Police call carbon monoxide death an accident, ask that no charges be pursued against neighbor who left car on for hours

By Marissa Lang and Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writers
Posted: Sep 16, 2011 02:33 PM

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TAMPA â€" Tampa Police recommended no charges be filed in the death of 23-year-old Rebecca Hawk, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning earlier this month.

On Thursday, Tampa Police homicide detectives met with senior prosecutors from the State Attorney's Office and determined the carbon monoxide poisoning was a "tragic accident," not a crime, according to a the Police Department.

Hawk, who worked as a child protective investigator with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, died of carbon monoxide poisoning after accidentally inhaling the fumes.

Her neighbor, Andrew Grywalski, 22, had left a car running in the garage, which was adjacent to Hawk's bedroom.

The car was running for about 11 hours, police said.

Hawk's roommate Kashaunda Joyner, 20, was hospitalized for carbon monoxide exposure on September 2 after waking up sick and then passing out several times as she tried to call for help.

She finally got through to 911 by 9:27 that morning, but by the time police arrived at the scene, Hawk was already dead.

State Attorney's Office spokesman Mark Cox said police "weren't asking for any charges" during the Thursday meeting.

"They were of the opinion it was clearly an accident," Cox said.

[Last modified: Sep 16, 2011 02:33 PM]

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