Crime journal

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 16, 2007

LARGO

Man arrested, another freed in robberies

Police on Thursday arrested a 42-year-old man in connection with a series of strong-armed robberies during the past week. Gregory Fernall Holley, who was described as transient, robbed a pharmacy, a convenience store, a grocery store and a bank between Nov. 9 and Tuesday, police said. Each time the robber implied he was armed but never displayed a weapon. Holley was arrested Thursday when officers found him riding a bicycle on the Pinellas Trail in the area of Taylor Park. He was still wearing clothing he wore during one of the robberies and was also covered in red dye from the bank dye pack explosion, police said. His arrest set another man free. Police had previously arrested Michael James Benjamin, 49, on robbery charges before determining Holley was involved, police said. The charges against Benjamin were dropped. The two men look alike, which confused several witnesses, police said.

ST. PETERSBURG

Deputy's car hit; DUI charge filed

A 21-year-old St. Petersburg man was arrested on DUI charges Thursday after smashing into a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy. Deputy Dean Lachance, 29, was driving west on 38th Avenue N about 2:15 a.m. when a Mercedes-Benz slammed into the passenger side of his cruiser at 71st Street. The Mercedes' driver, Omengboji Onu, ran a red light and hit the deputy's cruiser, sheriff's officials said. Neighbors said the impact sent the cruiser across the eastbound lanes of 38th Avenue N and into the yard of a nearby home. Both men were treated and released from Bayfront Medical Center. Onu, 1619 29th St. S, was charged with three counts of driving under the influence.

Police find suspect in fatal shooting

Soon after Jimmy Lee Adams was found in the street bleeding from a gunshot wound on Aug. 4, detectives had a good hunch who killed him. But they couldn't find any witnesses willing to talk. Then, slowly, piece by piece, information trickled in confirming their suspicion: Phillip J. Peterson, 20, shot Adams in a drug-related dispute, police said. On Wednesday, authorities filed second-degree murder charges against Peterson, who was already in the Pinellas County Jail on charges including the sale and possession of cocaine. Adams, 34, was found in the middle of 16th Street S near Ninth Avenue. He died at Bayfront Medical Center.

[Last modified November 15, 2007, 23:47:04]