Police reports

By Times staff reports

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 1, 2001

Traffic stop leads to drug possession charge

DADE CITY -- A 33-year-old woman was arrested Wednesday on charges of cocaine possession.

Sheriff's deputies stopped Crista Leann Morris of 36908 Vista Drive for driving with an inoperable brake light about 8 p.m., a Sheriff's Office report stated.

A records check showed that she was wanted on a Pasco County warrant for violating probation on an aggravated assault charge.

Deputies said they then searched Morris' car, finding a small rock of crack cocaine on the driver's seat and a glass smoking pipe under the passenger's seat.

Morris faces charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and the charge from her warrant.

She was taken to Land O'Lakes jail, where she remained Thursday without bail.

Report: Joyriding teen faces fleeing, eluding charges

ZEPHYRHILLS -- A 14-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday after he went joyriding in a red Ford Escort and led sheriff's deputies on a chase, according to a Sheriff's Office report.

The teenager, whose name is being withheld by the Times because of his age, was observed by deputies traveling east on Pretty Pond Road.

They began to chase him, but he sped up and raced away, deputies said. The teenager allegedly reached speeds of 65 mph in a 30 mph residential zone.

The report stated that the teen driver failed to stop for two stops signs. He also had a 13-year-old passenger, whom deputies declined to name.

In their report, investigators wrote that the driver "displayed a total disregard for the safety of his passenger and the citizens of Pasco County."

The 14-year-old faces charges of fleeing and eluding. He was taken to the county juvenile detention center, but no further information was available on his status Thursday.

Slap on back leads to child abuse charge

HOLIDAY -- A 40-year-old man's definition of a discipline measure landed him in jail Wednesday.

Pasco sheriff's deputies arrested Jeffrey Allen Curtis of 5843 Consuello Drive in Holiday at 8:48 p.m. and charged him with child abuse. Curtis slapped a 14-month-old girl on her lower back above her diaper, leaving a bruise and redness, according to Sheriff's Office reports. Curtis told deputies that he slapped the child as a disciplinary measure because she was inside a cabinet under the kitchen sink where dangerous chemicals were kept, a report said.

Curtis said he didn't realize how hard he had struck the child, but deputies stated Curtis used excessive force on the girl. He was taken to the Land O'Lakes jail and released on a $10,000 bond Thursday afternoon.

Pony attacked, injured by pair of dogs

HUDSON -- Two dogs attacked a pony on Wednesday evening, and only one of the attackers has been found.

The dogs, a brown mixed pit bullterrier and a German shepherd, left bite wounds on the 10-year-old male pony's stomach and chest area. The owner of the pony, Marie Whitney of 12632 Choktaw Trail, caught the mixed pit bull, but the German shepherd got away.

Animal Control officers picked up the pit bull and were looking for the other dog as well as their owners. Whitney called a veterinarian to treat her pony.

Man hospitalized after being hit in face with bat

NEW PORT RICHEY -- A fight behind a concert club left one man in the hospital Wednesday morning.

Russell Dean Smiley, 39, of Rumar Lane in Holiday, took himself to Community Hospital after being struck in the face with an aluminum baseball bat. According to Sheriff Office reports, Smiley had been walking behind the Bourbon Street Concert Club at 4331 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey, at 1:15 a.m. with at least three other people when he was approached by another group of men. A fight broke out after the groups exchanged words. Smiley was then hit in the face numerous times with a bat.

Sheriff's deputies reported that Smiley's right eye was swollen shut and purple Wednesday. He could not identify his attacker, saying he had been drinking the night before. Deputies do not have any suspects, reports said.

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