Motorcyclist killed in crash with truck

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© St. Petersburg Times, published April 9, 2000

ZEPHYRHILLS -- A 43-year-old Zephyrhills man died Friday night after a traffic crash on Morris Bridge Road.

Peter William Smith died at the East Pasco Medical Center, said the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers said Smith was passing cars on his 1999 Harley-Davidson in a no-passing zone on Morris Bridge Road at about 7:45 p.m. Smith was in the northbound lane.

A truck also in the northbound lane driven by Allan John Schott slowed to make a left turn on Mandrake Road. Smith struck the back of the truck, and flew through the air, troopers said.

The motorcycle caught fire. Schott stopped to put out the fire and try to help the motorcyclist. He then left the scene, troopers said.

A Pasco County Sheriff's Office helicopter found Schott, and the FHP charged him with leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

Schott, of 33300 Mandrake Road in Zephyrhills, was taken to the county jail in Land O'Lakes and later released on supervised recognizance.

Father charged in slapping incident

LAND O'LAKES -- A man was charged with child abuse after, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said, he slapped his 4-year-old daughter for not cleaning her room.

Kevin Richard Ryan, 43, of 23503 Pine Lakes St. was booked into the Land O'Lakes jail and was released Saturday on $5,000 bail.

He told deputies that he slapped the girl and that he thought his actions were "excessive force," a report said. Deputies said he slapped the girl so hard that she had a bruise on the left side of her face.

Parents accused of not allowing teen into home

PORT RICHEY -- The parents of a 14-year-old boy were arrested on child abuse charges after they refused to let the teen into their home on Friday night, police said.

The parents, Steven and Deborah Ludwig of 5242 Miller Bayou Drive, told police they are afraid of the teen and that's why they wouldn't allow him inside, Port Richey Lt. William Sager said. Police have gone to the family's house before, Sager said.

The Ludwigs have 17 children, ranging in age from 4 to 19, and all but one or two are adopted, Sager said.

At 5:53 p.m., the teen called police from a nearby business and said his parents wouldn't let him in. When police arrived with the teen, the Ludwigs still wouldn't allow him in the house, Sager said.

The parents were booked into the county jail in Land O'Lakes. Steven Ludwig was released on his own recognizance, jail officials said. Deborah Ludwig posted $5,000 bail on Friday.

The teen, whose name was not released, was taken to a runaway program in Hudson.

Mother accused of letting toddler wander off twice

PORT RICHEY -- A 25-year-old mother was charged with child neglect after her 2-year-old wandered away two different times on Friday, according to Pasco sheriff's deputies.

During one incident, the child left home, walked across the street and through two yards and was found by a resident in the middle of Fox Hollow Drive, deputies said.

The resident stayed with the child for 25 minutes before the mother, Tina Marie Giles, found her, witnesses said. Giles was talking on the phone and reading cookbooks when the child walked off, deputies said.

Earlier on Friday, the child was found crossing the road on the next block by a neighbor, deputies said.

Giles was taken to the county jail in Land O'Lakes and was released Saturday on supervised recognizance.

Pair charged with smoking drug in front of children

HUDSON -- After a 14-year-old girl told authorities that her father and another adult in the house smoke marijuana every day, two were charged with contributing to the dependency of a minor, said the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were called to the home of Bruce Allen Schultz and Laura Elaine Berry on Friday. The 14-year-old girl told deputies that Schultz and Berry smoke marijuana cigarettes in front of her, her 11-year-old brother and 15-year-old sister "on a daily basis."

A search of the house found 10 marijuana cigarettes in ashtrays.

The children were placed with a relative pending a shelter hearing, officials said.

Berry and Schultz were booked at the county jail in Land O'Lakes and were each released Saturday on supervised recognizance.

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