Digest

Patient accused of biting nurse in his armpit

By Times Staff
Published July 17, 2007

TAMPA - Salvadora Gonzalez, 51, wanted help late Sunday for stomach pain. So she went to the University Community Hospital emergency room, where a nurse declined to give her the help she wanted: painkillers. So she punched him in the face, Hillsborough sheriff's officials said. The male nurse took the 5-foot-6, 260-pound Gonzalez to the ground, which made it easier for Gonzalez to sink her teeth into his armpit. Sheriff's officials said that earned her a felony charge of battery on an emergency health care worker.

T-shirt firm's owner charged with arson

The Fire Marshal's Office charged a 44-year-old Tampa man with starting a fire early Monday at the building that houses his business. The blaze started just before 6 a.m. in a single-story strip mall at 4810 E Busch Blvd., authorities said. After fire crews extinguished the flames, investigators found evidence of arson. A witness reported seeing Naim Hamdan leave the building shortly before the fire broke out, authorities said. Hamdan of 6105 E 112th Ave. owns a T-shirt company based in the strip mall called Cottonet Inc., according to Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Bill Wade. After talking to another witness, inspectors arrested Hamdan about 10:30 a.m. Citing an ongoing investigation, Wade declined to reveal what the second witness said. Hamdan, who has no prior convictions in Florida, faces a felony charge of first-degree arson. The blaze caused about $100,000 in damage. Hamdan was being held without bond at the Orient Road Jail late Monday.

Police: Mom took kids to drug deal

Police arrested a 24-year-old mother Sunday after she brought her children along to a drug deal, authorities said. Misty Lynn Flowers of 9405 N 13th St. sold an undercover officer $100 worth of crack cocaine and drove away in her car, said Tampa police Capt. John Newman. Officers pulled her over minutes later and found 2-year-old twins and a 6-month-old in the car. Flowers' mother soon arrived to collect them. Flowers faces charges of child neglect, delivering cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church, cocaine possession and driving without a valid license. She is being held at the Orient Road Jail in lieu of $53,500 bond.

Man charged in 7-Eleven rampage

A 23-year-old Tampa man was arrested Monday after deputies said he robbed a 7-Eleven, beat two store clerks with brass knuckles, punched a customer, sideswiped an ambulance and crashed into a pole. Alex Yamil Ramos-Fierro, 23, of 4918 N Traskwood Court is charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. Ramos-Fierro was booked into the Orient Road Jail, with bail set at $40,000. The customer and clerks were treated for minor injuries. The store is at 7124 N Dale Mabry Highway.

[Last modified July 17, 2007, 00:13:00]