DOCUMENT: Crime

In The Stall With Those Cheerleaders

Witnesses's oral statements chronicle encounter at "Banana Joe's"

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In The Stall With Those Cheerleaders

FEBRUARY 1--It's taken three months, but we've finally obtained a complete copy of the police report detailing witness accounts of what allegedly happened between those two Carolina Panther cheerleaders in the bathroom of a Tampa nightclub last November.

Responding to an open records request, Hillsborough County prosecutors have provided TSG with statements of three female witnesses who told cops what they saw transpire between Angela Keathley, 26, and Victoria Renee Thomas, 21, in the Banana Joe's loo.

The statements, previously withheld by Tampa cops, tell of moaning, "going down," and eyes rolling back into one woman's head as Keathley and Thomas allegedly cavorted in a bathroom stall--much to the consternation of a long line of women waiting to use the facilities. In fact, the cheerleader antics resulted in catcalls of "bitches" and "whores" from steamed patrons.

According to prosecutors, upon exiting the stall, Thomas (pictured at left) punched one of the waiting patrons, Melissa Holden, in the face and Keathley got rowdy when cops arrived to break up the brawl. Last week, Keathley pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and obstructing a police officer and was sentenced to six months probation on the misdemeanors.

Thomas is facing more serious charges, including a misdemeanor battery count and a felony rap for providing a false name to a law enforcement officer. When she was arrested, an "extremely intoxicated" Thomas gave her name as that of a fellow Panthers cheerleader, Kristen Owen, 22. Thomas also provided cops with a North Carolina drivers license issued to Owen, whom she resembles.

At the time of the incident, Thomas (who is referred to as Owen in the witness statements) was 20 and would presumably have needed ID showing her to be old enough to enter a bar. (6 pages)