Posted on 03/17/2012 2:02:35 AM PDT by marktwain
ORANGE CITY -- A witness helping sheriff's deputies find stolen trucks and cars had to shoot his way out when the people being investigated cornered him at a stoplight, police said.
Ricardo Mohammed, 30, Sanford, told Orange City detectives he was in fear for his life when Christopher DeFronzo, 26, and Shawn Mahabir, 34, and a third person boxed him in with three cars at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Rhode Island and South Volusia avenues, reports show.
However, a partial video surveillance of a nearby business shows the vehicles were behind Mohammed's truck, police said.
Mohammed maintained that there was a time when a car was on his right side and that Mahabir was also standing by the passenger-side window as DeFronzo attacked him, documents said.
Police said DeFronzo reached into Mohammed's vehicle and began beating him in the face and tried to pull him out of the vehicle. Mohammed reached for a .22-caliber handgun he had in his pickup and fired a shot as DeFronzo ran off, police said.
Mohammed had a cut and bruising to his face, police said.
"Officers who arrived at the scene believe he fired in self-defense," said Orange City police detective Sherif El-Shami. "The defendants were charged with intimidating a witness."
Mohammed could not be reached for comment Friday.
DeFronzo of Deltona was charged with burglary with assault and battery, false imprisonment and intimidating or threatening a victim or witness. He is being held in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $30,000 bail. Mahabir, also of Deltona, was charged with false imprisonment and intimidating or threatening a victim or witness. He got out of jail Wednesday after posting $25,000 bail, a booking officer said Friday.
Mohammed said he believed the attack was because he is assisting sheriff's detective Aaron Blais with an investigation that involves DeFronzo and Mahabir, a police report said.
In a statement to Orange City police, Mohammed said he had been helping Blais and a Sanford police officer find stolen cars and trucks.
After his arrest, DeFronzo told police there is an ongoing feud between Mohammed, Mahabir, Mahabir's cousin and several of his friends, a report shows.
DeFronzo said the feud started when Mahabir's group found out Mohammed was "snitching" to Blais about their companies, the arrest report states.
Mahabir is the owner of S M Auto Repair at 1067 Shadick Drive in Orange City.
DeFronzo said that on Wednesday, he, Mahabir and another friend he knew only as "Rooster" were leaving Mahabir's auto repair shop in separate vehicles and spotted Mohammed on Rhode Island Avenue. The trio made a U-turn and pulled up behind Mohammed. DeFronzo got out of his car and confronted Mohammed, reached into Mohammed's vehicle and punched him in the jaw, police said.
When Mohammed grabbed DeFronzo's shirt, DeFronzo punched him again. DeFronzo then took off running when he saw Mohammed pull a handgun, the report shows.
DeFronzo could not be reached Friday and his girlfriend, Roxanne Rodriguez, 22, said she could not talk about it.
Mahabir said by telephone Friday that he does not know what's going on between DeFronzo and Mohammed and had nothing to do with the incident Wednesday. Mahabir said all he saw was that DeFronzo got in a fight with Mohammed and then saw DeFronzo take off running as Mohammed leaned out of his truck and fired a shot.
"It never happened," Mahabir said when asked if they boxed in Mohammed.
Mahabir said Mohammed worked with him doing auto repairs for three or four years before a theft made them part ways.
"I didn't even know I was being investigated," Mahabir said. "I have never stolen anything and I had nothing to do with what happened Wednesday."
Dunno.....but I’ll say this: If some a**hole tries to reach into my car and punch me, he’ll be met with something MUCH more powerful and life-ending than a .22.
Indeed. He or She will have .45 reasons to wish they stayed in bed that morning...
Yep...hollow point. Glock 30, baby.
Kimber 1911 .45; 230gr HPs...
Excellent. As you know, the Glock 30 is also a .45; I happen to favor 230 grain as well.
You know you have a winner, when the round you shoot is nicknamed “flying ashtray”...
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