Respect and honor followed by ambivalence during soldier's funeral

Update
Deputy injured during funeral procession for soldier
By GEORGE H. NEWMAN The Tampa Tribune
A Hillsborough County motorcycle deputy, working in the procession escort for Sgt. David A. Croft Jr., was hit by a pickup truck that cut into the procession line, causing serious injury to the deputy.

The accident occurred near the tail end of the procession at Reynolds Street West and John Martin Street, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The deputy – identified as Daryl Bowden, 55, a 10-year veteran – was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said.

The driver of the pickup – identified as Shannon Lima-Jones, 40, of Crystal Springs – received numerous citations: one charging her with failure to yield to a funeral procession, another with failure to yield the right of way and a third for having no insurance.

At about 3:25 p.m., Lima-Jones, who was at the wheel of a 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck, darted out of the parking lot of a Dairy Queen and cut into the funeral procession line, the sheriff's office said. Once in the line, she decided to turn left to get out of the procession line, driving into the path of the motor unit accompanying the funeral procession, deputies said.
Deputy injured during funeral procession for soldier

It is heartening so many people showed up to honor Sgt. Croft Jr and his family. Reports of his arrival at McDill, followed by the procession to the funeral home and then a couple of hundred people showing up for the funeral itself is very touching. The Patriot Guard Riders along with members of the Nam Knights stood in honor of this brave fallen soldier. What came after showed that while, thank God, there are more people caring about our men and women in the military, there are a few with absolutely no regard for them or anyone else.

Emotional homecoming for Plant City soldier
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Sgt. David Croft, Jr. was supposed to be coming home from his deployment Thursday.

Instead, family and friends, now pay their respects.

A procession for the 22-year-old of Plant City traveled from MacDill Air Force Base to downtown Tampa and on to eastern Hillsborough County Wednesday.

Croft was killed earlier this month in Baghdad by a improvised explosive device.

His body was flown to MacDill Air Force Base early Wednesday morning.

Croft's older sister, Robin, an Air Force reservist, reminisced about her brother.

"I just want people to know that David was an awesome person, he had a great personality he enjoyed life, he lived his life to the fullest," she said.
go here for more and touching videoEmotional homecoming for Plant City soldier

What a difference this is from what happened after

Woman hits deputy's car in Plant City funeral procession
By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jan 23, 2010 07:01 PM


PLANT CITY — A woman exiting a Plant City Dairy Queen cut through a soldier's funeral procession and struck a deputy's car, sending the deputy to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Saturday afternoon, Hillsborough County deputies assisted with the funeral procession of Sgt. David A. Croft Jr., who was killed in Iraq on Jan. 5 after insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.

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Woman hits deputys car in Plant City funeral procession