EXPLOSIVE SITUATION: On Oct. 25, a propane truck and several cylinders containing liquid propane went ablaze shortly after 10 p.m. at Florida Lift Gas, a liquid propane supplier on E. Sixth Avenue in Tampa. Per the report: "Several 33-pound gas cylinders exploded, causing debris to land 100 feet away." Florida Lift Gas happens to be right across the street from the Orient Road jail, and the explosion sent the jail "into a lockdown mode" while officials figured out what was going on. Fortunately, no one was injured, no evacuations were necessary and the fire was contained in about 90 minutes.
#1 GRANDPA: At the same time Florida Lift Gas was blowing up, a man and his nine-months-pregnant daughter were having an argument as she drove her Red Ford pickup truck on Busch Boulevard in Tampa. Per the report: "The man grabbed the steering wheel when his daughter was driving then bit the victim on her right hand." The daughter, "in fear for her safety," bailed out of the truck while it was still moving, with Dad taking control and driving off. Soon thereafter, cops spotted the truck and quickly surmised the driver was impaired. When they attempted to pull the truck over, "the defendant drove up onto the curb … [and] then struck a light pole and two other steel traffic poles." In all, there was about $2,000 in damage. Mother and unborn child were unharmed. The proud grandfather was booked on aggravated battery and DUI charges.
GUAVAWEEN WRAP-UP: This year's Guavaween parade and post-celebration went off fairly well from a law enforcement standpoint. Thing started off quietly, with only one arrest pre-parade (for "opposing" an officer). After the parade, when the daytime crowd of 15,000 had swelled to an inebriated 32,000, there were 19 more arrests, with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office accounting for seven (three for opposing with violence, one for possession of cocaine and three for misdemeanor alcohol-related offenses) and T.P.D. ringing up 12 (two felony arrest warrants served, 10 drunken fools sleeping it off). Peripherally to the event, T.P.D. made an arrest off the Ybor strip for grand theft auto. Tampa Fire and Rescue received nine calls in all. None was serious, "and the majority were alcohol related." They don't call it the Mama Guava Stumble for nothing.
From the files of the T.P.D.
This article appears in Nov 22-28, 2006.