Digest

Paramedic is charged with domestic battery

By TIMES STAFF
Published June 24, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY

A Hillsborough County Fire Rescue paramedic was arrested on a charge of domestic battery Friday night, authorities say, accused of repeatedly kicking and punching her boyfriend and father of her 1-year-old son.

Dawn Richelle Mewborn, 33, of 3408 Vorden St. in New Port Richey, was in the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes on Saturday, held without bond.

The victim was shoved to the ground and kicked in the head at one point, according to a Pasco sheriff's report, left unable to see out of his left eye. He was not identified by the Sheriff's Office.

The incident took place about 10:05 p.m., the report said. The victim said his girlfriend battered him at Bourbon Street Night Club at 4331 U.S. 19, where she knocked him down and kicked him in the head.

She continued to assault him at a Taco Bell across the street, the report said, and three witnesses said the victim did not attempt to defend himself.

The victim tried to get Mewborn into a car to leave before deputies arrived, the report said, but witnesses said she just kept hitting him.

The report said Mewborn was taken to Community Hospital for stitches before being taken to jail.

DADE CITY

Making officer swerve gets man DUI charges

Pasco sheriff's deputies found five drivers whom they arrested on charges of DUI late Friday and early Saturday.

Nestor Hernandez may have been the easiest to find: He's accused of forcing a deputy off the road.

Hernandez, 28, of 9414 N 50th St. in Tampa, was arrested on charges of DUI and driving without a valid driver's license in the incident at 10:07 p.m. Friday.

He was driving his green 1992 Honda Accord the wrong way on State Road 52, according to a sheriff's report, when he forced a deputy to swerve off the road.

At the jail, Hernandez said he drank one beer. But deputies said in their report that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy and that he swayed while standing and did poorly on field sobriety tests.

He also had a 0.133 blood-alcohol level, the report said. Florida law presumes a driver is impaired at 0.08.

ZEPHYRHILLS

Girlfriend, 41, accused of kitchen knife attack

A 41-year-old woman went after her boyfriend with a kitchen knife in each hand, authorities say, and was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault.

Vera Kay Root, of 39717 Meadowood Loop, was booked into the Pasco County jail, where she remained Saturday in lieu of $10, 000 bail.

According to a Pasco sheriff's report, Root and her boyfriend were arguing Thursday about 9 p.m. The boyfriend went into the kitchen to talk to her, the report said, but she attempted to stab him with the knives. The report did not identify the victim.

The report said the victim wrestled Root to the ground, and she let go of the knives. The victim then locked her out of the house and called 911.

[Last modified June 24, 2007, 07:18:30]