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Son of vet pulls gun on VA guards

The Sheriff's Office says a dispute over his parking in the clinic's fire lane escalated.

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 23, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - A dispute over where he had parked his van led a 29-year-old man to pull a handgun on security guards at the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic on Tuesday afternoon.

It appears the gun went off while the three unarmed guards wrestled to subdue the man, Pasco sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said. No one was hurt.

Michael A. Phillips, owner of Pasco Plumbing, parked his plumbing van in the fire lane of the clinic about 2 p.m. as he waited for his father, a Vietnam veteran, Doll said. When a guard told Phillips he couldn't wait there, they got into an argument.

The dispute escalated when Phillips refused to leave, Doll said. Then Phillips sped away, nearly hitting a guard with the van.

As Phillips waited to pull out of the clinic parking lot into traffic on Little Road, the uniformed guards approached his van, Doll said. Phillips got out holding a 9mm handgun.

The guards were able to subdue Phillips, Doll said. But the gun went off during the scuffle and the bullet went into the parking lot.

The guards turned Phillips, of 6641 Deeb St. in Port Richey, over to sheriff's deputies who soon arrived.

Phillips faces charges of reckless display of a firearm, aggravated battery and aggravated assault. He was to be booked into the county jail Tuesday evening.

A Sheriff's Office report said Phillips received a firearms carry permit in January.

A bumper sticker on the back of his van states: I (picture of a heart) MY (picture of an assault rifle).

[Last modified February 23, 2005, 00:35:16]