Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By Times staff reports
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2001
Cheerleading squad's gym is burglarized
ST. PETERSBURG -- A competitive cheerleading squad's gym has been burglarized for the second time in almost two years. The burglars took a VCR, some jewelry and rolls of pennies from a fundraising drive.
"It's mostly stuff that can be replaced, but the stuff they took belonged to the kids," said Candy Quincel, owner of the gym at 11801 28th St. N near Roosevelt Boulevard. "It's a shame, especially when the kids try so hard."
The gym is the headquarters of Pinellas Cheer Elite, which has about 45 members and is one of about five all-star competitive cheerleading organizations in the Tampa Bay area. All-star squads don't root for a particular team but are composed of cheerleaders from around the area who perform together in national and state competitions.
Someone used bolt cutters to break a lock and get into the gym Wednesday night or early Thursday, police said. The same gym was burglarized about a year and a half ago, when stereo equipment and a T-shirt press were stolen.
Anyone with information about the burglary may call St. Petersburg police at 893-7780.
CLEARWATER -- A 4-year-old girl nearly drowned Thursday evening while swimming off Clearwater Beach, authorities said. Bystanders pulled Daliyha Scott to the beach, where an off-duty nurse performed CPR.
The incident occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. near Shephard's Restaurant at 601 S Gulfview Blvd., the Clearwater Fire Department said.
When paramedics arrived, the girl had a pulse and was breathing. She was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg for evaluation.
She was in stable condition Friday evening at All Children's Hospital.
TAMPA -- A state appeals court has overturned a conviction after deciding a Hillsborough prosecutor made improper closing arguments in the case.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal on Friday overturned the conviction of Nile Almon Myers, 28, because the prosecutor offered the jury her personal opinion about the credibility of a key witness.
Assistant State Attorney Joan Corces, who no longer works for the office, told the jury that the witness was "very candid," "very honest" and a "credible witness."
"Faced with a shaky case, the prosecutor improperly sought to bolster (the witness') credibility," Acting Chief Judge David Patterson wrote.
Myers was sentenced to seven years for a lewd and lascivious act on an 8-year-old girl.
Prosecutors must now decide whether to retry the case, drop the charges or appeal.
In November 1998, Myers had gone drinking with a friend and later they went to the friend's apartment. The friend put his daughter to bed and then left to buy cigarettes. When he returned, he saw Myers in his daughter's bedroom with his pants down, the 2nd DCA ruling said. The girl was sleeping.
Later, the friend acknowledged using cocaine that night, the ruling said. He also told Myers and a girlfriend that he was not sure what he had seen.
Because his memory was so shaky, his testimony was the key to Myers' conviction, the court said.
DADE CITY -- A Zephyrhills man was killed Friday night when his semitrailer truck crossed the median on Interstate 75 and hit some trees, authorities said.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the truck, a Freightliner hauling 40,000 pounds of frozen food, was traveling north when the driver lost control in Pasco County about 4 miles north of State Road 52 about 6:30 p.m.
The truck crossed the median and the two southbound lanes before landing in woods beside the highway. Three cars were damaged as they swerved to avoid the truck.
"There are no skid marks, said Trooper Erik Bromiley of highway patrol. Authorities think the man, who was 59 and lived with his son, had a heart attack at the wheel. They did not release his name pending notification of relatives.