Serving Time In Hernando County

Steve is off probation. It was a shorter period of time than what had been handed down by the judge. It appears he failed a drug “piss test” then failed to appear for a court date, a double dose of violation of probation.

He had no intention of turning himself to the sheriff’s office and avoided the eventual arrest by not going to work, which they had from court records. They hadn’t been able to locate him at the latest known place of residency because he had moved out, staying with a friend, but there came a day when he made a venture to return to work although he was well aware of the consequences.

So, he’s back in jail after just three months of the initial sentencing of probation for forging a doctor prescription. Steve had speculated that with the latest run-in with the law he might be sentenced to perhaps eight months of prison. To him, this would be acceptable because, when released, it would coincide perfectly with a planned move to Indiana for a job in a unionized company. He’d start out at about the same pay he made locally in his masonry job, but the benefits were exceptional including a company contribution into a 401k and a full array of medical coverage.

A big problem with that scenario is that he could actually be incarcerated for up to two years. His court date is coming up shortly.

Patrick is also off probation. Again, it was a shorter period of time than his sentencing dictated. He chose the two years of house arrest instead of accepting the judge’s recommendation of serving an eight-month prison term and be done with the whole affair. The judge was given an assurance from Patrick’s girlfriend that she would help him through the twenty months of relative confinement. Two months later and she should be deemed in contempt of court.

Failure to make a court-mandated payment and he’s now in jail, possibly facing his own two-year prison sentence. His most likely sharing time with Steve. There’s also a good possibility there’s a reunion of fellow small time drug users and abusers, caught with possession, driving under the influence with a suspended license, or any combination thereof plus array of other infractions.

Elizabeth is a different story. She spent a couple nights in jail waiting for someone to post bail for driving under the influence. She avoided possession by relaying the goodies to a passenger/friend. She was so out of it the first night in jail that, while sitting against a cell wall, she fell forward, breaking a front tooth.

This happened within a week of her 21st birthday and a week prior to a planned move to live with grandparents in Michigan. It was a six-week delay until a private lawyer and a few thousand dollars put her back on the route to get out of Spring Hill, FL.

Eight months later she made a trip back to Hernando County to pick up some personal items she had left behind. She planned to buy a car to haul more than just a few mementoes. Come to find out she had primarily come back to party. A month turned into two. Again, just a matter of days before heading back to grandma & grandpa she found herself once again in jail. Out of three carloads of friends, she was the only one left behind in Ybor City because she had strayed into the maddening crowd and failed to show up by a predetermined departure time. Her version of events put everyone else at fault.

She ended up having to take a taxi back to Spring Hill, claiming that a police officer put her in the cab knowing full well she had no means to pay for the ride. When back to Hernando County, her recollection is unclear but the driver says she did what is called a “theft of service” – she tried to scoot away to avoid payment of the transportation fees.

After another month’s delay she had boxed and shipped her belongings up north. For the time being she’s doing well, having gotten a fast food job and enrolled in a community college. She now has the opportunity to take steps toward a safe, productive life after four years of un-common sense with the money she received when both her parents passed away – same year, different cancers.

Elizabeth is very fortunate to have family that truly loves and cares for her well-being. She’s not surprised that Steve and Patrick are once again in conflict with the law – it’s inherent with living in Hernando County. She’s so relieved that she prompts others to get out of Spring Hill – way too many drugs to compensate for the lack of entertainment, limited opportunities for success and too few people who can truly be considered friends.