Visitor, friends ambushed while leaving sports bar

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 26, 2001

DUNEDIN -- A man visiting from New York was seriously injured early Tuesday morning when he and two friends were ambushed by two men as they left a sports bar.

The three men were leaving Shacks Sports Pub, 1415 Pinehurst Road, about 2 a.m. when they were attacked. One assailant was swinging a piece of cloth that was wrapped around a beer can or bottle, said Pinellas sheriff's spokesman Greg Tita. The weapon struck Mike Krick, 25, of New York in the back of the head, splitting open his left ear and knocking him unconscious. His friends, Dunedin residents Jeremy Clark, 23, and John Thorne, 22, received minor injuries in the attack. The attackers climbed into a four-door blue vehicle, backed out of the area and sped away. Tita said they are both white, about 6 feet tall and roughly 200-220 pounds.

Krick was taken by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where he received more than 20 stitches, Tita said. He was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. Tita said deputies are unsure of a motive for the ambush, though it's possible the victims beat the attackers at pool in the bar. No arrests have been made, but deputies continue to investigate, he said.

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