Crime journal
By Times Staff Writer
Published February 19, 2008
DADE CITY
Ex-NFL player is accused of beating woman
Still on probation and under court-ordered anger counseling from a 2006 arrest, former National Football League player Darren Hambrick faces a new accusation of beating his girlfriend. Hambrick, 32, was arrested about midnight Sunday at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. A sheriff's report says he "struck and strangled" his girlfriend of 11 years, who was not named. In January, Hambrick pleaded to two counts of misdemeanor battery stemming from an October 2006 brawl at the Trilacoochee nightclub Rumors, where Hambrick punched two men, authorities said. Hambrick of 38827 Coit Road was being held at the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes with no bail.
TAMPA
Man attacked wife, children, police say
A 50-year-old man was jailed Sunday after punching his wife and striking two children with a chair, police said. Lorenzo McKenzie was charged with aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated child abuse and violation of a domestic violence injunction. Tampa police responded to McKenzie's home in the 2700 block of E 11th Avenue about 4:30 p.m. and found his wife and two children outside. McKenzie pushed them out before barricading himself inside, according to a police report. Arriving officers arrested him without incident, the report shows. He is being held without bail at the Orient Road Jail.
BAYONET POINT
Thief takes sword, 11 guns and tequila
A thief made off with quite an arsenal from a house in Berkley Village in Beacon Woods East early Sunday, according to a sheriff's report. Michael Aston, 13322 Brigham Lane, told a deputy he woke up about midnight and saw a man fleeing out a sliding glass door. Missing from his house were his samurai sword, four .45-caliber Colt guns, two revolvers, three rifles, a shotgun, an air rifle and eight .45-caliber loaded magazines. Also, a bottle of tequila and a flask. Aston could describe the thief only as stocky, wearing a plaid shirt and khaki shorts. He left behind a pair of black Converse sneakers.
TAMPA
Two men arrested in stolen vehicle
A report of gunfire in the Ybor City area resulted in the arrests of two people after police were led on a brief chase early Monday, police said. Investigators said Jerome Lamar Joe, 19, of Holiday and Isaac Flowers, 19, of Clearwater were spotted by officers at N Nebraska Avenue and E Floribraska Avenue inside a purple Plymouth Breeze matching the description of a vehicle involved in a "shots fired" call about 12:50 a.m., Tampa police Lt. William Ferguson said in a statement. After determining that the car was stolen from Pasco County last week, officers boxed in the vehicle at Nebraska Avenue and E Third Avenue. The driver, Joe, was charged with grand theft auto, auto burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of rock cocaine and being a habitual traffic offender. Flowers was charged with grand theft auto, auto burglary, possession of burglary tools and carrying a concealed firearm. He also was arrested on a Pinellas County warrant.