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Police Shoot Woman As She Fought Lover

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON

sthompson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 12, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG - A handy- woman's difficult life came to an end Tuesday night when she was shot by two St. Petersburg police officers as she appeared to be on the verge of plunging a large barbecue fork into her sometimes lover.

One of the officers, Sgt. Joseph Collins, repeatedly told Julie Goodson to put the fork down, but she refused, St. Petersburg police said. When she pulled the fork back, as if she were about to drive it into her on-again, off-again girlfriend, both Collins and the other officer, Robert Virant, fired, said St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

Goodson, 42, died on the kitchen floor. Wendy Ott, 44, was taken to a local hospital to be treated for wounds to her left hand, head, left side and neck, Proffitt said. She was not admitted.

The confrontation occurred at Ott's house, at 5237 Second Ave. N., Proffitt said.

At 20, Goodson was a single mother. Her landlord said Goodson had two children - a 21-year-old son now in the military and a girl in her teens living with her father locally.

On Tuesday, shortly after 8 p.m., St. Petersburg police received a 911 call from Ott's house, but the caller hung up, Proffitt said. A dispatcher called back and heard "crashing sounds, people yelling, and the sounds of someone in distress" over the telephone, Proffitt said.

Sgt. Collins and several officers showed up, heard an ongoing struggle inside and, thinking someone's life was in danger, burst through the front door, Proffitt said. They found Goodson holding Ott on the floor of the kitchen, clutching a large barbecue fork to her throat and threatening her, Proffitt said.

When she pulled the fork back, apparently to drive it into Ott, Collins and Virant fired, Proffitt said.

Collins, 57, has been with the agency for 15 years. Virant, 37, has been with the agency for less than two years. They are on administrative leave pending several investigations, which is routine.

News Channel 8 reporter Yolanda Fernandez contributed to this report. Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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