Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 12-4-18

Crime
Man Charged With Arson In Triple Murder Case
Hit And Run Accident Leaves Pedestrian Dead
XAVIER WHITEHEAD ... Charged with first-degree arson
DEREK ARCHIE 11/19/1986 — 11/15/2018
XAVIER GREENE 6/9/1990 —- 11/15/2018
HALEY STONE 10/3/1998 —- 11/15/2018
Police are currently searching for a hit and run driver who left a pedestrian dead and two other injured. The accident took place early Sunday night in Plant City.
According to the Plant City Police Department, three men had left Fuego Bar & Grille and were walking eastbound on State Road 574. Police said it is unclear if the men were walking on the shoulder of the road or on the sidewalk.
At approximately 10:55 p.m., an unidentified driver struck the three men and continued eastbound on State Road 574. Police and emergency personnel arrived at the scene and provided medical assistance to the three men.
Miquel A. Hernandez, Jr., 21, of Plant City, died at the scene as a result of his in-
juries. His two companions, whose names have not been released, suffered non-life threatening injuries. Police said the two victims that sur- vived the crash are 20 and 21 years old respectively, and are from Dover.
The vehicle is possibly a General Motors SUV, be- tween the years of 2007 and 2014. The model could be a Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe, or a GMC Yukon. Its color is pearl white metallic and it will have damage that includes the headlights, turn signals and rear view mir- rors.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact the Plant City Police Department at (813) 757- 9200, or Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873- TIPS or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
On Sunday, detectives ar- rested a 28-year-old man in connection with a triple mur- der. The man has not been charged with the murders and the investigation is continuing.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, Xavier Whitehead was taken into custody on Satur- day. He is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail with- out bond. He has been charged with first-degree arson, armed burglary of a dwelling, and tampering with physical evi- dence.
Detectives said White- head had been identified as
one of the men seen in surveil- lance videos. After he was ar- rested, he was transported to Tampa General Hospital on unrelated medical issues.
The investigation began last month after officials re- sponded to a fire at 6221 16th Avenue, South, in Palm River.
After the fire was extin- guished, firemen found the bodies of three people inside the home. They were identified as Derek Archie, who would have celebrated his 32nd birth- day on November 19th; 28- year-old Xavier Greene, and 20-year-old Haley Stone. Police said the victims died of
injuries unrelated to the fire. Police obtained video from cameras in the area and ob- served a man walking up to the house carrying what appeared to be a gasoline can prior to the neighbor observing the fire. Videos also observed another man in the videos. He has not
been identified.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa
Bay is offering up to $3,000 for information pertaining to the murders. Anyone with in- formation can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS; or report information anony- mously at www.crimestopper- stb.com.
UNCLE SANDY
The world is full of magical things 9, 19, 32, 48, 62 pa- tiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper 5, 17, 23, 37, 55.
Woman Injured In Accident With Stolen Car Dies
A woman involved in an accident with a stolen vehicle last week has died. The acci- dent took place last week.
According to the St. Pe- tersburg Police Department, Ms. Yalanda Speights died at noon on Saturday, Decem- ber 1st.
Ms. Speights and her mother, 61-year-old Mae Speights, were injured in a traffic accident on November 24th. Ms. Mae Speights was seriously injured.
Carl McKinley, 20; 19- year-old Lazarius Faulk; Jaquez Rouse, 18; and Clifford Washington, 19 were all taken into custody at the time of the accident. All four are facing felony charges of grand theft of a motor ve- hicle. Other charges could be forthcoming as a result of the death of Ms. Speights.
The accident took place at the intersection of 18th Av- enue South and 25th Street, South.
The women were driving in a PT Cruiser when their ve- hicle was struck by a Hyundai Sonata that had been re- ported stolen.
CARL McKINLEY
CLIFFORD WASHINGTON
Police said an officer had been flagged down and told that a carload of men in a Hyundai had pointed a gun at someone. The vehicle was later observed traveling at a high rate of speed, on 18th Av-
LAZARIUS FAULK
JAQUEZ ROUSE
enue, South. However, it was not being pursued by police.
Shortly after the officer was flagged down, the acci- dent occurred. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 19