PAGE 3 - May 19, 2010
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Man   59 year-old Homosassa man was arrested bywith  County Sheriff’s Office,
threatens woman the Citrus a machete
Standoff  - Continued from page 1
A
dence, where Keller was.
around 3:30 p.m., May 14, following a complaint by a woman who said he threatened her
The report stated that Keller “was intermittently playing loud music and scream-
with a machete while she was walking her dog.
ing.” One officer reported that Keller yelled that he would “shoot the first cop who comes
A deputy answered the call to Bell Villa Mobile Home Park located at 3430 S.
through the door.”
Suncoast Blvd. and spoke with the victim and a witness. The victim said, that as she was
Numerous officers responded to the residence, including hostage negotiators and
walking her dog down the road that goes through the park, she saw Michael Andrew Counts
members of S.E.R.T. Around 4:23 p.m. Keller left the bedroom and came around the corner
in his yard, cutting brush with a machete, and he seemed to be speaking out loud to himself.
where three officers were located. An officer subdued Keller with “the use of less-than-lethal
She said she stopped walking her dog, because another person had come outside with a dog
shotgun rounds,” the report stated.
and had turned and gone back inside their residence.
Keller was placed under arrest for one count of domestic assault and two counts of
She said Counts started walking toward her, while swinging his machete back and
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on law enforcement officers. The report stated that
forth in front of him, screaming at her, “I am tired of you yelling; stop all the yelling.” The
“the witnesses and victim became uncooperative after the defendant was arrested.”
woman told the deputy that she had not uttered one word when he said this, to him or anyone
Keller was treated at the scene and transported to Citrus Memorial Health System
else. She said she’d used her cell phone to called someone to come to her aid, because she
Emergency Room by Medic One. Keller refused treatment and was then transported to the
was afraid that Counts was going to attack her.
Citrus County Detention Facility where he was held without bond.
She said that Counts was approximately 20 feet away from her as he walked to-
Citrus Bomb Unit Disposes of
ward her, waving the machete, but he stopped as she reached for her phone. She said Counts
yelled at her, “Call the cops; go ahead and call the cops,” as he continued to wave the ma-
Pipe Bomb At Residence
chete around. She told the deputy that she would have run away, but she was too scared to
move, and about that time, the person she’d called showed up, and Counts turned and went
Just before 4 p.m. Wednesday May 12th, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers
back to his yard.
received a call about a possible pipe bomb at a residence in Floral City.
The witness told the deputy that he’d received a call from the victim and was in-
Deputies responded to 8832 E. Freeman Court to find what appeared to be a legiti-
formed that Counts was threatening her with a machete, and as he drove up to the scene, he
mate pipe bomb device in the bed of the homeowner’s pickup truck. They described it as a
saw Counts with the machete in his hand, yelling at the woman, then Counts had turned and
metal pipe, capped at both ends, with a fuse attached.
walked back into his yard.
The residents of the four homes adjacent to the incident location were evacuated
When the deputy arrived at Counts’ home, he saw Counts sitting in a chair on his
from the area. The agency’s bomb unit responded to further evaluate the device and render
front porch with a beer in his hand and a sheathed machete lying on the porch. He reported
it safe.
that Counts appeared to be intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and was slurring his words.
At no time did the device ever activate, and no injuries were reported. The CCSO
Counts told the deputy that he was tired of everyone coming by his residence, yell-
bomb unit transported the device in a containment vessel and rendered it safe at a location
ing and screaming, and threatening him with their dogs. He said he’d threatened the woman
next to the Central Landfill in Lecanto. The case has been assigned for further investigation.
with the machete because she was threatening him with her dog. When the deputy asked
Counts how the woman had threatened him with her dog, Counts was unable to explain
the event to him, but stated that a lot of residents walk by with their dogs and threaten him
with them. Counts was placed under arrest for threatening the woman with a deadly weapon
without intent to kill. His bond was set at $5,000.
Bill McCollum to Address Area Joint Meeting
Bill McCollum, Attorney General of the State of Florida and candidate for the of-
fice of Governor of the State of Florida, will be the featured speaker at the Friday, May 28,
meeting of the Yankeetown-Inglis Republican club. This will be a four-county meeting for
Levy, Citrus, Dixie and Gilchrist counties.
The meeting will be held at the Inglis-Yankeetown Lions Club Clubhouse on 59th
Street and Hwy. 40 in Yankeetown. The luncheon meeting will be held at 11:30 a,m, until
1:00 p.m. A light luncheon, which will include dessert and beverage, will be served at a
nominal price of $5 per person. Make checks payable to the club and mail to Y.I.R.C., P.O.
Box 421, Yankeetown, FL 34498. Please call Edith at (352) 447-2622 or Pat at (352) 447-
5874 for reservations, which are required! The public is invited.
Bubba’s Fin & Feather
2pm everyday buy a drink get 1 free
Mon Happy Hr & Free pool all day
Tue 2-4pm $2 long necks $1 darts 4pm Bike Ngt $1 draft
8-10pm Open Jam 8-? 1st Tue of every month Lingerie
show
Off Hwy 40
Wed Free pool & 1.75 cans all day Pool tournament 7pm
On Lk. Rousseau
Thur Bar bingo 2-4pm 1.75 Rum & Coke all day Dart tourna-
ment 7pm
Call 447-2755
The Town of Inglis has posted the opening of the new adult exercise area of Central Park as
Fri Karaoke 8pm pizza $1 a slice
for info
May 21. The site is located on the property behind Capital City Bank that was exchanged to
Sat Ladies ngt 2-4-1 mixed drinks in plastic cup & Karaoke
the Town of Inglis to expand Central Park, with the agreement of the Town of Inglis paying
Hours 12pm-UBD
8pm
for the exercise area and naming it for Capital City Bank. The plan is attributed to Mayor Bill
Sun Nascar Party/Men’s ngt $1 draft $10 domestic buckets
Mon-Sun.
Lake. In a recent meeting it was asked why the Town Commission voted to add a $32,000 Fire
& 1.75 cans 8-10pm $10 domestic Buckets all weekend
Department Assessment to the town’s people and then vote to pay $25,000 from town funds
R.V & Tent
We sell Ready Ice & Fill your water
for the exercise equipment the next month.
sites available
ew! email news to: news@thenewscaster.com
Jugs with glacier water
N
WE BUY GOLD
Inglis Super Stop Restaurant Buddy & Fred's Hardware
Open 5 am - 3 pm for Breakfast & Lunch
42 Hwy 19 N. - Inglis,FL - 352-447-2600
SPECIALTY GEMS
Daily Lunch Specials $5.99
Buddy & Fred's Hardware
Specials Include DRINK & FRIES
HOURS:
New Location
352-795-5900
Monday-Fri.5 am - 3:30 pm
42 Hwy 19 N. Inglis
Saturday 5 am - 2 pm
600 SE Hwy. 19 • Crystal River
Dine-In
Food Ranch Plaza
www.specialtygems.net
or Call-Ahead
U.S. Hwy. 19
for Take-Out
447-4047
(at C.R. 40)
Ser ving the Nature Coast Since 1985
Shell Gas
352-
Inglis, Florida