Page 38 - Florida Sentinel 9-10-21

Crime
Cause Of Death
Keith McCants
Search Continues For Fatal Hit And Run Driver
This vehicle was involved in the hit and run accident that took place on N. 56th Street and Harney Road Sun- day. The victim died at the scene.
The Florida Highway Pa- trol is continuing to seek in- formation about a deadly hit and run accident that took place around 5:30 p.m., Sun- day.
According to a news re- lease, a 32-year-old woman was walking adjacent to the bi- cycle lane. The driver of the vehicle failed to stay in the travel lane and struck the vic- tim.
The victim died at the scene as a result of her in- juries. The victim was a resi- dent of Casa Grand, Arizona, police said.
Anyone with information about the accident or the driver is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol at (813) 558-1800; or Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1- 800-873-TIPS, or on line at www.crimestopperstb.com.
Four Jailed After Child Shot In Hand
Pending For
A former first-round draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buc- caneers was found dead in his St. Petersburg home. Keith McCants was 53- years-old.
A spokesman for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Of- fice said deputies responded to his home shortly after 5 p.m., and found him de- ceased.
The official cause of death is pending and has not been released. The investigation is continuing.
A native of Mobile, Ala- bama, McCants graduated from Murphy High School and continued his education at the University of Alabama. HewastheNo.1pickofthe Bucs in the 1990 NFL draft and the fourth overall pick after an All-America career as a linebacker with the Uni- versity of Alabama.
McCants was a unani-
KEITH McCANTS
mous All-America selection and was Defensive Player of the Year in 1989 while at the University of Alabama. He played six seasons in the NFL with the Bucs, the Houston Oilers, and the Arizona Car- dinals. He record includes 192 tackles and 13.5 sacks in 88 games. He retired in 1995.
After retiring from foot- ball, McCants became the first Black marine police offi- cer in Alabama at the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
OLIVIA SWEENEY
Two adults and two juve- niles were arrested last week after a child was shot in the hand. The incident took place in Haines City.
Olivia Sweeney, 38, was charged with child neglect with great bodily harm, and nine counts of improper con- finement of an animal. Don- ald Walker, 20, of Orlando, and the two juveniles were charged with tampering with evidence and violation of pro- bation.
According to the Haines City Police Department, offi- cers responded to Ad- ventHealth in reference to a 3-year-old suffering a gun- shot wound around 1:30 p.m., last Wednesday. When they arrived, they found the child hospitalized with a gun- shot wound to the hand.
During the ensuing inves- tigation, those present at the home, where the shooting oc- curred, told detectives that the shot was self-inflicted and had come from a BB gun. From the evidence however, it was clear that the wound came from an actual firearm.
The suspects also told de- tectives that the gun had been destroyed and thrown away. A thorough search of the inci- dent location failed to reveal the location of the firearm, but detectives did collect other evidence.
Sweeney, who has cus- tody of the child, told detec- tives that she had left for work that morning and made no arrangements for supervi- sion for the child. She also ac- knowledged that the two juveniles stayed at her home, which was a violation of their probation.
Once aware that police were involved, Walker and
DONALD WALKER
INJURED HAND
the juveniles made efforts to clean the blood from the gun- shot and conceal the severity of the injury. They also cleaned the area where the shooting occurred and dis- posed of the firearm.
The child was driven to the hospital by an older brother of one of the juve- niles, who was also present at the time of the shooting.
The child suffered a bro- ken finger and was trans- ported from AdventHealth Heart of Florida to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital due to the complications of surgery that would be re- quired.
During the investigation, detectives found that the child had no proper bedding and there was almost no food in the home suitable for a child to eat.
Nine dogs were also crammed into three kennels indoors. There was no dog food anywhere in the home and the dogs were confined in dirty cages in such a way that it was difficult for them all to sit or lay down. Polk County Animal Control took posses- sion of the dogs.
The Florida Department of Children and Families is also investigating. Further charges are possible as the in- vestigation continues.
UNCLE SANDY
The harder you work for something, 3, 14, 29, 47, 55, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it, 8, 19, 32, 44, 61.
PAGE 22-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021