Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff and wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 14, 2001

Man's body found hanging in park tree

ST. PETERSBURG -- A man's body was found hanging from a tree Friday night in Pioneer Park, a small park in front of downtown's Bayfront Tower condominium.

The apparent suicide was discovered shortly after 8:30 p.m.

Police cordoned off the park, bounded by Central Avenue and First Avenue S and Beach and Bayshore drives.

The man's death was under investigation. His name was not released.

Barbershop group 12th in international contest

TAMPA -- The 100-man barbershop chorus, Heralds of Harmony, placed 12th at the recent World Series of Barbershop Harmony in Nashville, Tenn.

The 56-year-old group competed with 21 choirs, representing Florida at the international event for the 10th straight year. The Heralds of Harmony has members from 15 Florida counties.

Officials say couple bilked Social Security

TAMPA -- An Ocala couple were arrested Friday in a Social Security scam that federal officials say went on for 28 years and bilked the agency out of $198,000 in disability and retirement benefits.

Jose Vasquez, 62, began receiving disability benefits after claiming in August 1970 that he was disabled because of epilepsy, according to a six-count indictment.

The indictment alleges Vasquez then got a Social Security card and number under the name of Anthony Russo and earned an income under that alias. He faces up to 40 years in prison and $1.5-million in fines.

Towanda Vasquez, 64, was charged with lying to the Social Security Administration by saying she was Towanda Russo, wife of Anthony, and by falsely claiming she was divorced from Vasquez. She faces up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

Judge orders tape of boar's slaughter released

TAMPA -- A circuit judge ruled Friday that the public has the right to see a videotape showing the castration and slaughter of a wild boar in the parking lot of radio station WXTB-97.9 FM, which is known as 98-Rock.

Prosecutors plan to use the videotape as evidence against radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem and three others who participated in the killing of the boar as part of a radio promotion Feb. 27.

All four face animal cruelty charges.

Employees for Clem's production company shot the videotape for sale on a pay-for-per-view Web site, attorneys for the defendants have said. Attorneys asked Circuit Judge Herbert Baumann Jr. to keep the videotape sealed, but attorneys for the St. Petersburg Times and other news organizations sought the tape's release.

Motorcyclist killed on I-375 is identified

ST. PETERSBURG -- The man killed in a motorcycle accident Thursday on Interstate 375 has been identified as Barry John Roberts II.

"I still can't believe it," said Roberts' father, Barrie Roberts, who said he tried to talk his 20-year-old son out of buying the Honda CBR600.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Roberts was cruising at faster than 80 mph on I-375 toward downtown when he lost control of his sport bike on a curve, said Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. B. R. Roberson.

The Honda struck a low concrete wall on the side of the overpass. He and his bike flipped over the wall. He fell at least 20 feet.

FHP investigators said they found no indication that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

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