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Intruder shoots woman, takes nothing, leaves

By TIMES WIRES
Published February 6, 2007

One man broke through a side door of Ruth Cooper's Childs Park home early Monday and shot her in the leg with a semiautomatic handgun before fleeing, police said. Cooper, a 53-year-old teacher's assistant at Tyrone Middle School, was taken to Bayfront Medical Center and treated for a gunshot wound to her left thigh. St. Petersburg police spokesman George Kajtsa said the bullet went completely through Cooper's leg. He said the intruder broke through a side door to Cooper's home at 3558 Second Ave. S about 2:50 a.m. Monday, getting through the door's dead bolt and side latch. The break-in triggered a security alarm, which summoned police. When police arrived, they discovered an injured Cooper but no intruder. "They didn't take anything," Kajtsa said. "Nothing had been rummaged through." The family said "they have no idea who did this or why." Cooper could not be reached for comment.

Shot fired from vehicle hits man in shoulder

Tarpon Springs police are investigating a drive-by shooting that left one person injured Monday night. Police said John Murray, 47, was standing near the street in the 500 block of E Lime Street around 8:45 p.m. Monday when he was approached by an automobile. Someone from the vehicle fired a shot at him, police said. It is unclear what triggered the shooting, but Sgt. Al MacKenzie said the incident was likely not a random act. Murray was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his back left shoulder, police said. He was expected to live.

Man charged with DUI after rear-ending pickup

A man was arrested and accused of driving under the influence Sunday night after a collision at State Road 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Charles Francois Bauer, 40, of Wesley Chapel faces a charge of DUI with personal injury. According to the Highway Patrol, his 2003 Isuzu pickup rear-ended another pickup about 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Two breath tests yielded blood-alcohol readings of 0.132 and 0.138. Florida law presumes impairment at 0.08. The passengers in the other pickup, Gregory Crawford, 24, and Kara Crawford, 23, both of 7643 Stoney Hill Drive, Wesley Chapel, were not injured. Bauer, who has a Wesley Chapel address, was released Monday from the county jail in Land O'Lakes after posting $500 bail.

Child found in pool is flown to hospital

A Palm Harbor child was seriously injured after he was found floating facedown in a swimming pool at about 5:30 p.m. Monday. Jami Wuchter, the mother of 16-month-old Jordan Bruck, told police she was with a visiting neighbor at her home, 2256 Hill Road, when they noticed an open screen door leading to an enclosed pool area. Shortly afterward, they discovered Jordan floating in the pool. The child was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor and airlifted to St. Petersburg's All Children's Hospital. Detectives with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office crime against children unit are investigating.

[Last modified February 6, 2007, 00:39:03]