FA, US COAST GUARD
PERSIAN GULF
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy. Killed in the line of duty. At 11:43 p.m., April 20, 2004, Deputy David Abella was responding to a call at the Radiant Food Store located at Causeway and 50th street regarding a trespasser. Deputy Abella was southbound on 50th street at an undetermined speed, at 12th avenue south, a semi tractor-trailer was also southbound on 50th street at a slow rate of speed. It appears Deputy Abella observed the tractor-trailer and swerved to avoid striking the rear of the slow moving truck. Deputy Abella's vehicle struck the right curb, he lost control of the vehicle, striking a utility pole, spun and came to rest against a second utility pole.
Deputies responded and extinguished a small fire in the vehicle. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived and extricated Deputy Abella from the vehicle. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital where he expired at 1:46 a.m.
Deputy Abella was the son of David and Pamela Abella of Temple Terrace, FL. In addition to his parents he is survived by his wife, Angela; son, Shawn; two daughters, Alissa and Alexis, all of Plant City; brother, Vincent Abella of Plant City; sister, Amanda Abella of Temple Terrace; paternal grandmother, Hortensia Abella of Tampa; maternal grandparents, Floyd and Marion Howard of Plant City. A lifelong resident of the Tampa area, after graduating from Plant City High School, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years. After leaving the Coast Guard he was chief engineer for Seabulk Towing Co. before joining the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on 7/7/03.
PERSIAN GULF
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy. Killed in the line of duty. At 11:43 p.m., April 20, 2004, Deputy David Abella was responding to a call at the Radiant Food Store located at Causeway and 50th street regarding a trespasser. Deputy Abella was southbound on 50th street at an undetermined speed, at 12th avenue south, a semi tractor-trailer was also southbound on 50th street at a slow rate of speed. It appears Deputy Abella observed the tractor-trailer and swerved to avoid striking the rear of the slow moving truck. Deputy Abella's vehicle struck the right curb, he lost control of the vehicle, striking a utility pole, spun and came to rest against a second utility pole.
Deputies responded and extinguished a small fire in the vehicle. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived and extricated Deputy Abella from the vehicle. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital where he expired at 1:46 a.m.
Deputy Abella was the son of David and Pamela Abella of Temple Terrace, FL. In addition to his parents he is survived by his wife, Angela; son, Shawn; two daughters, Alissa and Alexis, all of Plant City; brother, Vincent Abella of Plant City; sister, Amanda Abella of Temple Terrace; paternal grandmother, Hortensia Abella of Tampa; maternal grandparents, Floyd and Marion Howard of Plant City. A lifelong resident of the Tampa area, after graduating from Plant City High School, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years. After leaving the Coast Guard he was chief engineer for Seabulk Towing Co. before joining the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on 7/7/03.
FA, US COAST GUARD
PERSIAN GULF
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy. Killed in the line of duty. At 11:43 p.m., April 20, 2004, Deputy David Abella was responding to a call at the Radiant Food Store located at Causeway and 50th street regarding a trespasser. Deputy Abella was southbound on 50th street at an undetermined speed, at 12th avenue south, a semi tractor-trailer was also southbound on 50th street at a slow rate of speed. It appears Deputy Abella observed the tractor-trailer and swerved to avoid striking the rear of the slow moving truck. Deputy Abella's vehicle struck the right curb, he lost control of the vehicle, striking a utility pole, spun and came to rest against a second utility pole.
Deputies responded and extinguished a small fire in the vehicle. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived and extricated Deputy Abella from the vehicle. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital where he expired at 1:46 a.m.
Deputy Abella was the son of David and Pamela Abella of Temple Terrace, FL. In addition to his parents he is survived by his wife, Angela; son, Shawn; two daughters, Alissa and Alexis, all of Plant City; brother, Vincent Abella of Plant City; sister, Amanda Abella of Temple Terrace; paternal grandmother, Hortensia Abella of Tampa; maternal grandparents, Floyd and Marion Howard of Plant City. A lifelong resident of the Tampa area, after graduating from Plant City High School, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years. After leaving the Coast Guard he was chief engineer for Seabulk Towing Co. before joining the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on 7/7/03.
PERSIAN GULF
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy. Killed in the line of duty. At 11:43 p.m., April 20, 2004, Deputy David Abella was responding to a call at the Radiant Food Store located at Causeway and 50th street regarding a trespasser. Deputy Abella was southbound on 50th street at an undetermined speed, at 12th avenue south, a semi tractor-trailer was also southbound on 50th street at a slow rate of speed. It appears Deputy Abella observed the tractor-trailer and swerved to avoid striking the rear of the slow moving truck. Deputy Abella's vehicle struck the right curb, he lost control of the vehicle, striking a utility pole, spun and came to rest against a second utility pole.
Deputies responded and extinguished a small fire in the vehicle. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived and extricated Deputy Abella from the vehicle. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital where he expired at 1:46 a.m.
Deputy Abella was the son of David and Pamela Abella of Temple Terrace, FL. In addition to his parents he is survived by his wife, Angela; son, Shawn; two daughters, Alissa and Alexis, all of Plant City; brother, Vincent Abella of Plant City; sister, Amanda Abella of Temple Terrace; paternal grandmother, Hortensia Abella of Tampa; maternal grandparents, Floyd and Marion Howard of Plant City. A lifelong resident of the Tampa area, after graduating from Plant City High School, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years. After leaving the Coast Guard he was chief engineer for Seabulk Towing Co. before joining the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on 7/7/03.
