A Florida man with a history of violence was arrested Tuesday after the woman he allegedly kidnapped and brutally tortured for months found an opportunity to escape from his minivan, authorities said.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday that the victim had been panhandling near Hillsborough and Havana streets in Tampa since January, when she met 48-year-old Walter Medina. .
The sheriff’s office said Medina initially gave the woman food and drugs, but his behavior soon turned violent and the woman was subjected to “months of relentless physical abuse and confinement.” It is said that
Investigators say Medina held the woman against her will for two and a half months. Medina allegedly used a wooden baseball bat and a flathead screwdriver to fracture her ribs, cause deep stab wounds and cause extensive bruising.
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Walter Medina, 48, is charged with attempted second-degree murder and other charges for allegedly kidnapping the woman and torturing her for more than two months. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
The suspect is also accused of driving the victim around Tampa Bay and threatening to kill her if she ran away or called for help.
The woman finally found a way to escape on Monday when her alleged captor left her alone for a short time. at walgreenssaid the authorities.
Deputies responded to a Mobil gas station in Seffner after witnesses reported an injured woman who had just escaped from a van and needed assistance. Police found the victim with multiple injuries to his face and body, and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Medina was arrested Tuesday after a high-speed chase through Polk and Osceola counties. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
“While I cannot imagine the torture this victim endured for months, I can imagine the relief she felt when our officers arrived,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I must commend the victim for her courage in escaping her captors and seeking help. Our thoughts are with her as she recovers from this traumatic ordeal. ”
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However, Medina temporarily escaped from deputies until the next day.
On Tuesday, Medina led deputies, police and officers on a high-speed chase through Polk and Osceola counties in a gold Town and Country Ford van. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Medina reached speeds of more than 160 mph and attempted to weave through traffic to evade capture.
The Florida Highway Patrol, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Lakeland Police Department pursued the suspect and ultimately arrested him on Tuesday. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
Medina ended up hitting a raised median, rendering his vehicle disabled. When he did not comply with officers’ commands to surrender, FHP said officers deployed a K-9 to assist in his arrest.
“This suspect’s violent reign of terror is over,” Chronister said. “We are infinitely grateful to our law enforcement partners who risked their lives to serve and protect our community as we apprehended this suspect. “It demonstrates the strength of our community’s law enforcement network and our shared commitment to keeping our streets safe.” ”
Medina was charged with attempted second-degree murder, armed kidnapping, armed false imprisonment, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, witness tampering, and tampering with physical evidence.
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Medina has previously served time in prison for false imprisonment, with arrests for kidnapping, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and robbery.
