Boy is recovering after scooter accident

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 29, 2007

TAMPA

Randall Williams, the 5-year-old boy knocked down and injured Thursday after riding a motorized scooter into traffic on 31st Street near his College Hill home, is reported in good condition at Tampa General Hospital.

Police said the boy rode the scooter past a stop sign and into the path of an oncoming Dodge Durango. The driver was not at fault, police said.

SPRING HILL

Wal-Mart to choose new supercenter site

By all accounts, Hernando County is Wal-Mart country, with three supercenters so far and probably more on the way.

But even here, there are limits.

On Friday, the retail giant backed down from a brewing legal fight with the county, saying it would move a proposed fourth supercenter from Barclay Avenue to a possible site on County Line Road near the Suncoast Parkway.

"We would rather work in a positive way with the county, rather than going down that road," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Quenta Vettel.

In May, the County Commission voted unanimously to oppose the Barclay plan. Commissioners cited traffic concerns in the densely populated neighborhood off Spring Hill Drive, as well as the proximity to Powell Middle School.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Hospital locked down during suicide episode

A suicide attempt held Community Hospital in a partial lockdown mode for almost 10 hours overnight Thursday.

The incident began when a Pasco sheriff's deputy saw a man in the parking lot talking on a cell phone with a handgun pressed to his chin about 7:30 p.m.

The major shift change of nurses and other clinical staffers had already happened, but visiting hours ended as the standoff was unfolding, hospital spokeswoman Mary Sommise said. About 60 visitors remained inside.

Outside, officers negotiated with the suicidal man for hours.

Officers used tear gas and were set to fire nonlethal bean bag rounds at the man when he shot himself in the head.

He was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. He was in critical condition later Friday. His name was not released.

[Last modified December 28, 2007, 23:56:33]