THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday August 11, 2010
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Reducing Arsons in
Citrus County
From Citrus County Fire Services
Citrus fire officials say arson has be-
come more prevalent in Citrus County.
There could be a number of reasons for
this increase, according to County Fire
Chief Larry Morabito, but the important
thing is preventing it. Morabito said every-
one should be concerned about arson be-
cause it causes insurance rates to rise and
neighborhood to deteriorate, in addition to
endangering both responders and citizens.
According to the United States Fire Ad-
ministration’s (USFA) National Fire Inci-
dent Reporting System (NFIRS) data and
the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), an estimated average of 316,600
intentional fires are reported to fire de-
partments in the United States each year,
causing injuries to 7,825 firefighters and
civilians. In 2006, 10 firefighters died as a
result of arson. In addition to needless in-
jury and death, an estimated $1.1 billion in
direct property loss occurs annually.
A three vehicle crash on the new canal bridge last Wednesday August 4th blocked traffic north and southbound for about two hours. Two
Locally, Citrus County has had 21
drivers and a horse were injured in the accident. Left shows the 2005 Buick driven by Francis Alvin Harp was hit on the left side, causing the
fires that were determined to be arson be-
vehicle to crash into the outer concrete barrier of the bridge. Right shows road construction workers assisting in clearing the road by carrying
tween June 2009 and July 2010. Arson is
away a horse trailer that caused the crash by coming unhitched from the truck towing it. Photos by Debbie Russell
Crash on U.S-19 bridge injures
investigated by the Florida State Fire Mar-
shal’s Office.
Second person dies
Arson robs communities of
two drivers & a horse
its valuable assets, lives, and property,
as result of Inglis
Morabito said. It destroys more than build-
ings; it can devastate a community, result-
motorcycle crash,
ing in the decline of the neighborhood
Traffic stopped for 2 hours
All the vehicles were on the Cross
through increased insurance premiums,
Florida Barge Canal Bridge. Road construc-
loss of business revenue, and a decrease in
charges pending
A three-vehicle crash on the Cross
tion was ongoing and concrete barriers were
property values.
Florida Barge Canal, just south of Inglis at
on either side of the bridge, giving only
According to the USFA’s NFIRS
12:26 p.m.last Wednesday (August 4), sent
enough room for two lanes of traffic.
data and the NFPA, half of all intention-
The passenger of a motorcycle that
two people to the hosital, injured a horse
While Ms. Sides was crossing the
al structure fires are started in the home.
was involved in a single vehicle motorcycle
and stopped both north and south bound
bridge, the front tire of the horse trailer she
These fires result in 85 percent of the civil-
crash around 2:00 p.m., July 13, did last
traffic flow on U.S. Hwy. 19 for about two
was towing had a tire blowout. The vehicle
ian deaths, 82 percent of the civilian inju-
Wednesday (August 4) from injuries sus-
hours. Those who were unable to wait for
had already crossed the apex of the bridge
ries, and 64 percent of the direct property
tained in the crash. The crash occurred in
the bridge to be cleared were forced to travel
and was descending. Sides told the inves-
damage from intentional structure fires.
Inglis at U.S. Hwy. 19 and County Rd. 40-A
to Dunnellon to go around Lake Rousseau
tigator that she could feel something was
Only 5 percent of fires in homes
. The driver of the motorcycle, Bret E. Stut-
and travel across the Withlacoochee River at
wrong, but due to her position on the bridge,
are intentionally started, and in these fires,
ler, 49. died from his injuries on July 15. The
the bridge there.
she did not feel that it would be safe for her
the bedroom is the leading area of origin.
passenger was Deloris A. Stutler, 54. Both
According to the Citrus County
to stop. The trailer became unhitched and
The bathroom is the leading area in pub-
were from Clarksburg, W.V.
Sheriff’s Office, Debbie L. Sides, 49, of
turned sideways, impacting the left side of
lic properties such as stores, offices, or
According to the Florida Highway
Hudson, FL was traveling north on Hwy.
Harp’s Buick and the left left front of Big-
schools.
Patrol, the Stutlers were traveling south in
19 in a 1993 Ford pickup truck with a horse
ham’s GM truck. In an effort to avoid the
Arsons involving structures (resi-
the right lane of Hwy. 19 on a 1995 Harley
trailer in tow. The other two vehicles were
collision, Mr. Harp was as far to the right
Davidson motorcycle, when a silver Mazda
Continued on page 4 - Squawk Box
traveling south on Hwy. 19. The vehicle in
of the bridge as possible, and the impact
car, that had been traveling north of Hwy.
front was a 2005 Buick, driven by Francis
pushed his vehicle into the concrete barrier.
19, started a left turn onto County Road 40A
Pet Patrol
Alvin Harp, 66, of Tallahassee, FL.
Sides was able to drive her truck
in an attempt to travel west. The car entered
Behind Mr. Harp was Gerald Dean
away from the scene, but the horse trailer
the southbound lanes and into the path of the
Page 2
Bigham, 40, of Newcastle, OK driving a
had to be transported away. The horse trailer
motorcycle, causing Mr. Stutler to swerve
2005 GM pickup truck.
Continued on page 3 - Death from Crash
Continued on page 3 - Bridge Crash