A man who was tried on a rape charge this week was sentenced to prison Friday. ...more

July 26, 2008

man who was tried on a rape charge this week was sentenced to prison today. Just not for rape. A jury deliberated two hours before finding Steven Vanwart not guilty of sexual battery, false imprisonment and aggravated assault. The 42-month prison sentence came as a result of Vanwart's no contest plea to an identity theft charge. Vanwart, 42, entered the plea Friday while the jury was deliberating the rape charges. Keeping the identity theft charge separate meant jurors considering the rape charges didn't hear some evidence. Among the evidence kept from the panel were booklets investigators found when they searched Vanwart's travel trailer. Among the titles were "Vanishing Point, How to Disappear in America Without a Trace" and "How to Get Lost — and Stay that Way," records show. ...more

July 25, 2008

On the first day of trial Wednesday, jurors heard testimony from a 19-year-old woman who says Steven Vanwart, an acquaintance, raped her while she was pregnant last year. ...more

July 24, 2008

Steven Anthony Vanwart of Land O' Lakes is accused of raping an 18-year-old girl who was four months pregnant. ...more

July 23, 2008

John Michael Meek, a 52-year-old motorcyclist known to friends as Uncle Ugly, was run down purposely and killed by a man driving a white work van, a prosecutor told a jury Wednesday morning. ...more

July 10, 2008

TAMPA - John Michael Meek, a 52-year-old motorcyclist known to friends as Uncle Ugly, purposely was run down and killed by a man driving a white work van, a prosecutor told a jury this morning. ...more

July 9, 2008

A judge is trying to decide whether he will overturn a jury verdict that determined a 21-year-old woman is guilty of child neglect in the drowning of her 9-month-old son. ...more

June 28, 2008

TAMPA - A judge is trying to decide whether he will overturn a jury verdict that determined a 21-year-old woman is guilty of child neglect in the drowning of her 9-month-old son. ...more

June 27, 2008

Citing personal reasons, Harlan Derek Saltsman on Wednesday withdrew from the race for Hernando County Circuit Court Clerk. ...more

June 20, 2008

Citing personal reasons, Harlan Derek Saltsman on Wednesday withdrew from the race for Hernando County Circuit Court Clerk. ...more

June 18, 2008