Man's body found in burned home in Holiday

ST. PETERSBURG

Aiming pellet gun leads to arrest

An officer fired at, but did not hit, a man Sunday night after police say he pointed what turned out to be a pellet gun at them. St. Petersburg police said officers were called to 155 Fifth Ave. S about 6:49 p.m. on a report of a fight. A man there told officers that another man, later identified as Shawn J. Culberson, 47, had "sucker punched" him. The men had a disagreement over a woman. The man directed officers to Culberson's home, 144 Delmar Terrace S. As officers approached, Culberson appeared in the doorway with a gun and pointed it at them, police said. Officer Jonathan Reeves, 27, fired once at Culberson, who was not hit and retreated into his house. Culberson came out later and gave up. He was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

CLEARWATER

Police find man, 22, dead in road

Police said they were conducting a homicide investigation Sunday after finding a 22-year-old man dead in a road. Shortly after midnight, police got a call about a person being down in the 100 block of S Greenwood Avenue. Officers discovered the body of Jason Taylor Paul, of Clearwater. They said he had suffered upper-body trauma, but did not elaborate.

HOLIDAY

Man's body found in burned home

Pasco County sheriff's deputies were investigating the death of a man whose body was found inside a house that had caught fire Sunday. Firefighters responded around 6 a.m. to a fire at 2641 Flintwood Drive in Holiday. Upon searching the house, they found the body, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said. The fire does not appear suspicious and the body appeared to be that of a homeless man, authorities said. Investigators got in touch with the homeowners, who said nobody should have been at the residence. The name of the victim has not been released. The fire appears to have started in the kitchen, the Sheriff's Office said, and left damage throughout the house. The fire marshal is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

HUDSON

Unidentified man found in canal

The Pasco County Medical Examiner's Office was investigating the cause of death of a man found dead in a canal Saturday afternoon. Someone called the Coast Guard around 4 p.m. to report a body floating near Hudson Beach. The Sheriff's Office said Sunday there were no obvious signs of foul play, but the medical examiner was investigating to confirm the man's identity and find the cause of death.

ORLANDO

UF police officer dies in crash

A University of Florida police officer died after losing control of his pickup on rainy East-West Expressway. Jean-Guy Deffense's truck was on a curve when it rolled over and hit a metal light pole and landed on its roof Friday. Florida Highway Patrol officials said the 43-year-old died. His passenger was not hurt. Both were wearing seat belts. Deffense had been with the university police for more than four years. He was not on duty at the time of the crash.

Times staff, wires