TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa Police: Reluctant Victim Risks Gunfire To Keep Chain

News Channel 8 photo by MAURICE CAPOBIANCO

Fred Powell, 19, holds the necklace that was stolen from him and then recovered by police early Monday morning in Ybor City.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

Updated: 06/23/2008 01:07 pm

Related Links

• Chain Reaction Foils Robbery

  John Houston

Joshua E. Wood

TAMPA - John Miguel Houston pointed a gun at a Tampa man and told him to hand over a gold chain or die, police say.

The man, 19-year-old Frederick L. Powell, refused to give Houston the chain.

"I didn't think that he was going to shoot me over a piece of gold," said Powell, who got the chain in March as a birthday present from a friend.

Houston snatched it from Powell's neck and ran south from East Palm Avenue and North Angel Olivia Street on Sunday, a police report states. Powell chased him. So Houston turned, pointed a gun at Powell and said he would kill Powell if he didn't stop chasing him.

Powell demanded the chain back.

Houston fired a pistol at Powell, missing, police say. Then Houston ran again, jumping into a white 1999 Toyota Corolla parked at North 19th Street and East 8th Avenue. He started the car, and another man, Joshua E. Wood, entered through the right front door.

"The victim and several witnesses began to jump on top of suspect vehicle, causing many dents," a police report states. "As the suspect fled in the car, SAC officers arrived and pointed their pistols at the suspect, demanding him out of the car. Initially the suspect tried to flee in his car, but he got stopped in heavy Ybor City traffic and was subsequently arrested."

Police searched the Corolla and found Powell's chain, according to the report. They also found two guns under the front passenger seat.

One of the weapons smelled of gunpowder.

One was reported stolen from Lakeland.

Houston, 23, and Wood, 26, both of Lakeland, were arrested about 3:15 a.m. Sunday on North 19th Street.

Powell said that when it happened, he didn't know Houston's gun was loaded. He also said he knew police were nearby. He didn't want to lose the chain, he said, nor did he want anyone else to be robbed by Houston or Wood.

When asked about Powell's actions, Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said they weren't advisable.

"It depends on how valuable you think your life is," she said. "If you think that chain is more important than your life.

"People should never take the law into their own hands. This could have ended much differently. …This victim was lucky. Luck was on his side. You should always leave the police work to the police."

Houston and Wood were charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm, robbery and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon. Houston also was charged with stealing a firearm.

They remained in Orient Road Jail today. Their bail had not been set.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT