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Clearwater Man Treats Himself For Bullet Wounds, Catches Flight

WCNC-TV, Charlotte

William Notaro is loaded into an ambulance outside of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY and KEITH MORELLI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2007

TAMPA - William Notaro boarded a commercial flight with more than carry-on bags in a bizarre case involving law enforcement in three states.

With three gunshot wounds, Notaro, 37, of 115 Belleair Place, Clearwater, boarded a US Airways flight at Tampa International Airport on Saturday, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.

Instead of going to a hospital, Notaro asked for a Band-Aid, hoping to continue his trip to Albany, N.Y., to visit family.

Notaro left Tampa about 7 p.m. and never requested medical treatment from airport officials, airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said Sunday.

Investigators are retracing what happened to Notaro and are looking for leads, the sheriff's office said.

Conflicting information from Notaro and witnesses, though, has left authorities questioning where and when the shooting occurred, sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said.

Notaro told police he was shot three times by a woman during a dispute at Windemere apartments, 1763 Main St., Dunedin. He told police he was shot at 3 a.m. Saturday.

"Some of the things he told us may or may not be true," Pasha said. "How it happened, where and when, ... we don't know. We are working with police in other states to find out what really happed."

Notaro said he was playing cards with friends in the apartment when an argument with the woman started. He was shot with a small caliber handgun in the torso and arm, authorities said.

He left the apartment and dressed the wounds so he could make his flight.

Once airborne, he asked a flight attendant if he could have a Band-Aid for a gunshot wound, authorities said.

The bleeding became noticeable when Notaro changed planes in Charlotte, N.C. He was treated at Carolina Medical Center before resuming his flight, authorities said.

Notaro did not appear to be incapacitated by his injuries. He was smiling and talking to paramedics, waving his arms and using his white baseball cap to shield his face from onlookers.

Deputies are investigating, even though Notaro has said he may not wish to prosecute.

Reporter Chris Echegaray can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or cechegaray@tampatrib.com. Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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