Man accused of taking money from woman, 80

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

HOLIDAY -- A 46-year-old Holiday man stole an ATM card belonging to his daughter's 80-year-old grandmother and withdrew more than $5,000 since late March, according to Pasco sheriff's deputies.

Dennis Buckley was arrested on Wednesday and charged with scheming to defraud. He started withdrawing cash on March 28 from Mary Ryan's Bank of America account and withdrew his last installment on May 25, taking $5,490 total, according to a deputy's report.

Deputies were unsure how Buckley obtained Ryan's personal identification number, but the report said Ryan had lost her ATM card while moving to 4117 Crestfield Ave., which was listed as Buckley's address.

A bank surveillance camera caught Buckley making the withdrawals, according to the report. Pasco sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll did not know if Buckley is Ryan's son, but confirmed that he is the father of Shannon Buckley, Ryan's granddaughter.

Dennis Buckley was held late Thursday at the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Driver leads deputies on a short chase

HUDSON -- Deputies say a drunken driver led them on a brief chase on Little Road on Wednesday night, running stop signs and lights and finally crashing through a fence before stopping.

John Richard Fields, of 13724 Peachtree Toad in Hudson, was charged with fleeing and eluding police, reckless driving and DUI.

When deputies tried to pull over the 40-year-old man after he ran a stop light on Hudson Avenue around 9 p.m., he continued driving and turned onto Little Road, "wildly running off the roadway, over the curb and right-side fog marker, almost striking several road signs and endangering other traffic," according to a deputy's report.

Then Fields turned right off Little Road onto Bolton Avenue, continued onto a dirt trail, crashed through a fence and drove until the tangled fence under his car prevented him from going farther, deputies said.

Fields was held late Thursday at the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $7,000 bail.

Teen accused of beating his uncle with a pipe

HUDSON -- A 15-year-old boy was charged with aggravated domestic battery on Wednesday after police said he beat his uncle with a metal pipe.

Michael J. Benway, of 12540 Choctaw Trail, was at home on Wednesday night when he struck his uncle around 11 p.m. in the back with the pipe, deputies said. A deputy observed two red welts on the victim's back.

Benway was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center. His uncle did not require hospitalization.

Vending machines suffer rash of attacks

In the past week, three soda vending machines in Pasco have been smashed, possibly with a crowbar. Police are unsure if the incidents were related, said Pasco sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll.

Deputies said a Pepsi machine at Bill's Place, a car and truck salvage company at 13234 Hicks Road in Hudson, was smashed in around 4 p.m. on June 30. Deputies said the suspect had apparently tried to pry the machine open.

On Monday, a Coca-Cola machine at Starkey Ranch Nature Park, at 12959 State Road 54 in New Port Richey, was also smashed around 5:30 p.m. No money was taken, deputies said.

On Wednesday, a Pepsi machine at the U-Save at 2421 Land O' Lakes Blvd., in Land O'Lakes was smashed around 9 p.m. The owner told deputies he did not know if money had been taken.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.