POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Bartow man is back behind bars after deputies say he kicked in the front door of a Winter Haven home and brutally attacked the resident inside late Friday night.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies rushed to a home on Indian Bluff around 9:35 p.m. regarding a burglary with battery. Upon arrival, they found a victim suffering from visible lacerations and bruises.
Investigators identified the suspect as 31-year-old Austin Shawn Owens. According to the arrest report, the incident began when Owens forced entry into the residence by kicking in the door.
Once inside, the encounter allegedly turned violent. Deputies say Owens punched the victim with a closed fist, choked them, spit on them, and bit the victim’s finger. When the victim attempted to dial 911 for help, Owens allegedly grabbed the phone and threw it to the ground to prevent the call.
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The report further states that Owens refused to let the victim leave the home and intentionally smashed a glass table before fleeing the scene.
Deputies located Owens a short time later at a RaceTrac gas station at the intersection of Thornhill Road and Winter Lake Road. Authorities say he resisted efforts to be taken into custody but was eventually secured.
Records indicate that at the time of the arrest, Owens was on active felony probation for a previous conviction of Burglary of an Occupied Structure.
Owens is now facing a litany of charges, including:
- Burglary with Battery (F1)
- Battery by Strangulation (F3)
- False Imprisonment (F3)
- Tampering with a Victim (F3)
- Felony Battery with Prior Conviction (F3)
- Violation of Probation (F3)
- Criminal Mischief (M1)
- Resisting without Violence (M1)
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