PAGE 8 - July 30, 2008
THE NEWSCASTER-Nature Coast News
The Newscaster online: www.newscasterarchives.com
Gainesville man killed in
Celebrity bear moved to zoo
single vehicle crash in Hernando
A 375-pound black bear that captured worldwide attention when a wildlife biologist
rescued it from drowning during a capture attempt will spend the rest of its days in a zoo.
On July 7, less than two weeks after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
A 22-year-old Gainesville man was killed in a single vehicle traffic crash, around 5:00 a.m.,
Commission (FWC) captured and relocated the bear for the third time, the animal turned up
July 26, in Hernando (Citrus County) on C.R. 491 (N. Lecanto Rd.), west of N. Tram road.
again in a residential area at Horseshoe Beach in Dixie County. The bear had traveled 110
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Beau B. Guess was traveling alone in a 2001 Ford
miles from the spot where the FWC had released it in the Osceola National Forest.
pickup truck, when he drove off the roadway onto the south shoulder.
At first, the bear’s captors did not realize it was the same one that dashed into the
Guess attempted to steer back onto the road, but lost control of the vehicle which
water when hit with a tranquilizer dart at Alligator Point in June. The bear, known to the FWC
began to rotate counter clockwise. The vehicle overturned and Guess was ejected from the
as “Bear W007,” probably would have drowned if FWC biologist Adam Warwick had not
vehicle, as he was not restrained. The vehicle came to rest on the south shoulder, facing
pulled the animal back to shore during the operation. A bystander’s photograph of the rescue
west. Guess was thrown 96 feet into a wooded area and expired from his injuries at the scene
ran in news media all over the world.
of the crash. An alcohol test is pending.
Tim Breault, director of the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation,
Crystal River woman charged
said three unsuccessful attempts to relocate the bear to keep it away from populated areas
led officials to conclude the bear cannot remain in the wild.
with grand theft auto
“The bear has learned that populated areas are an easy source of food from garbage
cans, barbecue grills, pet food and, in some cases, deliberate feeding by residents,” he said.
“The potential threat to human safety from this bear is too great to allow it to continue to
On July 26, a deputy with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office filed a report of a stolen
venture into populated areas. This is not a pleasant decision for us to have to make, but it is
vehicle from an apartment complex in Crystal River. Just before 4:00 p.m. the next day, the
what happens when people feed bears or other wildlife.
same deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle at Hunter
“The only alternative was to euthanize the bear,” Breault said, so FWC officials
Springs Park, located at 1 N.W. 1st Ave. in Crystal River, and the tag number matched the
contacted more than 20 zoos and other qualified facilities in a last-ditch effort to find a home
number of the tag on the stolen vehicle. The deputy reported that the vehicle stopped in the
for the animal and spare its life. All but one of the facilities said they could not take in such a
parking lot, and the sole occupant of the car, a woman, exited the car from the driver's door.
large wild animal.
She was later identified as 49-year-old Elizabeth Cecelia Nolan of 462 N.E. 2nd St., Crystal
Wildlife Rescue and Rehab Inc. agreed to take the bear Wednesday morning. They
River. The deputy asked for Nolan's identification. She said she did not have any identifica-
have made arrangements to have the bear kept at the Hardee County Animal Refuge.
tion, but that her name Linda Slaughter and her date of birth of was June 15, 1964 (her actual
date of birth is June 14, 1959).
When asked if the vehicle belonged to her, Nolan replied, no, it belonged to her
friend, Michael, who was in jail, the report stated. She said, the night he went to jail, he gave
her the keys to his vehicle and permission to use it. She wrote a sworn statement using the
name, Linda Slaughter. The deputy placed Nolan under arrest for grand theft auto and hand-
cuffed her. She then told the deputy that she'd given a false name and that her name was
Elizabeth Nolan.
During a routine search of the vehicle, the officer located Nolan's purse which
contained a small plastic bag that contained a white residue, a spoon with a white powdery
residue and a small plastic bottle with a hole melted into the side which emitted the odor of
cannabis. Nolan said that she'd crafted the bottle into a pipe.
While en route to the Citrus County Detention Facility, Nolan stated that she'd gone
to the park to swim and planned to take the victim's vehicle back to his residence, that night,
as she knew he would be getting out of jail the next day.
The report stated that Nolan's license had been suspended indefinately on Jan. 2,
2004, for failure to pay traffic fines, and had also been suspended on Oct. 29, 2002 for 60
months as an habitual traffic offender. Nolan was charged with knowingly driving while
This photo which shows Adam Warwick recuing a black bear, originally ran in The News-
license suspended, cancelled or revoked ($500 bond); theft of an auto, bus or truck ($2000
caster in the July 2, 2008 issue.Photo by Becky Bickerstaff
bond); resisting an officer without violence ($500 bond); and drug paraphernalia to inject,
ingest, inhale or introduce ($500 bond).
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Inglis Police Dept. Recent Arrests
“Your Plans or Ours”
July 22 - Danielle Genova of Inglis - Domestic Battery - Arresting Officer: Tim
Swiggett July 23 - Grant Weller of Inglis - Levy County Warrant for Battery on victim 65 years
of age or older - Arresting Officer: Tim Swiggett -- Acting Chief Brandon S. Roberts Acting
Antique Furniture Refinishing
Chief / Narcotics K-9
Bookcases
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