OMG PD: Animal Cruelty, Zombies, Rotisserie Chicken and More

'Emaciated' Horse Leads to Animal Cruelty Felony Count

A Plant City woman turned herself in to the Hillsborough County jail after a 25-year-old thoroughbred gelding in her care was found "emaciated" due to neglect, according to a report from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The case leading up to the arrest of Lynda Jo Vilches, also known as Lynda Jo Willard, started in April, when investigators looked into a tip that a horse had been suffering from abuse. On May 18, Vilches reportedly turned herself in to the Hillsborough County Jail. A felony count of animal cruelty has been lodged.

According to the sheriff's report, released May 31, agriculture detectives "determined that while 'Rusty' was under the care of Lynda Jo Vilches, she deprived him of the proper nourishment by feeding him so little he suffered malnutrition amounting to excessive and unnecessary pain and suffering."

In addition, the horse's "left front fetlock was injured and left untreated." The report further notes that Rusty had "severely overgrown hoofs, which would cause extreme pain and discomfort with each step the horse took."

Detectives consulted with a veterinarian, and "it was determined that there was no medical condition identified that would cause 'Rusty' to be emaciated like he
was other than malnutrition due to neglect."

On April 24, euthanasia ceased Rusty's life — and suffering, according to the sheriff's report.

Police: Rotisserie Chicken Theft was ‘Drunken Mistake’

A Tarpon Springs man was arrested and charged with retail theft after leaving a Sweetbay Supermarket with a rotisserie chicken May 24, according to Largo Police.

Alexander Robert Quintero, 22, of Tarpon Springs, went into the grocery store at 2460 East Bay Dr. and walked past all the registers as he took a $7.49 rotisserie chicken without paying for it, according to investigators. When he came back later that night to return a stick of deodorant, two store employees recognized him.

When he was under arrest, investigators discovered a handcuff key disguised as part of a silver bracelet Quintero was wearing. He admitted it was his key that he used to detain a friend that “gets crazy sometimes,” according to police.

He was arrested and charged with retail theft and unlawful possession of a concealed handcuff key.

Homeless Man Blames Zombies For Arrest in St. Pete

A homeless man who claimed zombies were chasing him is under arrest after authorities say he threw a piece of concrete at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront hotel in an attempt to get inside Wednesday morning, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

According to the newspaper:

David Allen Jensen, 41, who has no permanent address, broke the glass outside the hotel on First Street S about 1:30 a.m. with a doughnut-shaped piece of concrete used to protect sprinkler heads, the report states.

Security officers also said they saw Jensen trying to break into several cars and apparently attempted to steal tobacco from one of them, the Times reports.

Police: Man Hit Parking Meter Officer with Car

A man has been charged by St. Petersburg Police with two counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle after he allegedly backed his car into a parking enforcement officer putting a boot on his car. 

Louis Albano, 50, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on May 15. He was released from jail on a $10,000 bond. 

According to the arrest affidavit, the victim "was actively and within plain sight of the victim," when the victim was placing a parking boot on the left rear tire on Albano's 2000 Buick Regal. 

The defendant, according to police, "intentionally entered his vehicle and backed his vehicle up which placed the victim in a well-founded fear for (his or her) life."

Safety Harbor Man Charged With Killing Ex-Wife on Cruise Ship

A Safety Harbor man will be prosecuted in a California court after he was charged with strangling his ex-wife and throwing her off a cruise ship in Italy, The Associated Press reports.

A judge ruled Wednesday that authorities in Orange County, CA, have an interest in the case because the woman lived there, the AP reports,citing the Orange County Register.

Kocontes, arrested in February and taken into custody in Pasco County, has pleaded not guilty.

Dead Horse’s Owner Faces Felony Charges

A Carrollwood area woman has been charged with one count of felony animal cruelty in connection with a case of starvation that began to make headlines last week.

Linda Evans of 11720 Olen Smith Road turned herself into the Hillsborough County Jail May 30, according to Det. Larry McKinnon.

Deputies began investigating Jolie’s case earlier this month when they were told about a horse that was being neglected.

“Detectives determined that Linda Evans deprived her horse ‘Jolie’ of the proper nourishment by feeding her so little she suffered malnutrition amounting to excessive and unnecessary pain and suffering,” McKinnon wrote in an email to media.

Man Accused of Beating Dog to Death

A New Port Richey man was arrested recently and accused of beating his German Rottweiler with his fists. 

The Rottweiler, named Gipper, died from its injuries, according to an arrest report from the New Port Richey Police Department

Police arrested Brian Perry, 47, on Monday, May 27. Perry told them he called “friends” to help him dispose of the body, but he refused to tell police the location of the corpse. The corpse’s location is currently unknown.

A 29-year-old Land O’ Lakes man remained behind bars Wednesday following a weekend crime spree that began with a vehicle theft and ended with a crash and a fight with deputies in Wesley Chapel.

The incident that led to the arrest of Paul Jeremiah Brock of 4511 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. began before noon May 26 when Brock is accused of stealing and crashing a car in the area of Woodsman Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Brock reportedly later returned to the scene as a passenger in another person’s Ford F150 pickup truck, where he got into a fight with two deputies. One of them used a Taser on him to no avail; they were able to pull him from the car as Brock started to “fight and wrestle both deputies,” authorities said, at one point trying to take one deputy's gun and getting his hands on the other's service radio.

The deputies ended up using pepper spray on Brock and were able to hold him on the ground until more backup arrived.

Teen Arrested in Hate Crime Shooting of Cross-Dresser

Detectives from the Tampa Police Department on Thursday announced the arrest of a 16-year-old boy in connection with the shooting of a man who is a cross-dresser.

According to authorities, about a week after meeting the 22-year-old victim, Tavares Spencer, 16, arranged a second meeting with him.

After the two got together near the 5000 block of Winnie Street, Spencer pulled out a gun and told the victim to get on the ground, then shot him authorities say. The man pretended he was dead until Spencer began walking away, then ran off as Spencer fired another round but didn't hit him, police allege.

During the investigation, authorities learned that Spencer shot the man because he dressed like a woman. That motive led to the hate crime charge that Spencer faces.

Mail Stolen From Sarasota Post Office Drop Box

Police are investigating after as many as 800 pieces of mail were stolen from a drop box in front of the U.S. Post Office on Siesta Drive over Memorial Day weekend.

The external drop box in front of the branch, at 2055 Siesta Dr., was pried open sometime over the weekend, according to Sarasota Police.

An 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with a burglary at a Bradenton home after a woman hiding in the closet with her 2-year-old called 911 with his description Tuesday morning. 

The 29-year-old woman, who lives in the 1200 block of 35th Avenue West, was at home with the child when a man knocked on the front door around 9:53 a.m., according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

She did not answer the door, deputies said, but she then spotted the same man hiding in the bushes behind her house, prompting her to call 911. As she and the child hid in the closet, the man tried to pry open the garage door, the sheriff's office said. The man entered the garage but was scared off without taking anything.

A deputy later spotted a man matching the description and stopped and detained him.

Manatee Deputy Charged With DWI

A Manatee County Sheriff's deputy is charged with driving while intoxicated after he allegedly knocked over a street sign with his pickup truck while off duty in Parrish early Sunday morning.

Kevin White, 27, was pulled over by another deputy around 4 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 301 on suspicion of DUI. The deputy said White had "bloodshot, glassy, watery eyes and slurred speech," according to the arrest report.

Deputies also said they saw White strike the street sign and leave the scene. 

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