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Hogan Family Says They've Received Threatening Phone Calls

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune
and STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

TAMPA -- The Clearwater Police Department is investigating allegations that a member of the Graziano family has made threatening telephone calls to member of Hulk Hogan's family, a Clearwater city official confirmed today.

Doug Matthews, a spokesman for the city, would not say which family member it was – nor would he elaborate on other aspects of the case.

No charges have been filed.

Nick Bollea, Hogan's incarcerated teenage son, pleaded no contest last month to a charge of reckless driving involving serious injury and was sentenced to eight months in jail.

On Aug. 26, Bollea crashed a car into a tree in Clearwater, leaving his passenger, Iraq war veteran John Graziano, with brain damage.

Hulk Hogan, also known as Terry Bollea, told talk show Larry King during Tuesday's show that he was "desperately trying to keep my son from unraveling" when Nick Bollea was first placed in a Pinellas County Jail cell and their conversations were captured on tape.

Bollea was initially placed alone in a cell, separate from the adult inmates. Complaining about the isolation, he eventually was moved to an area of the jail where he shares a cell with other juvenile inmates.

During a taped phone call, Hogan and Bollea talked about doing another reality TV show. It was a way to comfort his son, who was inconsolable about the initial jail conditions, Hogan told King.

Hogan said the taped conversations were just snippets of conversations.

But after that television appearance, attorneys for the Graziano family said Hulk Hogan's conversation with King was just a way to spin public perception about him. The lawyer, George Tragos, said the Graziano family was upset about Hogan's lack of sincerity.

Wednesday night, Tragos appeared on "Showbiz Tonight" on CNN Headline News.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at sthompson@tampatrib.com or (727) 215-3582.

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