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on Friday, August 26, 2005<BR> in the St. Petersburg Times <BR><BR> <h3 align="center"> Driver who led chase is convicted </h3><em>The Naples man now faces a murder charge in the death of a highway patrol trooper in Columbia County. </em> <p align="justify">INVERNESS - A jury found Gregory Hampton Platt guilty of nine of 10 charges in connection with a high-speed chase that ended in Citrus County. <p align="justify">The verdict in the two-day trial came just before 7 p.m. Wednesday after more than two hours of deliberation. <p align="justify">Platt, 32, of Naples was found guilty of two counts of aggravated battery. He was also convicted of eluding arrest, resisting a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, possessing cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and leaving the scene of an accident. He was acquitted of a charge of battery. <p align="justify">Platt faces a second-degree murder charge and others in Columbia County in connection with the death of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. <p align="justify">Law enforcement officials say Platt led Sgt. George A. "Andy" Brown III, 54, on a chase through Columbia County after Brown tried to stop him for speeding near Lake City. During the chase, Brown's patrol car went off the road, hit a tree and killed him. <p align="justify">Later that day, a trooper in Levy County spotted Platt's vehicle and tried to stop him. The chase continued into Citrus County, where authorities apprehended him and his passenger, Kelly Smith, 25, also of Naples. <p align="justify"><p align="justify">Much of the testimony in the trial came from state and local law enforcement officers involved in the April 2004 chase. The officers gave detailed explanations of the chase, which began near Inglis and ended on State Road 44 in Citrus County. Nine bailiffs stood watch Wednesday night as Platt was fingerprinted and led out of the courtroom. Platt's attorney, Robert Christensen, said he thought the extra security had to do with Platt's pending murder charge. <p align="justify">Platt is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 26 by Circuit Judge Ric Howard. </td></tr></table> <P><hr width="90%" align="center"></p> <p align="center"> <a class="link4" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/News/Related/Aug2005.htm"> FHP In The News August 2005</a> </p> <p align="center"> <a class="link4" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/News/Related/"> FHP Related News Articles</a> </p> <p align="center"> <a class="link4" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/News/"> FHP In The News</a> </p> <!--END PAGE--> <center> </td> </tr> </table> <!--END FHP CONTENT TABLE--> <!-- END FHP CONTENT --> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#333366"><img src="p3_spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> </td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#6b79a5"> <!--BEGIN FHP FOOTER TABLE--> <table class="dark" width="100%"> <tr> <td align="left"> <a class="FHPfooterlink" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/fhpstations.htm"> FHP Station Address & Phone Numbers</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; </td> <td align="right"> <a class="FHPfooterlink" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/Mission.htm"> Mission</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a class="FHPfooterlink" href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/misc/SiteMap.htm"> Site Map</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; </td></tr></table> <hr width="100%" class="HR1"> <!--END FHP FOOTER TABLE--> <!-- Begin Footer Table --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td width="156">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" class="footer"><a href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/overview.html" class="footerlink" title="Link to About Us">About Us</a> | <a href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/privacy_policy.html" class="footerlink" title="Link to Privacy Statement">Privacy Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/Disclaimer.htm" class="footerlink" title="Link to Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a> | <a href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/offices/" class="footerlink" title="Link to Office Locations">Office Locations</a> | <a href="http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/contact.html" class="footerlink" title="Link to Contact Us">Contact Us</a><br> Copyright &copy;2005 State of Florida <br> </td> <td width="156"></td> </tr> </table> <a href="#top"><img src="images/p3_spacer.gif" alt="Return to Top" width="2" height="2" border="0"></a><!-- End Footer Table --></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>