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Largo Police Officer Cleared In Fatal Shooting Of Man

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2008

LARGO - A Largo police sergeant did nothing wrong this month when he fatally shot a man who appeared to be reaching for a weapon, the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office concluded.

Sgt. Frank Parr fired four times at Vincent J. Esposito about 4:30 a.m. Oct. 3 in the 1200 block of Ridge Road, according to a letter from State Attorney Bernie McCabe to Largo police Chief Lester Aradi.

Esposito, a 41-year-old Oldsmar man, had been involved in a brief relationship with a woman named Lisa Walters, but it had soured by June, and Esposito blamed a woman who lived near where he was killed, according to the Oct. 17 letter.

The woman was a mutual friend, Renee Colacchio, who introduced the pair in April. Esposito thought Colacchio had given Walters advice as to how to deal with him, the letter says, and he sent angry e-mails and made phone calls to Colacchio to that effect.

Over the past several months, Colacchio's home and vehicle had been vandalized, and on Oct. 3 a neighbor heard noises outside her home at 809 14th Ave. S.W., the letter says. To neighbor Paul Conley, the "plink plink" noises sounded like someone was shooting a pellet or BB gun at the house, the letter says.

Conley grabbed a decorative dagger from his wall and went outside to investigate, the letter says. There he saw Esposito and confronted him, and Esposito ran off, the letter says.

Conley called 911 on his cell phone and gave chase, the letter says. Conley caught up with Esposito, the letter says. Esposito removed what appeared to be a gun and held it at his side, and Conley told him to stay put until police arrived.

At that point, Esposito started walking toward Conley with the gun in his hand at his side, the letter says. Conley raised his dagger and pointed it at Esposito, telling him to get back, and Esposito ran off again, this time hopping a fence and running to a motorcycle parked in the yard of a business at 1203 Ridge Road.

Largo police, when told that Esposito was armed, soon arrived, the letter says. About the time Parr arrived, Esposito was on his motorcycle trying to start it, the letter says.

Here accounts vary, McCabe says in the letter.

Parr said Esposito was slowly kneeling on the ground when it appeared he quickly reached for the side of his motorcycle, the letter says. Parr thought he was reaching for a gun and fired four times in rapid succession, hitting Esposito three times.

Conley, however, told investigators that Esposito was on his motorcycle when he reached for his waistband, which caused the sergeant to fire, the letter says. Conley said Esposito then got off the motorcycle, put the kickstand down and then got on the ground, the letter says.

Officer John Sinni had another rendition, the letter says. He saw Esposito on the ground, as Parr did, but he said Esposito had his hands in the vicinity of his midsection or waist, the letter says.

"Although these inconsistencies exist, each variation would lead us to reach the same conclusion with regard to this investigation," McCabe wrote.

A pellet pistol was found tucked in Esposito's waist after he was shot.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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