Page 12 - Florida Sentinel 3-12-21

All About You
Man Indicted For First-Degree Murder In Death Of Deputy
MELISSA
This week’s Spotlight feature, we bring you the lovely Melissa. This young lady is an outgoing and optimistic per- son who loves taking pictures as long as they depict her as being classy. Melissa is very much in touch with who she is, and she understands her limitations. She is also grate- ful for the experience she has gained, and appreciates hav- ing a venue to list her achievements. Congratulations to Melissa as this week’s Spotlight feature.
SPOTLIGHT ON ME
Last week, a Hillsborough County Grand Jury indicted a Tampa man in the death of a deputy. Travis Garrett was in- dicted on first-degree murder charges in the death of MPO Deputy Brian LaVigne. The indictment was returned last Thursday.
In addition to the murder charge, Attorney Andrew Warren, Hillsborough County State Attorney, is also pursuing eight additional felony charges against Garrett.
Attorney Warren said, “This was a deliberate attack on law enforcement; he targeted a cop. When you commit a crime like this, when you cause pain like this, you should expect con- sequences like this.
“Despite losing a friend, the detectives handling this case are completely focused. They’re doing an incredible job working with our prosecutors to build the strongest possible case.”
Garrett was hospitalized after the accident and remains hospitalized.
Travis Garrett is accused of intentionally ramming the police cruiser of Master Cpl. Brian LaVigne on January 11th. Cpl. LaVigne died as a result of his injuries.
The incident that resulted in the death of Cpl. LaVigne began around 4 p.m., on Janu- ary 11th. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, received 9-1-1 calls from the management of the Paddock Club Apart-
CPL. BRIAN LAVIGNE
ments, 921 Paddock Club Drive, in Brandon.
The callers said a Black man had been throwing property out of his apartment window and front door and the man had threatened harm in the past.
When deputies arrived, they spoke with the man through the door. They left because there was no cause to arrest him at the time. More than an hour later, police returned to the complex in reference to a disturbance.
The deputies returned to the complex because the callers re- ported the man was naked and acting erratically.
When deputies arrived at the scene the second time, they at- tempted to talk with the man, later identified as 28-year-old Travis Zachary Garrett. At that point, Garrett allegedly be- came combative and struck two
TRAVIS GARRETT
... Charged with first-degree murder.
deputies who had arrived to in- vestigate the complaint. He was reportedly tazed at the scene, but it had no affect on him, po- lice said.
At some point, Garrett is al- leged to have fled from the scene in his vehicle.
The responding deputies at- tempted to block Garrett’s ve- hicle, but he got around them and crashed into one of the gates at the complex.
Garrett continued on Bran- don Parkway, and then onto Lumsden Road. While traveling on Lumsden Road, witnesses told police that he was traveling at a high rate of speed and rammed a marked police car driven by Cpl. Brian LaVigne. Other deputies worked on Cpl. LaVigne as fire rescue at- tempted to free him from the ve- hicle.
Summer Jobs For 36 East Tampa Youth
The City of Tampa has open- ings for 36 youth workers. They
will be residents of East Tampa, who will work part time to keep
their community clean.
The employment dates are
May 31st – July 22, 2021, for ages 16-18 years old. The pay will be $8.65 an hour. Appli- cants must be enrolled in the Hillsborough County School System and reside within the boundaries of East Tampa: Hillsborough Ave. (north), I-4 (south), 56th Street (east) and I- 275 (west).
Apply online now through March 23, 2021 – www.jobaps.com/Tampa.
The jobs program is spon- sored by the City of Tampa Neighborhood Empowerment Department, East Tampa Com- munity Revitalization Partner- ship, and CDC of Tampa, Inc.
For more information, please call (813) 255-4046.
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