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Ammonia Leak Punishment - Readers Weigh In

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

A lawyer representing the 16-year-old boy authorities say was burned Nov. 12 when he punctured an ammonia pipeline in Riverview while looking for money, said he hopes people will "take a deep breath" and allow the boy to recover before pursuing a criminal case. Officials said two other youngsters also were involved. Here are some opinions readers offered online. The South Shore News & Tribune wants to hear from you. To read local forums or post your own, go to Southshore.tbo.com and click the "Forums" link.

"If it were my son his fanny would need time to heal."

Posted by Midnight

"Apparently all of you have forgotten the adventure of being a kid and building forts or digging for treasure. If he wasn't intentionally trying to break a pipe and just hit it with a shovel while digging for treasure, then I hope his parents take some time to explain about how he needs to be careful. If he was being malicious then punishment is in order. Give him a break, you don't know what happened and he is 16. People need to lighten up. He could have been killed and he very probably did serious damage to his lungs permanently."

Posted by Daavvid

"If these kids don't get any punishment, they will just learn that no matter how bad things can get, there will never be any consequences. They will just take it to the next level next time, maybe with deadly consequences. Other stupid kids will also learn the same lesson. Do whatever you want. You can always say 'I'm sorry. I'm just a kid' and move on. I did some stupid things when I was a kid. However, I got punished and learned."

Posted by Szamp

"Please, give this family a break. This young man will never forget the mistake he made. He will have the scars on his body to never let him forget it, as well as his lungs that are now damaged. You need to remember, some day you may need to be forgiven for something. You must forgive to be forgiven."

Posted by Herring

"I still want to know what the clowns who oversee these pipes had planned if the pipe ever broke. That pipe has exposed lengths - no one was concerned about high pressure ammonia? This drilled hole caused a big evacuation and it took two days to stop it. It sounds like the whole ammonia pipe system and emergency planning was one big" mistake.

Posted by Willis

"Can anyone guess how many miles of exposed pipeline there are just in Hillsborough County? Not just ammonia, but fuel oil, gasoline, natural gas and even just exposed water lines. Name just about any liquid commodity and it is carried somewhere, sometime by pipeline. No problem if it's just extra virgin olive oil. Hillsborough County has a pretty-good Haz-Mat team. But when you have to fly in a consultant from Texas to deal with something as basic as an ammonia leak, makes me go hmmmm."

Posted by blackrainbow

"Where did any news story state that the boy was 'digging' for treasure? He was using a drill. Why would anyone in their right mind drill into a pipeline of any type looking for buried treasure? This whole story sounds like a lot of spin from his lawyer who is trying to set up a defense. Anyone who thinks this story is true should revisit their mode of thinking."

Posted by DennyCrane

"This is a 16-year-old who endangered thousands of lives with an incredibly irresponsible and criminal act. And his lawyer mouthpiece says 'there was no intent to commit a criminal act.' Well here's a news flash for you Mr. Lawyer: a criminal is someone who commits a criminal act and your client fits that criteria. You people who want to send him to bed early for a week and buy him a new Xbox, wake up!"

Posted by jb71187

"Digging for treasure? At his age? When I was 16, I was pretending to be Jose Gaspar. I was indoors slaying orcs and trolls in a Dungeons and Dragons game. This boy needs to grow up."

Posted by Sotamper

"Let him recover. That is not asking too much. However, he has a debt to pay for his stupidity. The state will be waiting for him when he recovers. This kind of act cannot be ignored and should serve as an example for future so-called 'treasure hunters.'"

Posted by Robertj1954

"They are old enough to know what private property is and old enough to know what destruction of private property is. Whether they are actually prosecuted will be something else."

Posted by Mamkmm2

"Digging for treasure? He is 16, 8. He drilled into a hazardous materials pipe, which is labeled, by the way. Perhaps he needs to spend more time in school and pay attention. I don't claim to be perfect by any means, but I don't remember being that stupid when I was that age, and I was 'edumicated' in Polk County."

Posted by McFire

"He needs time all right, lots of it behind bars. I am surprised that he is still alive. Do I feel sorry for the idiot? No, he put too many other lives at stake."

Posted by Todu385

"Let the kid heal, then prosecute. He did a bonehead thing, and he needs to learn before he does it again. Hey kid, life is about a lot more that money!"

Posted by Twomooses

"I like this kid. He's got guts. I would want him in my foxhole. He did not cut and run. He received injuries for his mistake and will never forget this. He is just a boy right now. The Marines are always looking for a few good men. Let this boy have a chance. He is different. My bet is he will make one hell of a soldier and make his country proud. Many who want him locked up may one day find this guy saving your own life. A young man with this kind of guts would be that kind of grown man."

Posted by Dzeien

"Yep, let's go after the head of a 16-year-old kid. We can just let the rapist, killers and child molesters go free. We want justice. What a shame that this is what humanity has been reduced to."

Posted by Dravensgift

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