A 57-year-old grandmother of three was killed by a woman who ran a red light in St. Cloud, Florida. According to WKMG Orlando the FHP suspects 24-year-old Jeri Bollinger was either driving drunk or driving under the influence of drugs when she ran a red light and hit Martha Jones’ car. The Florida Highway Patrol is awaiting blood tests to confirm Bollinger was driving drunk. The young woman has been previously charged with DUI and running red lights.
Bollinger was arrested on Tuesday on unrelated charges that she robed a St. Cloud Walmart but could be facing DUI manslaughter charges as well once her blood alcohol level is determined. Jones had just dropped of a child at Harmony High School when Bollinger’s jeep sped through an intersection and hit her car as she was driving with the green light.
Monthly Archives: February 2010
Prominent Tallahassee Surgeon Arrested In Wakulla On DUI Charges
A cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with a famous last name in the Tallahassee medical community was arrested on drunk driving charges in Wakulla. Dr. Thomas Bixler allegedly was driving with a blood-alcohol level of .285, which is more than three times the legal limit in Florida. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Bixler was arrested on DUI charges and held in the Wakulla County Jail.
Bixler was first pulled over for speeding and then given field sobriety tests. According to the article Bixler was driving 50 MPH in a 35 MPH zone at the time he was pulled over. Bixler’s father was the first emergency room doctor at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The emergency room at TMH is now named after Bixler’s father.
St. Petersburg Sees Homicides Drop But Car Thefts Soar In Latest Crime Statistics
Yesterday the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s department released its crime stats for 2009 and in six of the seven categories they measure, crime in Tampa was down and overall the rate of crimes in Hillsborough County dropped. The same unfortunately cannot be said for St. Petersburg. While St Pete saw a 45% drop in homicides, a 54.5 percent increase in auto thefts boosted the St Pete crime rate nearly 10 percent overall.
While homicides are at their lowest number in 30 years according to TBO.com, police spokes man Bill Proffitt says the increase in auto thefts can be attributed to a small group of teens who are continually stealing cars. Part of the problem according to the Tampa Tribune story is the St. Pete police department’s pursuit policy, which does not allow officers to pursue car thieves in the same manner they would violent criminals.
Tampa Police Arrest Suspect In Shooting Outside Of Club Mirage, Charge Him With Aggravated Battery
According to My Fox Tampa Bay, Tampa police have arrested the man they believe was responsible for attempting to run over a police officer and shooting two people outside of a local night club. Eugene Scurry has been charged with aggravated battery and aggravated battery on a law enforcement official. He is also facing charges of resisting arrest.
Scurry was arrested at Brandon Regional Hospital. The 27-year-old went to the hospital due to a gunshot wound to his arm. After causing a disturbance at the hospital, detectives arrived on the scene and recognized Scurry as the man wanted in the shootings outside Club Mirage. He was taken to the Hillsborough County jail following his release from the hospital.
Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Get’s Its Man In Las Vegas For 2008 Hit-And-Run
Charlotte County Sheriff’s spent nearly two years investigating the hit and run death of Alex Teehee. Now they believe that they have their man. Ralph Loosman, Jr. was arrested in Las Vegas and will face charges of vehicular homicide in the hit and run that took place July 13, 2008.
According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Loosman was arrested in a Las Vegas hotel by U.S. Marshals and is expected to be extradited back to Florida to face the charges. Marshals had originally went to Arizona to track down Loosman at his family’s home but by the time they arrived he had already fled to Las Vegas.
Former Hillsborough County Principal On Probation For Drug Crime Back In Jail In Pinellas
TampaBay.com is reporting that Anthony Giancola has been arrested for violating his probation, prowling and loitering in St. Petersburg. Giancola was on probation after he attempted to buy crack cocaine from an undercover cop in his Hillsborough County middle school office while a principal at Van Buren Middle School. He has been on probation since June of 2007.
The latest arrest for the former Tampa teacher came at 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning when Giancola was discovered in a parked car waiting for a man named “Mike”. Police noticed the man trying to hide something with his foot. When they investigated further the police found a butcher knife on the floor. Giancola claimed the knife was used for work as a chef. He was booked into Pinellas County jail.
DUI Manslaughter Charges Dismissed Against Man With Cocaine In His System Due To Lack Of Impairment
A July 9 car accident that left Richard Klose dead, ended in a DUI arrest when the driver tested positive for cocaine. Nearly seven months later the charges against David Lanier have been dropped. The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office dropped the case saying there was no evidence of impairment. Assistant State Attorney Robert Eagan wrote “Cocaine in one’s system does not constitute impairment”.
According to a story in the Orlando Sentinel, St. Cloud police crash investigators determined the fatal DUI crash would not have happened had Lanier not been under the influence of cocaine. In Florida there is no definition of cocaine impairment. Drug-related DUI cases are based on an officer observation backed up by lab reports.
Lanier is an admitted heroin user and on the night of the crash police searched his car and found crack pipes, syringes with cocaine residue and marijuana. He tested positive for Xanax and cocaine. He has three previous convictions in Florida. Two were for felony cocaine charges. Lanier said he hadn’t used cocaine for three days prior to the fatal crash.