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Siblings Each Lose A Son

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: December 9, 2008

PLANT CITY - Juan P. Sanchez Jr. was headed home, at the wheel of the car he loved, a recent gift from his parents, when struck from behind by another vehicle.

Sunday's 12:30 a.m. collision on U.S. 92 at Rogers Road killed the 18-year-old, and injured his two passengers and the driver of the other car, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Monday, as Juan P. Sanchez Sr. made funeral arrangements for his namesake, his sister was doing the same for Sanchez's nephew, the victim of Thursday's shooting that precipitated a police chase through downtown Plant City the next morning.

"He was my only son," Sanchez Sr. said, describing Juan Jr. as outgoing and popular. "He made everybody laugh. He was always out and about" with his many friends.

Juan had attended Durant High School, but transferred to Plant City's Simmons Career Center, graduating in June.

The nephew of Juan Sanchez Sr., Michael James Longoria, 36, of Plant City, was one of two men shot Thursday afternoon, allegedly by Fransisco Rangel. Longoria died of his wounds.

The viewing for Juan Sanchez Jr. will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Wells Memorial Funeral Home, 1903 W. Reynolds St., followed by services at Memorial Park Cemetery, both in Plant City.

12-Year-Old Remains ID'd

A dozen years after a woman's skeleton was found under a tree at Adamo Drive near 26th Street, the slaying victim has been identified, Tampa homicide Detective Eric Houston said Monday.
Tina Louise Johnson would have been 37 when her skeleton was found Oct. 13, 1996, police said.

Police identified the woman with the help of the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Web site, which had posted a rendering of what she might have looked like.

Johnson's daughter recently saw the description and image online and contacted the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office, Houston said. The daughter provided a DNA sample, which an FBI analysis compared with the remains for a match, he said.

Now that investigators know who the woman is, "it gives us a starting point for investigating the murder," Houston said.

Heater Causes Fire; 3 Hurt

A space heater placed too close to a couch caused a fire Monday morning that injured three people, fire officials said.

Neighbors and police tried to pry apart the bars on the front door before firefighters arrived but were unsuccessful.

"People were inches away from escaping but could not get through," Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade said.

Mary Jones Bynes, 73, was in serious condition Monday night at St. Joseph's Hospital, spokeswoman Jacqueline Farruggio said. Willie Bynes, 69, and Latoya Williams-Jones, 26, were both listed in critical condition Monday night at Tampa General Hospital, spokeswoman Ellen Fiss said.

The burglar bars had no quick-release device allowing the residents to escape, Wade said.

In addition to the problem the bars created, none of the smoke alarms in the single-story house had batteries, he said.

Firefighters found two space heaters in the room where the fire started, Wade said. Space heaters need to be kept 3 feet away from anything flammable and should not be allowed to overload electrical circuits.

Car Used As Weapon

After a Brandon woman intentionally backed her car into her husband, she got out and started laughing, Tampa police say.

Officers arrested 31-year-old Howronda Overstreet about 3:18 p.m. Sunday.

Overstreet, who is in the process of getting divorced, was charged with aggravated battery. Her husband suffered minor injuries, a criminal arrest affidavit states.

She was released Monday on $2,000 bail.

Outback Avoids Damage

The Outback Steakhouse in Palma Ceia reopens for lunch today after closing Monday following what officials say appears to be a trash fire.

The fire started about 12:40 p.m. Monday in the alleyway between the restaurant at 3403 Henderson Blvd. and another building, and caused the building to be evacuated during lunch.

The evacuation was a precaution and there was no damage to the building, manager Luis Carbonell said.

A staff report

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