Life Sentence Handed Down in Hernando County Shooting
HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – A Hernando County man, Jerae Crussell, 41, has been sentenced to life in prison for aggravated battery involving a deadly weapon, following a jury conviction earlier this year. The sentence was handed down last week by Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.
Crussell was found guilty of Aggravated Battery with Great Bodily Harm with a Firearm, encompassing possession, discharge, and infliction of great bodily harm. The charges stem from a 2022 incident where Hernando County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Mermaid’s Lounge in Spring Hill.
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Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered a victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local trauma center for urgent medical attention, while the assailant, identified as Crussell, had fled the scene.
Detectives with the Major Case Unit immediately launched an investigation. Forensic Specialists meticulously examined the crime scene, collecting crucial evidence including numerous spent shell casings. Surveillance footage from a nearby business, capturing the altercation, was also secured.
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Through the comprehensive collection of evidence and witness statements, detectives identified Crussell as the primary suspect, and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued.
The Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force, acting on intelligence that Crussell was working in Pasco County, successfully located and apprehended him without further incident.
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