Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 28, 2001

12-year-old charged in school bomb threat

TAMPA -- Another Hillsborough student has been charged with making a false bomb threat, a felony, and disrupting a school function.

A 12-year-old girl at Orange Grove Middle School was arrested Tuesday at 1 p.m. after police determined she was behind an e-mailed bomb threat that forced the evacuation of her school Monday afternoon.

Police said the girl, who is not being identified by the Times because of her age, e-mailed the School Board that a bomb was set for March 26. No bomb was found. The girl was taken to a juvenile detention center after her arrest.

Shots fired in robbery at Tyrone Food Mart

ST. PETERSBURG -- A man dressed all in black fired three gunshots as he robbed Tyrone Food Mart on Monday.

No one was hurt, but the suspect got away with lottery tickets and $600 in cash after the 9:02 p.m. robbery at 7097 30th Ave. N, said George Kajtsa, St. Petersburg police spokesman.

Wearing a black mask, the suspect walked into the store and fired a shot at the counter and demanded the money and tickets, police said. When the clerk reached for a bag, the suspect fired another shot. The last gunshot was fired when the suspect ran outside.

Anyone with information is asked to call (727) 893-7263.

Pool company's owner charged with grand theft

A Palm Harbor businessman was arrested Tuesday on charges he accepted money to refurbish pools, then failed to perform the work.

Douglas Anthony Crouch, 34, of 2865 Oak Creek Lane was charged with three counts of grand theft and one count of performing the work without a license, according to court papers.

Crouch is owner of Paradise Pool & Spa, 3567 Lake Highland Drive. He is accused of taking about $14,000 from three Pinellas homeowners to do the pool work, then not completing it. The homeowners were in Seminole, Largo and North Redington Beach.

Tampa fire leaves 2 people homeless

TAMPA -- Two people escaped a fire early Tuesday that left them homeless.

Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade said the fire started shortly after 4 a.m. in a home at 2220 E Ida St. Two people who lived there were asleep but woke up and managed to crawl to safety.

It took firefighters 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. The house sustained about $75,000 in damages, Wade said.

The identities of the two people were not available. They were staying with relatives Tuesday night, investigators said.

Investigators will determine the cause, which Wade said appears to be accidental.

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