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Tampa Officer, Teen Helper Attacked During Investigation

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By THOMAS W. KRAUSE and CLAUDIA DoCAMPO, The Tampa Tribune News Channel 8

Published: December 26, 2007

TAMPA - A Tampa police officer and a teenage member of the police Explorer program were attacked while investigating a possible burglary Monday night. Both were hit over the head with a police baton during a struggle outside a vacant house at 312 Floribraska Ave., according to police reports.

Fernando Lopez, who lives next door to the vacant house, said he was cooking a holiday meal with his mother when he saw a young man and woman bend back some bars on the house and crawl in through a window.

"I knocked on the window and said, 'Get out of there; I'm going to call the police,'" Lopez said Tuesday.

Lopez then saw a patrol car drive by and whistled and flagged down the officer.

Cpl. Danny Hernandez was with a teenage member of Tampa Police Explorers. The nationwide police Explorer programs teach youths about law enforcement.

Lopez said the woman walked out of the house and began to talk with Hernandez. Figuring everything was all right, Lopez went back into his home. But the young man who entered the house with the woman appeared to be less gracious with the officer.

"Next thing you know, they're fighting like cats and dogs," Lopez said. "The officer got hurt."

According to police reports, the man grabbed Hernandez's gun, which fell to the ground. Then the man grabbed Hernandez's expandable baton and hit the officer four times in the back of the head. The police Explorer tried to help and was hit on the forehead with the baton, reports state.

Lopez said he thought the Explorer was a "rookie cop." He didn't know he was a civilian youth.

"He was just trying to help the officer," Lopez said, "but both got hurt."

When Hernandez managed to disarm the man, he bit the officer six times on his right shoulder, causing him to bleed, a report states. Lopez said the officer was covered with blood.

Eventually, Hernandez subdued the man and handcuffed him.

Drew Robert Robinson, 18, of 1901 Jefferson St., was being held Tuesday in Orient Road Jail on charges of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, armed burglary, two counts of battery, aggravated battery, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of depriving an officer of means of protection, opposing an officer, grand theft of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The arrest also violated his probation on previous drug charges. Robinson was being held without bail.

Hernandez and the Explorer, whose name was not released by officers because he is a juvenile, were taken to Tampa General Hospital. Hernandez was admitted Monday with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. His condition was not available Tuesday. The teenager was treated and released.

The woman who was with Robinson ran off, Lopez said.

The house has been vacant for about a year, Lopez said. The woman who owned it died. Family members had tried to sell it, but Lopez said he did not know its status.

He said people often entered it to use drugs or just hang out.

When the officer and explorer were in trouble, Lopez said he thought about joining in but decided he had better leave enforcing the law to professionals, especially because backup officers were showing up.

"You want to help the officer," Lopez said. "But when you see other squad cars, they don't know you. They could end up shooting you."

Reporter Chris Echegaray contributed to this report. Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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