Two men sought in altercation

Police say one of the suspects hit two men with his car after the fight ended.

By JOUNICE L. NEALY

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 7, 2000

ST. PETE BEACH -- Police are looking for two suspects involved in a fight and a hit-and-run with three men in front of a St. Pete Beach apartment early Sunday.

Ryan Conkel, Bryan Lynch and James Shelton told detectives that the two men followed them to Lynch's apartment at 1001/2 23rd Ave. and started a fight. All of the men scuffled, then ended the fight after they thought a truce had been called, St. Pete Beach police Detective Ron Russo said Tuesday.

But then one of the suspects jumped in a dark colored Chevrolet Malibu or Monte Carlo and struck Conkel, 22, while traveling an estimated 20-30 mph. He then turned the car around and struck Conkel and Lynch, 24, and hit three parked cars, Russo said.

Lynch is in Palms of Pasadena Hospital in good condition. Conkel was not seriously injured.

Russo said one of the suspects is known as Bobby and that both men often play pool at a local night club called the Mystic Tiki on Eighth Avenue. One orders Captain Morgan rum and the other drinks Long Island iced teas, he said.

Detectives circulated pictures of the two men, who returned to the apartment to look for their pagers, which they lost during the fight, Russo said. Detectives had already recovered the pagers.

But an alert neighbor saw the two men looking in the front yard Sunday afternoon and snapped their pictures. The men returned to the scene in a different car without a license tag.

According to Russo, the altercation began at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Pass-a-Grille Way about 2 a.m. Sunday.

Russo said that one of the suspects has cuts and bruises from the fight.

Anyone with information can call Russo at 363-9200.

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