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Man Who Led Officials On Chase Convicted On Firearms Charge

TBO.com photo by SCOTT BUTHERUS

Damien Howard was arrested after a March 23 chase ended with a crash.

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TBO.com

Published: October 17, 2008

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  Damien Howard

A Clearwater man who led law enforcement on 30-minute chase through Pinellas County was found guilty today of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Damien Howard, 30, is facing 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12.

Police responded to a call of shots fired near Carroll Street on March 23. They saw a gray Dodge Durango leaving the scene and tried to stop Howard, the driver, police said.

He nearly struck Clearwater police cruisers, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Howard headed into Dunedin, and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office picked up the chase.

The Durango headed back into Clearwater, with deputies following and Clearwater police officers blocking intersections. Police deployed tire deflation devices on Belcher Road, but the Dodge didn't stop. The vehicle ran over a second deflation device at Belcher Road and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and hit a traffic control box at North Belcher Road and Northeast Coachman Road about 12:40 a.m., investigators said.

Investigators found a loaded 9-mm gun in the vehicle. Howard's minor injuries were treated at a hospital and he was taken to jail, investigators said.

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