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Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Cat's escape was like a ‘prison break movie.' Then came a long journey home
A cat's daring escape was like a 'prison break movie' — then came a long journey home. George the outdoor cat was visiting a Florida shelter when he 'broke out of his carrier,' scaled an 8-foot fence and vanished into the woods, Randa Richter, humane programs and public media director for the animal organization, told McClatchy News in an email and phone interview. 'He was able to pop that cage open, and he sprung out of there — gone in seconds,' Bob Beasock, who had been taking care of the cat, told WTVT. George went missing from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Florida, leaving Beasock 'heartbroken.' The cat was at the shelter to get neutered and still had anesthesia in his system when he escaped, making his feat that much more remarkable, the shelter told the TV station. Before going on the run, George had been receiving care from community members within the Lakeland-area neighborhood of Loma Verde. The beloved cat was known for being 'stubborn' and was often found curled up in a chair, SPCA Florida wrote in a news release. After about nearly a week of searching, George popped back up in Loma Verde — about 2.7 miles from where he disappeared. Then came a moment of 'overwhelming relief,' according to the shelter. 'There was George — stretched out in his chair in our carport, looking like he had just returned from a grand adventure,' Beasock wrote in the shelter's release. 'He was a bit thinner, clearly hungry, but otherwise no worse for the wear.' After the heartwarming reunion, George basked in a long nap as a reward for all that he had been though. 'The trek from SPCA Florida to Loma Verde isn't terribly long, but for a cat, it's a formidable journey,' Beasock wrote. 'George would have to cross several busy roads, slip past barking dogs, and circle the vast shores of Lake Victoria — all while recovering from surgery.' The shelter is in Lakeland, a roughly 35-mile drive east from Tampa. 'When we heard the news that this cat navigated almost 3 miles to his house, we were just elated with joy,' Richter said.
Miami Herald
11-04-2025
- Miami Herald
Student walking to school killed by classmate's dad, FL cops say. He's sentenced
A dad dropped his daughter off at high school, then he hit one of her classmates at nearly 75 mph and fled the scene as the 18-year-old died, Florida authorities said. Edgardo Joel Rosado Perez, 42, was charged with vehicular homicide, failure to remain at the scene of a crash involving a death and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, Polk County records show. The Lakeland Ledger reported he pleaded guilty following the incident that claimed the life of 18-year-old Zachariah Clabough and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. 'I would like to apologize before the family,' Perez said in court through an interpreter, according to WTVT. 'It was not intentional. It was a bad decision that I made in my life.' McClatchy News reached out to Perez's attorney for comment April 11 but did not immediately receive a response. 'I want Zachariah to come home, but he can't because he's dead,' said his mom, Barbara Runyon, WTVT reported. 'He's dead because Edgardo killed him.' Perez had just dropped off his daughter at Bartow Senior High School the morning of March 27, 2024, when he got into a minor crash, McClatchy News previously reported. Florida Highway Patrol said he didn't stop after the crash and fled at a high speed while the other driver involved started chasing him. Clabough was walking to school when Perez blew through a stop sign and hit him at nearly 75 mph as the 18-year-old was crossing the street, according to investigators. The force of the impact caused Perez's windshield to cave in, and the airbag deployed, state troopers said. He's accused of not stopping then either. Investigators said he drove home and parked his Hyundai sedan in the garage to avoid detection, then he took another car to the mall until deputies found him there and arrested him. Family wrote in Clabough's obituary that some of his interests included Legos and playing guitar. 'Zach was enjoying life like he usually does,' his brother Hunter Clabough said, according to WTVT. 'Going to school, playing video games. He was there for everybody else. Skateboarding. Hanging out.' Bartow Senior High School's principal, Lance Lawson, said in a statement to McClatchy News that Clabough was 'a quiet, hardworking student who was looking forward to graduation.' Bartow is about a 40-mile drive east from Tampa.
Miami Herald
04-02-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Dog in shelter 100 days had fans ‘rooting' for him to get a home. Then came good news
A dog who spent months living at a shelter built up quite a fan base — but his luck didn't end there. After more than 100 days of waiting for a second chance, Fred the dog finally was adopted in Florida. 'Everyone is so excited that he got adopted,' Regan Blessinger, marketing and content manager for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, told McClatchy News in a Feb. 4 email. 'More than just the staff have been celebrating. A lot of people in the Tampa Bay community were rooting for Fred to find his home so it was a great day!' The shelter shared the heartwarming update after a journey that started in September. Fred landed at the shelter when his past owners suffered medical issues. 'Fred was so happy and goofy,' Blessinger wrote. 'He loved attention and being out, but only for a little bit because he prioritized his nap time!' Over time, Fred also became known for his love of riding in cars. While on one adventure outside the shelter, he enjoyed 'looking at the squirrels' and 'sniffing all the things,' the humane society wrote in a past Facebook post. Then in late January, WTVT reported that Fred — the longest resident at the shelter — needed a new owner to care for his health needs. A family saw him on the news and felt he was the right fit for their home. One of the relatives 'knew Fred was meant to be theirs after waiting 14 months since the loss of their previous dog. When they arrived at the shelter fate took over and the family started bonding,' the animal organization wrote Feb. 3 on Facebook. Then came the good news that the family adopted Fred, ending his time at the humane society. Several social media users congratulated the pup as he settled in with his new owners.
