Pasco woman is paralyzed by dive into shallow pool

By CARY DAVIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 30, 2000

WESLEY CHAPEL -- A 31-year-old Wesley Chapel woman was paralyzed Sunday evening in a diving accident, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said.

Tina Michelle Netherly of 6127 Woodsman Drive was injured when she dove into an above-ground pool behind her house about 7 p.m. and struck her head on the bottom, according to reports.

Netherly apparently dove into 4 feet of water from a wooden deck surrounding the pool, reports said.

She was airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, where she was listed Monday in serious condition.

Reports said she was paralyzed from the waist down with a crushed vertebra. Relatives said they didn't know if the paralysis was permanent.

Pasco County Fire/Rescue District Chief Gary Policastri said alcohol was a factor in the accident.

With summer approaching and the swimming season already here, authorities say tragedies such as this can be prevented if basic pool safety tips are followed. Foremost among those, Policastri said, is that "alcohol and water sports just don't mix."

"The average sober adult doesn't dive into a shallow pool," he said. "But alcohol clouds your judgment."

As a general rule, Policastri said, people shouldn't dive into an above-ground pool.

"If you're diving into a pool, you want to make sure the water is at least 8 feet deep," he said.

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