Storm cleanup starts at jail

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 18, 2007

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Heavy machinery creaked and rumbled, the debris pile slowly shrank and officials went about weighing dollars against damage. That was the scene Monday at the Pasco County jail, where a tornado brought destruction a day earlier.

Nearly 200 inmates carrying only their ID badges were evacuated about 4 a.m. Sunday, moments before the twister tore apart a tent-like housing structure where they had been sleeping.

No one was injured, but the flimsy remnants of the inmates' lives in lockup became part of the losses.

"This was their main living quarters," said Pasco sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin. "All those things were lost in this."

Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher said the tent annex, used to ease jail overcrowding and never meant to be permanent, will be replaced. The building was leased and covered by an insurance policy with a $50,000 deductible.

It might be a month before the new one is erected and outfitted with security enhancements.

Some inmates displaced by the storm were sent to Marion and Hernando counties' jails. Some took up residence in the common area of Pasco's jail. Others were to be moved Monday.

Still, the jail was holding more than 100 people beyond its capacity. And flimsy remnants were still blowing across the grounds.

A coffee cup, made of beige, institutional plastic.

A page of a Bible study lesson on John 3:22-36.

A handwritten note, one of many, saying, "Honey, I got time served."

Times staff writer