Walter Medina is accused by Florida cops of holding a woman captive for more than two months and assaulting her with a baseball bat and flathead screwdriver. (Hillsborough County Sheriff)
Cops in Florida The police have arrested a man for allegedly imprisoning a woman for over two months and attacking her with a wooden baseball bat and flathead screwdriver.
Walter Medina, 48, found the woman panhandling in the Tampa area in January. Initially, he gave her food and drugs, but then the situation became violent. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said that Medina subjected the woman to “months of relentless physical abuse and captivity. in a press release.
Medina reportedly attacked her with a wooden baseball bat and flathead screwdriver, causing her broken ribs, deep puncture wounds, and extensive bruising. According to the police, during the two-and-a-half months in captivity, the victim suffered greatly at the hands of Medina as he moved her around the Tampa Bay area and threatened to kill her if she tried to escape or get help.
The woman seized an opportunity to escape on Monday when Medina briefly left her alone at a Walgreens in Seffner, a location west of Tampa. She ran to a nearby gas station and asked for help. The police noticed her injuries and took her to the hospital.
“I can’t imagine the torture this victim endured for months, but I can imagine the relief she felt when our deputies arrived,” said Chad Chronister, Hillsborough County Sheriff, in a statement. “I have to commend the bravery of the victim for escaping her captor and seeking help. Our thoughts are with her as she recovers from this traumatic ordeal.”
The police saw Medina’s minivan on Interstate 4 in Lakeland on Tuesday and attempted to pull him over, but he allegedly fled. Officers from several departments pursued Medina as he drove at speeds of over 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic.
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The highway patrol said in a press release that troopers tried to disable the minivan but were unsuccessful. Medina collided with a vehicle as he exited the highway and then ran a red light, troopers said. He tried to make a right turn onto a street but hit a raised median, disabling his van. Cops then took him into custody with the help of a police dog.
He’s facing charges of attempted second-degree murder, armed kidnapping, armed false imprisonment, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, tampering with a witness and tampering with physical evidence. Medina is also charged with fleeing and eluding. He previously served time in prison for false imprisonment and has been arrested for kidnapping, armed assault on a law enforcement officer and robbery.
“This suspect’s reign of violent terror is now over,” said Chronister.
Medina is in the Orange County Jail without bail.