Tampa Bay briefs

By Compiled from Times staff and wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 7, 2000

South Tampa woman is killed in wreck

TAMPA -- A woman died in a traffic accident early Sunday on S Dale Mabry Highway a few blocks from her South Tampa home. Police said Laura Lee Roth, 34, of 6107 Sheridan Road, was headed toward Dale Mabry on Bay Street at 1 a.m. in a 1998 Isuzu when she failed to stop for a stop sign. Roth was hit by a 2000 Toyota driven by Roxanne Dresda, of 7317 Las Palmas Court. Roth was partly ejected from the car. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where she later died. No charges will be filed in the accident, police said.

Severe storms sweep through bay area

Rapidly moving thunderstorms spawned wind gusts up to 55 mph and snapped tree limbs and power lines throughout the Tampa Bay area Sunday afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Ruskin issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Pinellas, Pasco, Citrus and Hernando counties and a tornado warning for Hillsborough County, said weather service meteorologist Charlie Paxton. The storms began at about 4 p.m. and ended in less than an hour.

In Pinellas County, there were no reports of serious injury caused by the storms, according to emergency officials.

The storms caused about 100 power outages affecting about 2,000 Florida Power customers in Pinellas, according to a company spokeswoman.

Biker seriously hurt after car collision

TAMPA -- A motorcyclist who collided with a car Saturday night was in critical condition late Sunday at Tampa General Hospital, police said.

Terance T. Thomas, 40, of 3008 E 38th Ave., was riding a 1994 Suzuki north on 40th Street just before 8 p.m. Saturday when he collided with a car making a left turn in front of him. Ampty L. Brooks was turning from 40th Street onto Powhatan Street in a 1989 Toyota and did not see Thomas and his motorcycle, police said.

Thomas, who wasn't wearing a helmet, hit the car and was thrown from his cycle, suffering severe injuries to his head and lower body.

Brooks, 25, was not injured in the accident.

Man dies from mobile home fire injuries

PINELLAS PARK -- A 44-year-old man died Sunday afternoon, the day after he suffered severe burns from a blaze that engulfed his home at the Crystal Lake mobile home park.

Thomas Friery, a maintenance worker for the park, was taken to Tampa General Hospital after the fire reported about 10:40 p.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said Pinellas Park district Chief Art Windquist.

When firefighters arrived at his home at 93114 Fourth St. in the park, flames had already ripped through the roof. Friery had been the maintenance worker at the mobile home park, 9301 49th St. N, for about five months, said park manager Jennie Tyler.

Gay man can't get restraining order

BRADENTON -- A judge refused to issue a restraining order requested by a gay man against his former partner, saying domestic violence laws don't apply because the state doesn't recognize same-sex relationships.

Bill Owens,35, who later received a restraining order under a less restrictive law governing non-relatives, said Circuit Judge Marc Gilner's decision"was pretty devastating to me."

Community activist killed in Zephyrhills accident

ZEPHYRHILLS -- For years Donna Hull, despite near-blindness, ran a thrift shop for poor people at the Daystar Hope Center in Dade City.

Hull died Saturday night, one of two women killed in a two-car accident south of Zephyrhills on U.S. 301.

Hull, 62, was a passenger in a 1982 Jeep driven by her 28-year-old daughter, Jenni Kelly. A 1972 Mercury driven by Lorine Humbles, 47, of Zephyrhills, slid sideways into the opposing lane of traffic about 6:30 p.m, state troopers said. Humbles, also died at the scene.

Kelly survived with broken legs and facial injuries. Sunday, she was listed in critical but stable condition at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa.

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