TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

St. Pete Police Cleared In Killing Of Woman With Carving Fork

ADVERTISEMENT

TBO.com

Published: February 25, 2009

Updated: 02/25/2009 11:07 am

Related Links

• Woman Shot By Police Had Troubled Life

Julie Goodson

Wendy Ott

ST. PETERSBURG - Two St. Petersburg police officers did nothing wrong when they shot and killed a woman who seemed poised to drive a carving fork into another woman, prosecutors have ruled.

Sgt. Joseph Collins and Officer Robert Virant were justified in shooting Julie Goodson, according to a letter written by Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe and addressed to police Chief Chuck Harmon. At the time Goodson, 42, seemed poised to drive a carving fork into the neck of her sometime lover, Wendy Ott, the letter says.

The shooting occurred at 9:35 p.m. Feb. 10 at Ott's residence, 5237 Second Ave. N., the letter says. Goodson, who used to live there, too, had come over at Ott's invitation to have "leftovers," McCabe's letter says. Goodson brought with her a 12-pack of beer, which the two drank.

At some point, Goodson became agitated and blamed Ott for all her problems, the letter says. Goodson had a history of depression and in the past had tried to kill herself, Ott would later tell investigators.

Ott told Goodson to leave, but Goodson refused, the letter says. Ott then decided to leave to avoid a confrontation, but returned because she had forgotten her purse, the letter says.

After Ott returned, Goodson told her, "It was too late; you should have left," the letter says.

Ott grabbed her purse, but Goodson blocked her path and started rummaging through kitchen drawers to find a knife, the letter says.

Ott grabbed the phone in the kitchen and called 911, but Goodson took the phone away and threw it, the letter says. She then got on top of Ott and held the knife to her neck, threatening her, the letter says.

At one point, Goodson ordered Ott to call Ott's stepmother on a cell phone, but there was no answer, the letter says. Then the stepmother called back. Goodson spoke to her briefly and threw the cell phone to the other side of the kitchen, the letter says.

Ott, using a land-line telephone, called 911 again and set the phone next to her, with Goodson on top of her, a knife still in Goodson's hand, the letter says.

As a result of the first 911 call, St. Petersburg police officers were dispatched to Ott's house, the letter says. Two officers, one of them Virant, could hear a female inside who seemed to be in distress, so they burst the door open, the letter says.

Goodson told Ott, "I'm going to kill you, and they will kill me," the letter says.

When officers reached the kitchen, Goodson was on top of Ott holding a knife and large carving fork.

Virant and the other officer, Peter Ware, tried to get her to put the weapons down, but Goodson didn't respond, the letter says. Others officers, including Collins, arrived and tried unsuccessfully to talk to her, the letter says.

In the kitchen, Collins and Virant drew their guns and Ware had his stun gun drawn, the letter says. Goodson had the fork at Ott's neck and her other hand covering Ott's mouth.

Suddenly Goodson moved her buttocks off Ott, muttered a profanity expressing irritation and moved as if she were going to drive the fork into Ott's neck, the letter says. Virant and Collins fired a total of five times, killing Goodson.

All five bullets went through Goodson's body. Collins fired four shots, Virant once, the letter says.

Ott had various abrasions on her neck and hands from the knife and fork, the letter says. She also had a cut by her ear that required five stitches, the letter says.

An autopsy showed Goodson's blood-alcohol percentage was 0.16, the letter says.

In the letter, McCabe said the two officers' actions were justified. Goodson had committed the "forcible felonies" of aggravated battery, aggravated assault and attempted murder, and when Goodson used the profane expression, the officers believed she was going to stab Ott in the neck.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT