Digest

Crime journal

By TIMES STAFF
Published July 28, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY

PARAMEDIC IS ACCUSED OF INJURING HER EX

A Hillsborough County Fire Rescue paramedic has been accused of domestic battery for the second time in a little over a month. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office arrested Dawn Mewborn, 33, early Friday and charged her with simple battery, a domestic crime. A sheriff's deputy, called to Mewborn's New Port Richey home, found James Pallace with several scratches and a small laceration on his eyelids and dried blood around his eye, according to an arrest affidavit. Pallace told the deputy that he was returning the couple's son to Mewborn's home when she grabbed him in the face, causing the scratches. Mewborn denied striking Pallace, who is her ex-boyfriend, the affidavit said. She said Pallace punched himself in the face several times, but the deputy said the wounds didn't appear to be caused by a punch.

CLEARWATER

Man accused of February murder

Months after appealing to a tight-lipped community for help, Clearwater police on Friday said they have solved the city's first homicide of 2007. Lloyd "Pooh" Neal, 18, of Largo was charged in the murder of Julian "Rat Rat" Kaigler, 25, who was gunned down on Valentine's Day in front of the Palmetto Park Apartments. Kaigler's murder is one of four open homicide cases in North Greenwood, a predominantly black neighborhood with a long history of law enforcement mistrust. On Friday, community leaders and police agreed the case is affirmation of a neighborhood moving in the right direction.

TAMPA

MacDill contractor faces porn charge

The FBI arrested a contract system administrator at MacDill Air Force Base on charges of child pornography possession this week. Julian Clawson, 24, of 14511 Midland Greens Place, Tampa, can get a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if he is convicted. The FBI arrested Clawson Wednesday in Tarpon Springs, according to a news release. Additional details were unavailable Friday evening.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Officers say man hit teen with golf club

A Pasco County man has been accused of hitting his teenage daughter with a golf club after she violated house rules. Richard Murphy of 6620 Ridgetop Drive in the Oak Ridge subdivision was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He is held without bail at the Land O'Lakes Jail. Murphy, a registered nurse, came home from work about 2 p.m. Thursday and found his daughter Katherine, 18, had friends over without permission. According to the report, Murphy said he was defending himself from his daughter, who threatened to hit him with a metal pole.

PALM HARBOR

High school vandals get probation

Two men who vandalized Palm Harbor University High School with racial slurs in May were sentenced to two years' probation and 200 hours of community service this week. Colin Morrison, 20, and David Fishman, 18, pleaded no contest to charges of criminal mischief at Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court. The two spray-painted graffiti on nine portable classrooms the morning before the prom.

[Last modified July 27, 2007, 23:35:20]