Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - What NOT To Do

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

A quick blurb about a man who celebrated his release from jail by picking up ANOTHER criminal charge in the parking lot...

A local man was taken to jail Sunday evening after a drunken disturbance at a neighbor's house. He was then released on his own recognizance just a few hours later.

Yet for the man, the night was still young.

He was arrested again after deputies say he tried to break into two cars — that happened to be in the visitor parking lot at the Land O'Lakes jail. He wasn't released this time.

Sheriff's deputies initially found the suspect, 48, crawling out from under the bushes at his neighbor's house in Jasmine Lakes about 6:30 p.m. His shorts were on backwards and low on his hips. A witness had complained he was urinating on the bushes.

According to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office arrest report, he was "extremely intoxicated" and admitted to drinking six beers and taking six Oxycodone pills. He was arrested for criminal mischief after a witness saw him bang on the neighbor's doors and shake a porch light until the glass panels fell out and broke. The witness also saw the suspect pull the light's electrical wires out of the wall.

Deputies said the man told them he was looking for cans of paint in the bushes, then changed his story and said he was trying to replace the porch light.

Fast forward to 10 p.m. when he was released from the Land O'Lakes jail and went to the visitor parking lot to wait for a ride.

A woman drove up and left her 2003 Acura in the lot. The suspect, she said, went up to the car and tried to open the door. She yelled at him to get away. He said he thought it was his car.

He tried again, this time with a 2002 Mitsubishi. A sheriff's lieutenant watched the second attempt and called detention deputies. This time he was arrested at 11:45 p.m. — less than two hours after he was released. He remained in jail Monday afternoon on two counts of attempted car theft, with bail set at $10,000.

After his second arrest, the suspect said he hoped a deputy was "not mad at him for attempting to get into the cars."

Have you or someone you loved been arrested for a theft or a criminal charge? Then contact the law offices of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. to speak with an experienced Pinellas criminal defense lawyer now!

Our office is located at 4707 140th ave. N, Suite 107, Clearwater, FL 33762, across from the criminal courthouse and minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg. You can contact your St. Petersburg criminal defense attorney by phone at 727.286.6141 or online at info@BlakeDorstenLaw.com.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - stolen car

By Nicholas J. Dorsten, Esq.

Courtsey of the St. Pete Times website, an interesting article about a chase gone bad...

CLEARWATER — Deputies arrested three people Sunday after a pursuit on U.S. 19.

A Toyota Tundra pickup, which had been reported stolen, was initially spotted about 4:30 p.m. Sunday heading north on 66th Street near Ulmerton Road, authorities said.

Here's how the resulting pursuit played out, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

When the driver failed to stop, deputies tried to box the truck in with several cars. But the suspect, identified as Robert Milam, 27, of Tennessee continued east on Ulmerton and then north on U.S. 19. Just south of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, he bailed out of the vehicle and ran across southbound lanes of traffic. Deputies pursued him on foot and when they caught up with him, he resisted arrest and fought with deputies, who used a stun gun to subdue him.

Milam was transported to Mease Countryside Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the fight. Three deputies suffered minor cuts and scrapes.

Milam was arrested on charges of grand theft auto, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence and possession of marijuana.

Tiffany Pennock, 27 of Clearwater and a juvenile, whose hometown was not released, remained in the stolen vehicle. Both were arrested on charges of grand theft auto.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the 2005 truck was reported stolen Christmas Day and was located Sunday by an electronic tracking service.

Have you been arrested on marijuana or theft charges? Then the Clearwater, Florida based Blake & Dorsten, P.A. criminal defense lawyers are at your service.

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense attorneys, please contact the law firm of BLAKE AND DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the defense lawyers at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com