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Tampa Police: Woman Sought In Carjack Shooting

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 18, 2008

Efphalia Diamandoulis

Irving Flores

TAMPA - Police are looking for a 23-year-old woman in connection with a failed carjacking Monday in which the car's owner shot at her and a man investigators say also was involved.

Efphalia Diamandoulis, no known address, was seated in the back of a 1994 Lexus about 4:50 p.m. Monday when the car's owner, Deangelo Fletcher, 29, opened fire, according to the Tampa Police Department.

Irving Flores, 40, of Tampa, who was driving the car, was wounded in the shoulder, police said. Flores was being held without bail today at Orient Road Jail, charged with felony carjacking.

Flores and Diamandoulis approached Fletcher at a Laundromat at West Hillsborough and North Himes avenues, police said. They asked him for a ride to East Hillsborough and North Nebraska avenues, roughly three miles away, police said.

As the three left in Fletcher's Lexus, several pieces of laundry fell out of the car's rear window. When Fletcher opened his door to grab them, Flores pushed Fletcher out and climbed into the driver's seat, police said.

The car pulled forward toward Fletcher, who, "in fear for his life," pulled out a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol and fired several rounds, police said.

The car veered into the northbound lanes of North Himes Avenue and struck two vehicles. Flores and Diamandoulis jumped out and ran through a Bank of America parking lot, police said.

Diamandoulis escaped, but Flores was arrested after Capt. Tom Wolff, working an extra-duty job nearby, saw Flores enter the Pollo Tropical restaurant near West Hillsborough and North Lincoln avenues.

Flores was jailed about 12:30 a.m. today after being treated at Tampa General Hospital, police said.

Anyone with information should call investigators at (813) 231-6130.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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