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Woman may face charges over keeping ball
OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A woman may face charges after she reportedly refused to return a child’s ball that was given as a Christmas gift but then kicked into her yard by a child.
A Marion County deputy and the child’s mother say they plan to pursue charges against the woman, Jeannette R. Odom. The child’s mother told sheriff’s deputies her 8-year-old son and some other children were playing with the red Spiderman ball when it landed in the woman’s yard.
Before the boy could retrieve it, Odom allegedly took the ball and went into her trailer. A sheriff’s report says that she refused to return the ball at the request of Deputy Erica Hadley.Odom told the Ocala Star-Banner that the children had kicked the ball into her yard four times before she went out to retrieve the toy.
Hadley estimated Odom to be between 75 and 80 years old. Hadley said she would pursue petty theft charges against Odom. The case would have to be forwarded to the state attorney’s office to determine if charges would be filed.
Driver hurt after lighting illegal firecracker in truckJames Rich, 46, was parked outside a Hollywood convenience store Tuesday afternoon when he lit a powerful illegal firecracker. But Rich couldn’t toss the explosive out of his pickup truck fast enough. It blew up in his left hand.
One day later, Rich remained in critical condition at Memorial Regional Hospital. Police are still trying to determine why he lit the device The blast happened about 1:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of South 56th Avenue.
Rich lit either an M-80 or M-100 firecracker, both of which are illegal in Florida, said Capt. Tony Rode, a Hollywood police spokesman.
‘’They are extremely powerful firecrackers,'’ Rode said. “The M-100 is like a quarter stick of dynamite.'’ Rich suffered severe burns and was likely to have his left arm amputated, police said. Nobody else was injured. Police believe Rich may have been selling the explosives, Rode said. Other fireworks were found in his truck. It was unclear if drugs or alcohol played a role in the explosion.