| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: VICK, BRYAN 0684 (AR13-6997) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: MS BUZZELL, OF THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00), TO WIT: $800.00 WITH THE INTENT TO EITHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE THE VICTIM OF A RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OR A BENEFIT THEREOF, OR DID APPROPRIATE THE SAID PROPERTY TO HIS OWN USE OR THE USE OF ANY PERSON NOT ENTITLED THERETO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTES 812.014(2)(C)(1). ON 082313, AT 1536 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO 7971 EAST GATOR COURT, INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A THEFT WHICH HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. UPON MY ARRIVAL AT 1549 HOURS, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM/COMPLAINANT, MS CRYSTAL BUZZELL. SHE ADVISED THAT A NEW ACQUAINTANCE HAD BEEN OVER DURING THE DAY, AND THEY HAD BEEN DRINKING ALCOHOL. THE VICTIM STATED THAT AT ONE POINT, SHE HAD LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AND UPON WAKING, HER ACQUAINTANCE, LATER IDENTIFIED AS THE DEFENDANT, MR THOMAS DEHART, WAS GONE. THE VICTIM STATED THAT UPON RETRIEVING HER PURSE FORM THE BATHROOM, SHE FOUND THAT APPROXIMATELY $1,000.00 IN CASH WAS MISSING. THE VICTIM ADVISED THAT AT NO POINT HAD SHE GIVEN THE DEFENDANT PERMISSION TO GO IN HER PURSE OR TAKE ANY MONEY. SHE ADVISED THAT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE DEFENDANT RETURNED TO HER RESIDENCE, STATING THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN HIS WALLET. HE THEN MADE A COMMENT ABOUT HOW HE NEEDED TO âGO TO CHURCH TO CLEANSE HIS SOUL,â BUT WOULD NOT ELABORATE. THE DEFENDANT THEN TOLD THE VICTIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO STAY AT A MOTEL. THE VICTIM FOUND THIS SUSPICIOUS, AS SHE KNEW THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS CURRENTLY HOMELESS, AND HAD NO SOURCE OF INCOME AND HAD NO MONEY TO PAY FOR A MOTEL ROOM. I THEN RESPONDED TO 721 SOUTH US HIGHWAY 41, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL MOTEL, IN INVERNESS. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE CLERK, AND ASKED IF A SUBJECT BY THE NAME OF THOMAS WITH LOTS OF TATTOOS WAS STAYING THERE. THEY ADVISED THAT A SUBJECT MATCHING HIS DESCRIPTION WAS STAYING IN ROOM 9 OF THE MOTEL, AND DIRECTED ME TO IT. I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT. I ASKED IF I COULD COME IN AND SPEAK WITH HIM, AND HE SAID YES. I ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS A SUSPECT IN A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. I THEN READ THE DEFENDANT HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS, VIA A PREPRINTED AGENCY ISSUED CARD, AND ASKED IF HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS, AND WISHED TO CONTINUE SPEAKING WITH ME AT THIS TIME; TO WHICH THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT HE DID UNDERSTAND HIS RIGHTS, AND WOULD SPEAK WITH ME. THE DEFENDANT THEN ASKED WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD BEEN AT A HOUSE OFF OF TURNER CAMP ROAD EARLIER IN THE DAY, AND HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT IF HE HAD POSSIBLY MISPLACED OR TAKEN SOMETHING WHICH DID NOT BELONG TO HIM WHILE HE WAS THERE AND THE DEFENDANT DID NOT ANSWER. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHERE THE REST OF THE MONEY WAS, AND HE REACHED IN TO A PAIR OF PANTS ON THE BED, AND HANDED ME $600.00 CASH, ALL IN $100.00 BILLS. THE DEFENDANT DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE WAS NEVER GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE VICTIM TO TAKE THE MONEY. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHERE THE REMAINDER OF THE MONEY WAS HE HAD STOLEN, AND HE SAID HE HAD SPENT SOME ON THE MOTEL ROOM, SOME ON A TAXICAB, AND HE HAD ALSO PURCHASED SOME BEER AND A PREPAID CELLULAR TELEPHONE. THE DEFENDANT THEN BEGAN STATING REPEATEDLY THAT HE WAS SORRY, AND REGRETTED STEALING THE MONEY FROM THE VICTIM. HE ADVISED THAT HE HAD TAKEN IT FROM HER PURSE, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE BATHROOM THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT HE HAD DONE THIS BECAUSE HIS MOTHER HAD DIED THE PREVIOUS EVENING AND HE WANTED A NICE PLACE TO RELAX. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT IF HE WISHED TO COMPLETE A STATEMENT, TO WHICH HE ADVISED THAT HE DID. THE DEFENDANT COMPLETED A SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT, WHICH READ AS FOLLOWS: âI AM SORRY MY MOM DIED I GOT STUPID I WISH I DIDNâT DO WHAT I DID.â I WAS THEN WAIVED DOWN BY THE MOTEL CLERK, WHO ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE A REFUND OF THE DEFENDANTâS MONEY, AS SHE WAS NOW AWARE WHICH THE MONEY HE HAD USED TO RENT THE ROOM HAD BEEN STOLEN. THE CLERK HANDED ME $113.00 IN CASH, WHICH HAD BEEN THE FEE FOR THE ROOM FOR ONE EVENING, INCLUDING A SECURITY DEPOSIT. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT HOW MUCH MONEY THE HAD TAKEN, AND HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN $800.00 IN THE PURSE, ALL OF WHICH HE HAD TAKEN. THIS IS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT WITH THE VICTIMâS STATEMENT, AS SHE HAD TOLD ME THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,000.00 IN THE PURSE, BUT WAS NOT ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE OF THIS AMOUNT. THE DEFENDANT APPEARED TO BE REMORSEFUL, AND KEPT REPEATING THAT HE WAS SORRY. THE DEFENDANT WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST, FOR GRAND THEFT. HE WAS HANDCUFFED AND SECURED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I THEN TRANSPORTED THE DEFENDANT TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY. UPON ARRIVAL, HE WAS RELEASED TO DETENTION FACILITY STAFF, FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF GRAND THEFT, WITH HIS BOND SET AT $2,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. THE VICTIMâS RECOVERED CURRENCY WAS COLLECTED AND PACKAGED TO BE RETURNED HER. |
