Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 11-10-15 Edition

Features
Worker Critical; Hit And Run Driver Facing DUI Charges
A 26-year-old man was arrested Friday morning after allegedly being involved in two hit and run accidents. An employee of a construc- tion company was seriously injured.
According to police, the first accident took place at U. S. Highway 41 and Orange Avenue, shortly before 1 a.m. Jaimes Geraldo, 33, of Clearwater, was standing in a lane closure on the south- bound side at the intersec- tion. Geraldo is an employee of Preferred Mate- rials Construction Company.
Police said a 1992 Honda Civic was traveling south- bound on U. S. 41 approach- ing the lane closure. The driver failed to stop and col- lided with construction barri- cades. He continued traveling southbound through the lane closure and struck Geraldo.
Geraldo was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.
EDWIN RODRIGUEZ ... Facing several charges
The Florida Highway Pa- trol responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. They were assisted by the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office.
After striking Geraldo, the driver is alleged to have continued traveling south- bound on U. S. 41, where he was involved in another col- lision. The driver fled the scene of that accident as well, police said.
Tampa Police officers re- sponded to the scene to con-
duct the hit and run investi- gation.
After the second accident, the driver of the vehicle re- portedly fled the scene and went to his residence in the 10900 block of N. 14th Street.
Tampa Police later re- sponded to the residence in reference to a disturbance call. Officers in the area then located the abandoned vehi- cle at the corner of 113th Av- enue and n. 14th Street.
Police transported the al- leged driver, Edwin Ro- driguez, to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical atten- tion. After being treated at the hospital, Rodriguez was transported to the Hillsbor- ough County Jail, where he was charged with DUI with serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, resisting arrest without violence, and criminal mischief.
He was being held on a $10,750 bond.
6-Year-Old Made Honorary SWAT Team Member
Vinnie and members of the Hillsborough County SWAT Team.
Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s deputies gave an ailing 6- year-old a lift by giving him a new ride.
Vinnie has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and has been receiving exten- sive chemotherapy. Deputy Derrick Lockett lives near Vinnie and knew of his love for law enforcement officers, especially SWAT officers.
Lockett discovered Vin- nie had missed a SWAT pres- entation at the Children’s Cancer Center because of his
treatments.
To make up for it, Vinnie
was told he and his family would tour a sheriff’s facility. When he arrived he was greeted by members of the SWAT Team with the SWAT vehicle, uniformed deputies, and his family and friends.
Vinnie was made an Hon- orary SWAT Team member and presented with an electric toy car donated by Wal-Mart, assembled by the sheriff’s auto- motive teams and marked with sheriff’s decals.
Seffner Couple Dies In House Fire
The Hillsborough County Fire Department discovered the bodies of two individuals on Saturday after responding to a house fire. The fire took place in Seffner.
According to police, the call for assistance was received at 8:10 p.m., Saturday. Law en- forcement and fire fighters re- sponded to 5244 Presidential Street, in Seffner.
Firemen quickly extin- guished the fire and when they entered the home, discovered the bodies of two adults in the kitchen. Firefighters also dis- covered two cats and a dog de- ceased inside the residence.
The couple has been identi- fied as Christian Craig Coo- ley, 61, and Ms. Bobbie Brewer Cooley, 66, both of that address.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsbor- ough County Fire Department, the Florida State Fire Mar- shal’s Office and the Hillsbor- ough County Medical Examiner’s Office are conduct- ing investigations into the deaths.
The cause of the fire had not been determined at press time, but police said no foul play is suspected. The investi- gation is continuing.
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