News on the go

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 24, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS

Elderly man among victims of intruders

Police are investigating two armed home invasions that occurred Sunday morning, including one in which a 92-year-old man was toppled in his wheelchair and left helpless and alone for hours. Police said the robberies may be connected. Officers first were summoned to a robbery in the 600 block of N Florida Avenue in which a man said he awoke to find two armed men in his home who threatened to shoot him. The man recognized one of the robbers as an old roommate and the other as someone who lives nearby. Police said the ex-roommate is Jake V. Ward, 20, who was arrested in Hernando County on unrelated charges later Sunday. Police say the second suspect is a juvenile who has not been caught. Armed robbery charges against both are pending, police said. About 10:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were summoned to a report of another robbery that occurred hours earlier. In this case, two armed men barged into the home of the 92-year-old man who is vision-impaired and uses a wheelchair. The robbers toppled him in his wheelchair, threatened him with a handgun and demanded money. They also disabled his telephone. After the robbers left the home, the elderly man needed several hours to right himself and reach a neighbor to call police. Police said the robberies occurred in the same general vicinity and may be related. Anyone with information can call Tarpon Springs police at (727) 937-2549 or 938-2849.

TAMPA

Woman faces elder abuse charges

Tampa police arrested the operator of an unlicensed assisted living facility Sunday night on elder abuse charges. Police records listed her as Mary Frances Alford, 51, of Tampa. The investigation began about 7 p.m., when police responded to a fight at 1716 W Chestnut St. They found five elderly tenants living in substandard conditions with no caregiver present, according to the police report. One resident was transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital, according to Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Jace Kohan. Two others were placed with friends and two were in the care of the state Department of Children and Families. Hillsborough County property records list the owners of the house as Paul and Arentha Alford. Police said Mary Alford is related to them. Records show the house has one bathroom and one bedroom. Reached by phone Sunday night, Paul Alford said he did not live at the house and was not there when Mary Alford was arrested. He refused to comment further.

Tampabay.com

People are talking about . . .

Selected comments from blogs.tampabay.com:

Christmas care packages for soldiers

(Standing By, Dec. 19)

Jan Wesner asked her online friends what they sent their soldier spouses for the holidays.

"I managed to fit an incredibly shiny and tacky fake tree into a flat-rate box. My sweetie topped it with a picture of his daughter, his angel."

"I sent my husband a key chain that is a digital picture frame which holds 60 pictures. It's tiny! I included a card that said, 'So you can see us anytime you want.'"

Liquor for homeless

(TroxBlog, Dec. 19)

"It is ridiculous for the council to worry about this ... (but) if he wanted to help them, why didn't he load them up in his Bentley and drive them to rehab?"

Who's your MVP?

(Bucs Beat, Dec. 20)

"It begins and ends with (quarterback Jeff) Garcia."

"Garcia is the obvious choice, but Earnest Graham has come from third-string backup to potential 1,000-yard rusher in just 10 games."

[Last modified December 23, 2007, 23:54:47]