TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Woman Kept In Van By Police Acquitted Of Original Charge

ADVERTISEMENT

By STEPHEN THOMPSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2009

Francesca Fretta

CLEARWATER - A 21-year-old woman whose attorney says was kept in a transport van for 45 minutes while a St. Petersburg police officer went to lunch was found not guilty today of the charges that landed her in custody in the first place.

After a one-day trial, a jury found Francesca Fretta not guilty of the misdemeanor charge of refusing to sign a traffic citation.

According to court records and Fretta's attorney, the Port Richey woman was pulled over for speeding last year by St. Petersburg police officer John Douglas. When Fretta pointed out that Douglas had gotten the make of her vehicle wrong on the ticket – he jotted down Hyundai, she drives a Daewoo – he arrested her, said the attorney, John Trevena.

The speeding ticket has been dismissed.

Meanwhile, administrators at the St. Petersburg Police Department are looking into the actions of another officer, Sandra Minor.

After Douglas arrested her, Fretta passed out and was sent to Edward White Hospital, where it was discovered she suffered from a diabetic condition, Trevena said. Upon her release, she was put in a transport van handcuffed and shackled, and she was kept there for roughly 45 minutes by Minor, who was driving the van, while Minor went to lunch, Trevena said.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT