Digest

Armless traffic scofflaw hospitalized

By TIMES STAFF
Published May 26, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY

At 13, Michael Francis Wiley lost two arms and his left leg in an electrical accident. As an adult, he taught himself to drive - and now at age 40 is one of Pasco County's most notorious traffic scofflaws. He's also supposed to be in jail. But Wiley's not there anymore. He didn't make Friday's court date, either. He's in an undisclosed hospital, suffering from an infection - and under 24-hour guard because he's in police custody. "We can say that it is a medical issue that he is being treated for that requires hospitalization, " said Pasco sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin, "and we do have a deputy with him 24 hours a day." Federal privacy laws prevent the agency from saying more about Wiley's condition. A judge ordered Wiley held without bond since his latest arrest May 9 for charges of fleeing to elude and habitually driving with a revoked license.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Charges added to sex abuse case

By the time the detective came looking for him Thursday morning, John Andrew Roth had already been accused of sexual battery on a 4-year-old girl. The charges piled on from there. According to his arrest report, Roth struck Detective John Connolly of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office in the chest and then shut the door of his house on Connolly's leg. Finally, Connolly found him in the bedroom and put him in cuffs. Roth, 31, of 3915 Tidewater Road, New Port Richey, was charged with capital sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting with violence. He was held without bail Friday at the Land O'Lakes jail.

[Last modified May 26, 2007, 07:14:42]