ST. PETERSBURG -- An intense lightning storm that passed over south Pinellas County on Saturday afternoon flooded streets, sparked house fires and knocked over a large billboard along Central Avenue.

Winds were gusting up to 50 mph, said National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Alsheimer. Winds must reach 60 mph before they are considered severe, but 50-mph winds can still damage structures such as billboards and carports, he said.

The storm rolled in shortly after 4 p.m. First, it brought a lot of thunder and a little light rain. By 4:30 p.m., heavy rain was causing traffic problems all over the city.

"That particular storm was over most of the city of St. Pete," Alsheimer said.

At the height of the storm, a billboard toppled to the ground with a resounding crash at the intersection of Central and 38th Street. Startled neighbors were convinced that a tornado had knocked it over.

"We saw the leaves whirling around. The gusts were like a whirlwind," said Donna Brown, whose family lives at First Avenue S and 38th Street. "When (the billboard) dropped, it was so loud that we thought something had hit the house."

Meteorologists suspect wind gusts did the damage rather than a tornado. The billboard's wooden foundations had ripped apart.

Woman dies in Tarpon Springs house fire

TARPON SPRINGS -- An 82-year-old woman who died Saturday appeared to be the victim of a house fire, police said.

Ruby Gray was found dead in her smoke-filled house at 401 Meres Blvd. Gray's daughter and son-in-law went to the house and found Gray about 5 p.m. Parts of the house had been scorched by flames, but the fire had burned itself out, Tarpon Springs police said.

Police do not suspect foul play in Gray's death, although the fire was under investigation.

Police arrest murder suspect who ran

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police on Saturday arrested a murder suspect who had escaped from them in a car chase Friday.

Charles James Hicks, 26, was charged with second-degree murder and was held in the Pinellas County Jail.

Hicks was arrested Saturday morning at 2129 16th St. S, which was one of the home addresses that he had given to authorities after being arrested on different charges earlier this year, police said.

Hicks is suspected of shooting a New Port Richey man early Friday in what police said was a domestic dispute involving a woman.

Edward J. Caldwell, 38, was found dead behind the wheel of a Nissan Sentra that hit a utility pole at 34th Street and 18th Avenue S in St. Petersburg. Caldwell had been shot in his car about six blocks away, police said.

Police found information that led them to pursue Hicks in connection with the killing.

Shortly before noon Friday, Hicks led police on a winding car chase through the city before he escaped by driving the wrong way up an interstate off-ramp as two police cars behind him crashed into each other.

String of robberies may be connected

TAMPA -- Police reported a series of robberies and carjackings late Friday and early Saturday in the northeast neighborhood of Seminole Heights that appeared to be related.

The first, at 11 p.m. Friday, happened at the ABC Liquor store at 3727 E Hillsborough Ave. Police reports said two men pointed a gun at the clerk and took cash.

At 1:10 a.m., three men approached a 23-year-old woman in the parking lot of Knollwood Manor apartments at 2812 Saybrook Court. They pointed a gun, ordered her to give them her car keys and then told her to run.

The victim's car was a 2001 black, two-door Chevrolet Cavalier.

At 2 a.m., four men driving a black, two-door Cavalier stopped a 52-year-old man as he walked near the intersection of Elmer and Juneau streets. They pointed a gun, robbed him of $10 and fled.

Also around 2 a.m., five men in a dark car stopped a 31-year-old man as he pulled into a driveway. They pointed a firearm, stole his wallet and drove off in his truck.

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