Police did not release the woman's name.

The two had intended to spend a night out at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, she told authorities. But Rayburn disappeared early in the evening, and returned about 5 a.m. Tuesday morning to find her sleeping next to 23-year-old Nicholas Fernandez, she said.

She said that Rayburn argued with Fernandez.

When Fernandez tried to flee, Rayburn shot him in the back, the woman told police.

Tampa police said the wound did not appear life-threatening. Fernandez was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital.

Rayburn was believed to have fled the scene in a white Plymouth minivan.

The shooting victim gave police a different account of what happened, McKinnon said.

Fernandez told officers that he arrived at Rayburn's room early Monday evening and was invited inside. He said Rayburn and his girlfriend had been smoking crack cocaine and got paranoid. He said they held him at gunpoint all night, demanding that he admit he was a police informant.

Police found a used crack pipe in the room.

About 11 a.m. Tuesday, Rayburn entered the West Shore pharmacy at 3206 S West Shore Blvd. and asked manager Joy Baker for medical help. Baker said Rayburn's sock-clad feet were badly cut up. It was unclear why.

Baker called police and gave the phone to Rayburn. She heard him say he had shot a man. Police arrested him and brought him first to Tampa General Hospital and then to jail, where he was charged with false imprisonment and aggravated battery with a firearm.

[Last modified October 4, 2006, 00:01:11]