St. Pete Police Search For Man After Service Dog Found In Traffic

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – St. Petersburg Police detectives are investigating the disappearance of a Tampa man after his service dog was found wandering in traffic on the west end of the Gandy Bridge.

Joseph Andrew Phillips, 54, of 6501 Orient Road, Tampa, has been missing for more than a week. He has a medical condition that requires regular medication, detectives say.

Phillips went to Gandy Beach with a group of friends on Saturday, March 31. During the beach outing, he lost his cell phone and was left alone with his service dog, Trouble.

Since then, family and friends have not heard from him. He was supposed to fly to his home state on April 6 but never made the flight.

Phillips was last seen in the late afternoon or early evening hours at Gandy Beach on the south side of Gandy Boulevard. Trouble is his constant companion so it's especially worrying to family and friends that the dog was found running in traffic Sunday, April 1, without Phillips.

Detectives are asking anyone who had contact with Phillips or Trouble between March 31 and April 1 to contact Detective Anthony Scarpati of the St. Petersburg Police Robbery/Homicide Unit at (727) 582-5808.

Images via St. Pete Police